280
1936 y.2
Kansas Qltlg
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This Volume is for
REFERENCE USE ONLY
^t^^f^pfM^fJ^^
UNITED STATES DEPARTMEJ^pY fcc
JESSE H. JONES, Secretary
BUREAU OF THE CENSUS
VERGIL D. REED, Acting Director
RELIGIOUS BODIES : 1936
VOLUME II
PART 1
DENOMINATIONS
A to J
STATISTICS, HISTORY, DOCTRINE
ORGANIZATION, AND WORK
Prepared under the supervision of
Dr. T. F. MURPHY
Chief Statistician for Religious Statistics
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON : 1941
For sal© by the Superintendent oi Documents, Washington, D, C. - - - Price $1.25 (Buckram)
RELIGIOUS BODIES : 1936
This report is published in two volumes, as follows:
VOLUME L— SUMMARY AND DETAILED TABLES,
VOLUME II.-— SEPAEATE DENOMINATIONS:
STATISTICS, HISTORY, DOCTRINE, ORGANIZATION, AND WORK.
Part 1. — Denominations A to J.
Part 2.— Denominations K to Z.
ii
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE,
BUREAU OF THE CENSUS,
Washington, D. C., February 20, 1941.
SIR:
I transmit herewith part 1 of volume II of the 1936 Census of
Religious Bodies. Volume II is published in two parts and presents
detailed statistics and descriptive statements of the history, doctrine,
organization, and work of each of the denominations. These statistics
and statements, comprising 256 denominations, were published first
in 78 separate bulletins. The data were obtained by mail and personal
canvass in connection with the 1936 Census of Religious Bodies.
# # # # # # . #
The collection and pompilation of these statistics were under the
supervision of Dr. T. F. Murphy, Chief Statistician for General
Information, Records, and Religious Statistics.
VERGIL D. REED,
Acting Director of the Census.
Hon. JESSE H. JONES,
Secretary oj Commerce.
IH
CONTENTS
Page
Introduction ix
Explanation of terms x
Adventist bodies 3
Advent Christian Church 7
Seventh-day Adventist Denomination 18
Church of God (Adventist) 32
Life and Advent Union 38
Church of God (Oregon, 111.) 42
Primitive Advent Christian Church 48
African Orthodox Church 49
American Ethical Union 53
American Rescue Workers 56
Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God 60
Assemblies of God, General Council _** 63
Assyrian Jacobite Apostolic Church 73
Bahd'is 76
Baptist bodies 83
Northern' Baptist Convention 91
Southern Baptist Convention 114
• — -Negro Baptists 143
General Six Principle Baptists 156
Seventh Day Baptists 159
Free Will Baptists 167
—United American Free Will Baptist Church (Colored) 176
General Baptists 181
Separate Baptists 188
"Regular Baptists 194
United Baptists •_ 200
Duck River and Kindred Associations of Baptists (Baptist Church
of Christ) 207
•»»• - 'Primitive 'Baptists 212
Colored Primitive Baptists 226
Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists 234
Independent Baptist Church of America 239
America'n Baptist Association 243
.Christian Unity Baptist Association 251
i/ General Association of Regular Baptist Churches in the United States
of America 254
Seventh Day Baptists (German, 1728) 259*
National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Saving Assembly of the
United States of America 263
Brethren, German Baptist (Dunkers) 266
Church of the Brethren -(Conservative Dunkers) 267
Old German Baptist Brethren (Old Order Dunkers) 278
The Brethren Church (Progressive Dunkers) 283
Church of God (New Dunkers) 289
Brethren, Plymouth 291
Plymouth Brethren I 294
Plymouth Brethren II 299
Plymouth Brethren III 307
Plymouth Brethren IV 311
Plymouth Brethren V 316
Plymouth Brethren VI 321
Plymouth Brethren VII 324
Plymouth Brethren VIII 326
v
VI CONTENTS
Page
Brethren, River 329
Brethren in Christ . . 331
Old Order or Yorker Brethren— - -. 337
United Zion's Children 339
Buddhist Mission of North America 341
Catholic Apostolic Church . 347
Christadelphians 351
The Christian and Missionary Alliance 358
Christian Union . . .„ 366
Christ's Sanctified Holy Church Colored „ 373
Church of Armenia in America . 377
Church of Christ (Holiness) U. S. A .. — .. 385
Church of Christ, Scientist . 390
Churches of God:
Church of God 400
Church of God (Headquarters, Anderson, Ind.) 408
The (Original) Church of God „ 416
Church of God (Salem, W. Va.)- 421
(Tomlinson) Church of God 426
Church of God and Saints of Christ _ 433
Church $ God in Christ . 441
Church of the Nazarene 449
Churches of Christ 462
Churches of Christ in Christian Union of Ohio 471
Churches of God, Holiness - 473
General Eldership of the Churches of God in North America ,. 478
Churches of the Living God 486
Church of the Living God, Christian Workers for Fellowship 487
Church of the Living God, "The Pillar and Ground of Truth" 493
Churches of the New Jerusalem 498
General Convention of the New Jerusalem in the United States of
America 499
General Church of the New Jerusalem 507
Congregational and Christian Churches. _ _ 512
Congregational Holiness Church- .1 .- 529
Disciples of Christ ,-.... 533
Divine Science Church ..-.. 545
Eastern Orthodox Churches _ 549
Albanian Orthodox Church __ _ 553
American Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Eastern Church „ 557
Apostolic Episcopal Church (The Holy Eastern Catholic and Apostolic
Orthodox Church) _.. _ 560
Bulgarian Orthodox Church, , 563
Greek Orthodox Church (Hellenic) 566
Holy Orthodox Church in America „__ 574
Roumanian Orthodox Church .-..,. 576
Russian Orthodox Church „_ 581
Serbian Orthodox Church _ „ 592
Syrian Antiochian Orthodox Church , . 597
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America .,. 602
'Evangelical and Reformed Church _ ,,. 605
.Evangelical Church ._ 619
.Evangelical Congregational Church _ 630
Evangelistic associations _ 636
Apostolic Christian Church 638
Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean) 642
Apostolic Faith Mission. _ 646
CONTENTS VII
Evangelistic associations — Continued.
Christian Congregation _________________________________________ 650
Church of Daniel's Band _______________________________________ 651
Church of God (Apostolic) ______________________________________ 653
Church of God as Organized by Christ ___________________________ 657
Hephzibah Faith Missionary Association _________________________ 661
Metropolitan Church Association ...... ____________________ ...... 665
Missionary Church Association ..... _____________________________ 668
Missionary Bands of the World _________________________________ 673
Pillar of Fire __________________________________________________ 677
Federated Churches ________________________________________________ 683
Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas _________________ 693
Friends ___________________________________________________________ 697
Society of Friends (Orthodox) ___________________________________ 698
Society of Friends (Hicksite) ____________________________________ 71 1
Orthodox Conservative Friends (Wilburite) _______________________ 718
Friends '(Primitive) __________________________________________ „_ 723
Holiness Church ___________________________________________________ 724
Independent Churches _____________________________________________ 727
Independent Negro Churches _______________________________________ 735
International Church of the Foursquare Gospel ________________________ 739
Italian bodies _____________________________________________________ 747
General Council of the Italian Pentecostal Assemblies of God _______ 748
The Unorganized Italian Christian Churches of North America ______ 752
Jewish Congregations _____________________________________ ________ 756
Index ____________________________ .............. __________________ 773
INTRODUCTION
The Census of Religious Bodies, as its name indicates, is a census of religious
organizations rather than an inquiry into the religious affiliations of the individuals
comprising the population of the United States. This census is taken once in 10
years in accordance with the provisions of the Permanent Census Act approved
March 6, 1902, as amended by the act of June 7, 1906, and as further amended by
the Fourteenth Census Act, approved March 3, 1919.
The census of 1936 was conducted under the supervision of Dr. T. F. Murphy,
Chief Statistician for Religious Statistics.
Reports were obtained by the Bureau of the Census from each of the congrega-
tions, churches, or other local organization of each religious body. The census
data were thus obtained directly from the local churches and are not in any sense
a compilation of the statistics collected by the different denominations and pub-
lished in their yearbooks. Lists of the local organizations for 1936 were secured,
so far as possible, from the denominational headquarters, and much additional
assistance was rendered by the officials of the various denominational organizations.
The results of this census are given in two volumes. The statistics were first
published by denominations, a bulletin being issued for each denomination or
family of denominations as soon as the tabulations were completed. In these
bulletins the statistics for each religious body were shown for the entire United
States, and by States, distinguishing urban and rural areas; and for certain denom-
inations they were given by ecclesiastical divisions. Volume II (pts. 1 and 2),
the present report, is a consolidation of these denominational bulletins. In
volume I the statistics covering all of the denominations are presented for the
United States as a whole, by States, for the principal cities, and to some extent
by counties; comparisons are made with previous censuses where possible; and, in
addition, there is a separate presentation for Negro churches.
The statistics for 1936 were collected mainly by correspondence, but partly
by the employment of special agents. The enumeration of the Jewish congrega-
tions, resulting in the most complete statistics ever obtained as to the number and
distribution of persons of the Jewish faith in the United States, was made through
a special agent, Dr. H. S. Linfield, who was selected and generously assisted in
his work by the Statistical Bureau of the Synagogue Council of America.
The Census of Religious Bodies is confined to the continental United States
only and does not include any outlying possessions; and the statistics collected
in the present census cover either the calendar year 1936 or the church record
year which corresponds most nearly to that calendar year.
Prior to 1906 the census of religious bodies, with, however, fewer inquiries, was
taken in connection with the decennial enumeration of population; statistics
obtained in conjunction with the population census of 1880 were never published;
and data for the years 1850, 1860, and 1870, similarly obtained, are not com-
parable witlrthe^later statistics.
The denominations presented in this report number 256, of which 183 are
grouped in 24 families and 73 are listed as separate denominations. For a list of the
denominations included in part 1, in the order of their presentation, see page V.
X INTRODUCTION
Changes in names since 1926 and other changes, such as the formation of new
denominations or the consolidation of old ones, are given for all denominations
in the introduction to volume I. In volume II (pts. 1 and 2) such changes are
explained in the historical statement of the individual denomination and in the
table of comparative data; and in the case of the family groups there is shown, in
addition, a statistical summary of the denominations constituting the respective
groups for the years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906. In this statistical summary
which accompanies the historical statement of the family group it should he
noted that the group total has been used for convenience only and not as signifi-
cant of corporate or organic unity.
Since churches in cities and those in rural sections piesent different problem*
of organization and methods of work, separate statistics are given for urban
and rural churches.
The order of presentation of material under each denomination is as follows:
1. A general summary for the United States of all the statistical items derived
from the schedules, showing the distribution of the figures between urban and
rural territory.
2. A comparative summary giving the available statistics for the censuses of
1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
3. Tables giving, by States, the number and membership of the churches
classified according to their location in urban or rural territory, membership
classified by sex, value of churches and parsonages and amount of debt on church
edifices, church expenditures, and Sunday schools.
4. Somewhat less detailed data for ecclesiastical divisions, such as presbyteries,
dioceses, synods, etc., where these exist.
5. A statement of the history, doctrine, and organization of each denomination.
This statement in many cases was substantially the same as that furnished in
1926, but it has been submitted to the official of the organization whose name is
given and has been revised to date and approved by him in its present form. In
the case of new bodies the historical statement was supplied by a competent per-
son of the denomination.
EXPLANATION OF TERMS
Following is an explanation of the terms used in the statistical tables, which,
as stated above, are presented under each denomination.
Churches. — The term "church" is applied to any organization of persons for
religious worship, whether under the name of church, meeting, mission, station,
etc., which has a separate membership, that is, no members of which are included
in the membership of any other similar organization. Thus each congregation
of a Methodist circuit is counted as a church, and likewise each preparative
meeting of a Friends monthly meeting, and each mission of a Roman Catholic or
other church, whose membership is not included with the membership of the
central church.
Number of churclies. — In the reports of the Census of Religious Bodies for
1916 and 1906 the total number of churches, or organizations, shown for some
denominations was slightly in excess of the number of churches reporting member-
ship. Since membership figures have been obtained for all of the churches
included in the reports for the years 1936 and 1926 and for other reasons, it has
seemed advisable to use, for purposes of comparison with 1936 and 1926, the
number of churches reporting membership in 1916 and 1906. These figures are
used, therefore, in the tables presenting comparative figures for these earlier
years.
INTRODUCTION XI
Membership. — The members of a local church organization, and thus of the
denomination to which the church belongs, are those persons who are recognized
as constituent parts of the organization. The exact definition of membership
depends upon the constitution and practice of the church, or denomination,
under consideration. Each church was instructed to report the number of its
members according to the definition of membership as used in that particular
church or organization. In some religious bodies the term "member" is applied
only to communicants, while in others it includes all baptized persons, and in
still other bodies it covers all enrolled persons.
Separate figures are shown for members "under 13 years of age" and those "13
years of age and over," so far as reported by the individual churches. The
membership "13 years of age and over" usually affords a better basis for com-
parison between denominations reporting membership on a different basis.
Urban and rural churches. — Urban churches are those located in urban areas;
these areas, as defined by the Census Bureau in censuses prior to 1930, included
all cities and other incorporated places having 2,500 inhabitants or more. For
use in connection with the 1930 census the definition has been slightly modified
and extended so as to include townships and other political subdivisions (not
incorporated as municipalities nor containing any area so incorporated) which
had a total population of 10,000 or more, and a population density of 1,000 or
more per square mile. Rural churches would be those located outside of the
above areas. Thus to a very limited extent the urban and rural areas, as reported
for 1936, differ somewhat from these areas as reported in the preceding censuses.
Church edifices. — A church edifice is a building used mainly or wholly for
religious services.
Value of church property. — The term "value of church property" was used in
the reports of the Census of Religious Bodies for 1916 and 1906 and the term
"value of church edifices" has been substituted in 1936 and 1926. The figures
are strictly comparable, however, as exactly the same class of property is covered
by both terms.
The "value of church edifices" comprises the estimated value of the church
buildings owned and used for worship by the organizations reporting, together
with the value of the land on which these buildings stand and the furniture, organs,
bells, and other equipment owned by the churches and actually used in connection
with religious services. Where parts of a church building are used for social or
educational work in connection with the church, the whole value of the building
and its equipment is included, as it has been found practically impossible to make
a proper separation in such cases. The number and value of the parsonages,
or pastors' residences, are shown where the ownership of such buildings was
reported by the churches.
Debt. — The summary tables show the amount of debt reported and the number
of churches reporting a specific debt, also the number of churches reporting that
they had "no debt." The total of these is, in most cases, nearly equal to the
number reporting the value of church edifices.
Expenditures. — The total expenditures by the churches during their last fiscal
year are separated in the reports received from most of the churches into the items
called for, as they appeared on the schedule, which were as follows: (1) Pastor's
salary; (2) all other salaries; (3) repairs and improvements; (4) payment on church
debt, excluding interest; (5) all local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc.; (6) all
other current expenses, including interest; (7) home missions; (8) foreign missions;
(9) amount sent to general headquarters for distribution by them; (10) all other
purposes.
XII INTRODUCTION
Averages. — The average number of members per church is obtained by dividing
the total membership by the total number of churches shown. The average value
of church edifice and the average expenditure per church are obtained by dividing
the total value of churches and the total expenditures, respectively, by the number
of churches reporting in each case.
Sunday schools. — The Sunday schools for which statistics are presented in this
report are those maintained by the churches of the denomination reporting, in-
cluding, in some cases, mission schools or other Sunday schools conducted by the
church elsewhere than in the main church edifice. The statistics shown relate
to Sunday schools only and do not include the weekday schools that are main-
tained by a number of denominations.
SCHEDULE FOR LOCAL CHURCH
ORGANIZATIONS
Following is a reproduction of the schedule which was to be filled out for each
individual church organization.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
BUREAU OF THE CENSUS
WASHINGTON
of Boles: 1936
FILL OUT A SEPARATE SCHEDULE FOR EACH CHURCH
SEE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE BACK OF THIS SHEET
YOUR CENSUS REPORTS ARE CONFIDENTIAL.— Acts of Congress make it unlawful to disclose any fact*,
including names or identity, from your census reports. These laws are strictly enforced. Only sworn census employees
can see your statements. Data collected are used solely for preparing statistical information. Your Census Reports
Cannot be Used for Purposes of Taxation, Regulation, or Investigation.
(a) Religious body or society , .
(6) Division (association, conference, diocese, presbytery, synod, etc.) ,
(c) Local name of church (or society)
(d) City, town, village, or township, etc
(«) County ...
.... (/) State .
MEMBERSHIP
(See Instructions, pars 1 to 7)
Report number of members according to definition
of member in your church
Number of members, by sex:
1. Male . .. ...
*
A
1
2
3
4
5
6
CHURCH SCHOOLS
(See instructions, para. 25 to 38)
.Report here only schools conducted by this church
Sunday schools:
S5r Number of officers
*
E
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
D
6
7
8
26 Number of teachers
2, Female
3* Total number of members——.. _—.,..—..._._-..
Number of members, by age:
4. Under 13 years of age™.™
27. Number of pupils. ....— — . ..„— . _.—.—._ .,„_....
Summer vacation Bible schools:
28. Number of officers — —
29. Number of teachers........— ._„ .___._. .
6* Total number of members .. ... — .......— .—.. -
30. Number of pupils
Weekday religions schools:
31U Nymh^r "f off?rt«r«r , u „, „ Jm ,_
NOTE —The total given under question 8 should be the same as the total ot
mates and females given under question 3.
7. Average attendance per Sunday.
32. Number of teachers
CHURCH BUILJDINGS
(See instructions, pars 8 to 13)
9. Value of church edifices constructed
prior to 1936.. . ....... $—.—,..
10. Value of church edifices constructed,
11. Debt on church property reported
under inquiries 9 and 10 $
B
1
2
3
4
6
6
C
1
2
3
4
5
6
~D~
33. Number of pupils...... ....... _.....___. ....... ...„.„.„. «
Parochial schools (general educational work) :
34. Number of administrative officers.. _—..„—„. ......
35. Number of teachers:
(a) Elementary (grades 1 to 8)
12. Does church own pastor's residence.. .* ,
13. Value of pastor's residence (if owned (Yw * "^
by church) ... — ....... ......... $.„_..— ....—....,
36. Number of pupils:
(a) Elementary (grades 1 to 8)
EXPENDITURES DURING YEAR
(See Instructions, para. 14 to 34)
14. For pastor's salary..—.....——.——™— $~— — ... .,.„_._
37. Number of buildings.......,...— ....... —.—„—..._ .
38. Value of buildmgB_ $
IS. For all other salaries $
Ifl. For repairs and improvements $
17. For payments on church debt, ex-
PASTOR OR LEADER
(See Ixutractlons, nut 38 to 43)
39. Name of p*Btor
18. For all local^relief and charity, Red
Cross etc $ . — - —
40. Number of ordained nunistera, if
any, employed aa assistant pas-
tors . . . „ ...
19. For all other current expenses, in-
cluding interest.....— ............. I...,.— .........
41. Number of other churches now
served by the pastor or hia as-
20. For home missions ... .... ......... $....—. .—._,—. ...._,
1
2
3
4
5
42. Names and locations of the churches.
<~8«e Instruction. 33)
21. For foreign missions $
(See Instruction 22)
22. Amount sent to general head-
quarters for distribution by them. $
(A separata report should be furnished for each church)
24. Total expenditures during year. $
43. Number of unordained full-time
Period covered by this report :
(Signature of person
furnishing information)
From , 198...
(Official title)
to 193
* Column for Census Office Use Only.
n— iMor
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION OF SCHEDULE
Fill out a separate schedule for each church. Additional schedules will be sent to you upon request.
Please answer each question to the best of your ability, sign your name, stating your official title (or your con-
nection with the church or organization) and your post-office address in the spaces provided at tho bottom of the
form. The schedule should be returned promptly in the accompanying official envelope which rccmircs no postage.
Date of census.— This census relates to the year 1930, If your church records are for tho calendar year,
the financial information and membership should be reported as of December 31, 1936. If your church year is
not the same as the calendar year, indicate that fact, in which case tho information, should be reported for your
church year, beginning not later than March 1, 1936. For example,, where the church year begins March 1, the
financial information should be reported for the church year beginning on that date, and membership should bo
reported as of the last day of your church year, February 28, 1937. Indicate the period for which the report is
furnished in the space provided in the lower left-hand corner on the face of the schedule.
Definition, of church. — The term "church" as used by( the Census Bureau represents any organization
for religious worship which has a separate membership, whether it is called a church, congregation, meeting, society,
mission, station, or chapel, etc. This report should also include all organizations of an ethical character which
people regularly attend instead of a church.
MEMBERSHIP
The figures for number of members should Include all persons
who are members of your church according to the definition of
member in your church or organization. In some religious
bodies, the term "member" is limited to communicants; in the
Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Roman Catholic Church, the
Lutheran Church, the Protestant Episcopal Church, and some
others, it includes all baptized persons, and in still other bodies
it covers all enrolled persons.
lt 2, 3. — Give in this section the total number of members
in this church or organization only. Enter under Question 1
tho number of males, under Question 2 the number of females,
and under Question 3 the aum of these two, which wilj represent
the total number of members in your church or organization.
4. — Under Question 4 enter the number of members of Ihis
church who are under 13 years of age. Do not report Sunday-
school scholars here, unless they are also members of the church.
B. — Under Question 5 report the number of members 13
years of age and over.
6. — Under Question 6 give the total number of members (the
sum of the figures reported in answer to Questions 4 and 5).
Please make a careful estimate of the number of members in
each age group if actual figures are not available.
7.-~-Undcr Question 7 report the average attendance at church
per Sunday. This can be arrived at by making a count, as
nearly as possible, of the number of persons present each Sunday
for several Sundays.
CHURCH BUILDINGS
8. — A church "edifice" is a building used mainly for religious
services. If services are held in a hall, school house, or private
house, indicate that fact in reply to Question 8. Such a building
is not a church edifice, and ita value should not be reported
under Question 9.
9. — Report under Question 9 the value of the church edifice,
together with the land on which it stands and all furniture-,
organs, bells, and furnishings owned by the church and actually
used m connection with church services. Do not include here
either the value of buddings hired for church use or of buildings
owned by the church but not used for religious services. Where
parts of the church building are used for social or organization
work in connection with the church, the whole value of tho
building and its equipment should be included, as it is practically
impossible to make any separation in such a case. Tho value
of buildings used for school purposes should be reported under
Question 38,
10. — The total amount of money expended for the construc-
tion of new church buildings should be reported under Question
10. Do not include any of this amount in the value of church
edifices as reported under Question 9. The value given for the
church edifice should be the current market value as nearly
as this can be ascertained.
11. — Give the total debt upon the church edifices reported
under Question 9 and those reported under construction under
Question 10.
13. — The value of the pastor's residence, if owned by the
church, should be reported under Question 13. If actual
figures are not available a carefully prepared estimate will
be accepted.
EXPENDITURES
In this section, report the amounts expended by this church
only during the last calendar or church year. Please indicate the
period covered by this report in the space provided for the pur-
pose in the lower left-hand corner of the schedule.
14. — In answer to Question 14, give the annual salary of the
pastor. If the pastor's salary consists of voluntary contribu-
tions or is made up partly of such contributions, estimate the
value of these contributions and include them in item 14.
15. — Under Question 16 report the total amount paid for all
other salaries, 'including assistant pastors, clerks, the choir,
janitor, and au other salaried employees.
Authority for collection of
Congress approved June 7, 1006. a
schedule, applicable to the religious
not exceeding 00 days, or both? aad 1
8-4070
formation — The Information to bo used as a basis of religious statistics Is collected by
June 18. 1020 These Aots make it the duty of every person (n charge or
. ^Jy, church, or organisation, and upon refusal or neglect to comply, such
it any cuoh person willfully gives falsa wswora, ho is subject to a too not
16. — Question 16 should include all expenditures during the
year for the repair and improvement of the church edifice and
pastor's residence.
17. — The total of all payments made on church debt, not
including interest, should oe given in answer to Question 17.
18.— Under Question 18 report the amount collected and
distributed by this church for local relief, charity and all other
benevoleat purposes This amount should represent the dis-
tribution made by this church In some religious bodies, con-
tributions are given specifically for distribution by the individual
church and it is this amount which should be reported in answer
to this question.
19.— Under Question 19 report all other running expenses
of thia church, including interest on the church debt, which are
necessary to carry on the work of the church during the year.
These items will include rent, fuel, light, expenses of the Sunday
school, and all other maintenance costs.
20, 21. — Under Questions 20 and 21 report tho amount given
by this church ,for homo (or domestic) and foreign missions.
In some religious bodies, an annual assessment, based on the
membership or income of the church, is made for these purposes
and the total amount is sent to headquarters to bo distributed.
If this is tho case and tho figures cannot bo separated, please
answer "None" for Questions 20 and 21 and report in. 22 the
total amount contributed for this purpose.
22. — If a lump sum is sent to general headquarters for all
benevolent purposes, it should be reported under Question 22.
23. — Question 23 should include all other expenses not re-
ported under Questions 14 to 22, inclusive, and together with
these items should represent the total expenditures made by
this church during the fiscal year.
24. — Total expenditures will appear in answer to Question 24.
CHURCH SCHOOLS
Report in this section only schools which are conducted by
this church. If an individual serves as an officer and teacher
in any of the types of school mentioned in this inquiry, be
should be reported under that question which requires tho greater
part of bis time; for example, if a person devotes tho major
portion of his time to teaching and incidentally serves in a
supervisory capacity, he should be reported as a teacher and
not as an official, except in the case of tho Sunday-school super-
intendent who should always be reported as an officer. If tha
church has n6 Sunday school, summer vacation Bible school,
or other type of school named in this inquiry write "None."
27, 30, 33, 36-— -Questions 27, 30, 33, and 36 should repre-
sent the number of enrolled pupils who attend these schoola.
If the church conducts a summer vacation Bible school, or a
week-day religious school, report only the members of this
church who are in attendance
37, 38. — Under Questions 37 and 38 should be reported the
number of buildings used for school purposes, together with their
value. Value of school buildings owned by this church should
be reported under Question 38 and not under Questions 9 or 10.
PASTOR OR LEADER
39.. — in most cases these questions will be self-explanatory.
If your organization is one of those which does not use the term
"pastor", give under Question 39 the name of the person in
charge of the local church or organization, and consider him in
place of the pastor in answering the other questions in this
section.
43. — In many churches there are a number of lay workers
who are employed by the church to carry on its numerous
activities. They may be engaged in welfare work, missions, or
other duties and their total number should be reported under
Question 43.
REMARKS
Under remarks furnish any additional information which
you believe will enable the Bureau to more fully understand
your report.
s collected by tho Census Bureau under authority of Acts of
any religious bod? to answer all questions on tba crlntod
on is subject to a fine not exceeding $600 or to Imprisonment
son moot not excoedtaff ona ywir, or bath
XIV
SEPARATE DENOMINATIONS
STATISTICS, HISTORY, DOCTRINE, ORGANIZATION, AND WORK
ADVENTIST
GENERAL STATEMENT
What is known as the "Advent movement" originated with William Miller,
who was born at Pittsfield, Mass., February 15, 1782, and died in Low Hampton,
N. Y., December 20, 1849. He bore a good reputation as a farmer and citizen,
served as a captain in the War of 1812, and was a diligent student and a great
reader, although he had only a common-school education. For some years he
was an avowed deist, but, as he said, "found no spiritual rest" until, in 1816, he
was converted and united with the Baptists. After his conversion, as objections
to the authenticity and inspiration of the Scriptures were pressed upon him in the
same way that he had formerly pressed them, upon others, he determined to
devote himself to a careful study of the Bible, laying aside commentaries and
using the marginal references and Cruden's Concordance as his only helps. As
a result of this study he became satisfied that the Bible is its own interpreter,
and that it is "a system of revealed truths, so clearly and simply given that the
'wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein.7 "
At that time very little was heard from pulpit or press respecting the second
coming of Christ, the general impression being that it must be preceded by the
conversion of the world and the millennium, a long period of universal holiness
and peace. As Mr. Miller studied the prophetic portions of the Bible, he became
convinced that the doctrine of the world's conversion was unscriptural; that
not only the parable of the wheat and the tares, as explained by Christ in Matthew
xiii, 24-30, 36-43, but many other passages, teach the coexistence of Christianity
and anti-Christianity while the gospel age lasts. As the period of a thousand
years, during which Satan is bound, mentioned in Revelation xx, and from which
the conception of the millennium is derived, lies between the first resurrection
(Rev. xx, 4-6), which he understood to include all of the redeemed, and that of
"the rest of the dead" (Rev. xx, 5), his conclusion was that the coming of Christ
in person, power, and glory must be premillennial. He believed that at this
coming there would be a resurrection of all the dead in Christ, who, together
with all the redeemed then alive, would be ' 'caught up to meet the Lord in the
air"; that the wicked would then be judged, and the present heavens and earth
dissolved by fire, to be followed by their regeneration as the inheritance of the
redeemed, involving the glorious, immortal, and personal reign of Christ and all
His saints.
As to the time when the Advent might be expected, Mr. Miller's conclusion
was as follows:
In examining the prophecies * * * I found that only four uni-
versal monarchies are predicted in the Bible to precede the setting up of
God's everlasting kingdom; that three of those had passed away —
Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Grecia — and that the fourth, Rome, ./had
already passed into its last state * * *. And finding all the signs
of the times, and the present condition of the world, to compare har-
moniously with the prophetic description of the last days, I was com-
pelled to believe that the world had about reached the limits of the
period allotted for its continuance.
Moreover, as a result of his study of prophetic chronology, he believed not
only that the Advent was at hand, but that its date might be fixed with some
definiteness. Taking the more or less generally accepted view that the "days"
of prophecy symbolize years, he was led to the conclusion that the 2,300 days
referred to in Daniel viii, 13, 14, the beginning of which he dated from the com-
mandment to restore Jerusalem, given in 457 B. C. (Daniel ix, 25), and the 1,335
days of the same prophet (xii, 12), which he took to constitute the latter part of
the 2,300 days, would end coincidently in or about the year 1843. The cleansing
3
4 CENSUS OF EELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
of the sanctuary, which was to take place at the close of the 2,300 days (Daniel
viii, 14), he understood to mean the cleansing of the earth at the second coming
of Christ, which, as a result of his computations, he confidently expected would
occur some time between March 21, 1843, and March 21, 1844, the period cor-
responding to the Jewish year.
The public labors of Mr. Miller, according to the best evidence to be obtained,
date from the autumn of 1831, when he accepted an invitation to go to Dresden,
N. Y., to speak on the subject of the Lord's return. He gave several addresses,
with the result that many persons were "hopefully converted." Other invita-
tions quickly followed, and thus began a work which in a few years, though not
without opposition, spread far and wide, ministers and members of various
evangelical denominations uniting in the expectation of the speedy, personal,
and premillennial coming of Christ. The first general gathering of 'those inter-
ested in this subject was held in Boston in October 1840. The call for this gather-
ing simply invited Christians of all denominations to come together to compare
views and to confer as to the best means of promulgating this important truth.
The Advent movement was further assisted by the appearance of a number of
papers, such as the Midnight Cry, the Signs of the Times, and the Trumpet of
Alarm, emphasizing these views.
As the time approached when the coming of Christ was expected there was
widespread interest and elaborate preparation. When the Lord did not come in
the spring of 1844, Mr, Miller published to the world his mistake. However, in
the summer of 1844, Samuel Sheffield Snow, George Storrs, and several other
prominent leaders, began to preach that the second advent of Christ would occur
on October 22, 1844, which was the date that year of the Jewish Day of Atone-
ment. Great numbers of the Adventists eagerly accepted this view. Mr.
Miller and Joshua V. Himes held aloof from any public advocacy of this theory.
But Mr. Miller did write a letter which appeared in the Advent Herald under
date of October 16, 1844, in which he expressed his faith in this October date for
the coming of Christ and announced that if this prediction too should fail, he
would suffer twice as much disappointment as he had experienced before. The
passing of this date without the occurrence of the expected event was a source
of great disappointment to Mr. Miller, as well as to those who had so strongly
advocated it, and their followers. Mr. Miller did not, however, to the end of
his life, change his views with regard to the premillennial character of the Advent
itself, or his belief that "the day of the Lord is near, even at the door/1
In its beginning the Adventist movement was wholly within the existing
churches and there was no attempt to establish a separate denomination. Mr.
Miller himself during the greater part of his work was a Baptist licentiate. In
June 1843, however, the Maine Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church
passed resolutions condemning the movement, and from that time considerable
opposition was manifested. In some cases Adventists were forced to leave the
churches of which they were members; in others they withdrew voluntarily, bas-
ing their action, in part, on the command to "come out of Babylon" (Rev. xviii,
4), including under the term "Babylon" not only the Roman Catholic Church,
but the Protestant churches. Mr. Miller and other leaders earnestly deprecated
this interpretation, yet it influenced some to leave the old communions.
The Adventists who, for either of the causes mentioned, withdrew from the
existing churches generally formed organizations of their own, although in some
places they omitted any formal organization, considering either that the time
was too short or that organization was sinful. No definite move was made, how-
ever, toward the general organization of the adherents of the Adventist doctrines
until 1845. In that year, according to an estimate made by Mr. Miller, there
were Advent congregations in "nearly a thousand places, numbering * * *
some fifty thousand believers." A conference was called at Albany, N. Y., in
April 1845, for the purpose of defining their position, and was largely attended,
Mr. Miller being present. A declaration of principles was adopted, embodying
the views of Mr. Miller respecting the personal and premillennial character of
the second advent of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the renewal of the
earth as the abode of the redeemed, together with cognate points of doctrine,
which have been summarized as follows :
1. The present heavens and earth are to be dissolved by fire, and new heavens
and a new earth are to be created whose dominion is to be given to "the people
of the saints of the Most High."
ADVENTIST BODIES 5
2. There are but two Advents of the Saviour, both of which are personal and
visible. The first includes the period of His life from His birth to the Ascension;
the second begins with His descent from heaven at the sounding of the last
trump.
3. The second coming is indicated to be near at hand, even at the doors; and
this truth should be preached to saints that they may rejoice, knowing that their
redemption draws nigh; and to sinners that they may be warned to flee from
the wrath to come.
4. The condition of salvation is repentance toward God and faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Those who have repentance and faith will live soberly and right-
eously and godly in this world, looking for the Lord's appearing.
5. There will be a resurrection of the bodies of all the dead, both of the just
and the unjust. Those who are Christ's will be raised at His coming; the rest of
the dead, not until a thousand years later.
6. The only millennium taught in the Word of God is the thousand years in-
tervening between the first resurrection and that of the rest of the dead.
7. There is no difference under the gospel dispensation between Jew and Gentile,
but God will render to every man according to his deeds. The only restoration
of Israel is in the restoration of the saints to the regenerated earth.
8. There is no promise of this world's conversion. The children of the king-
dom and of the wicked one will continue together until the end of the world.
9. Departed saints do not enter their inheritance at death, that inheritance
being reserved in heaven ready to be revealed at the second coming, when they
will be equal to the angels, being the children of God and of the resurrection;
but in soul and spirit they enter the paradise of God, to await in rest and com-
fort the final blessedness of the everlasting kingdom.
The somewhat loosely organized body formed at the general conference of
Adventists held at Albany, N. Y., in April 1845 continued for a decade to
include practically all the Adventists except those who held to the observance
of the seventh, rather than the first, day of the week as the Sabbath. In 1855
the discussions, in which Jonathan Cummings had so prominent a part, resulted
in the withdrawal of some members and the subsequent organization of the
Advent Christian Church. The Adventists who continued their adherence to
the original body were for the most part those who believed in the doctrine of
the conscious state of the dead and the eternal suffering of the wicked, claiming
on these points to be in accord with the personal views of Mr. Miller. They,
however, felt the need of closer association, and in 1858 organized at Boston,
Mass., the American Millennial Association, partly for the purpose of publishing
material in support of their belief and partly as a basis of fellowship. Some
years later the members of this society adopted the term " Evangelical Advent-
ists" as a denominational name, with a view to distinguishing themselves from
other bodies with which they differed on doctrinal points.
For some years the association published a periodical bearing at different
periods the names, Signs of the Times, Advent Herald, Messiah's Herald, and
Herald of the Coming One. It contributed to the support of the China Inland
Mission and of laborers and missions in other fields, but as the older members
died many of the younger families joined other evangelical denominations, and
the number of churches and members diminished rapidly. In 1906 they re-
ported 18 organizations with 481 members, 16 church edifices, and $27,050 as
value of church property; 9 Sunday schools with 57 officers and teachers and 264
scholars; and 8 ministers. When the inquiries for the census of 1916 were made, it
appeared that all the churches, except a few in Pennsylvania, had disbanded or
discontinued all services, and from those in Pennsylvania no information could
be obtained. The denomination as an ecclesiastical body has, therefore, been
dropped from this report.
Discussions in regard to the nature of the Advent, and particularly in regard
to the future life, resulted in the formation of other bodies independent in
organization but agreeing in the belief that the Advent is to be personal and
premillennial and is near at hand and in their recognition of the influence of Mr,
Miller and those immediately associated with him.
The denominations grouped under the name Adventist in 1936, 1926, 1916, and
1906 are listed in the summary table following, with the principal statistics as
reported for the four periods. Two bodies listed in 1906 were not included in the
table for 1916 or later censuses. The omission of the Evangelical Adventists is
6
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
explained in a preceding paragraph. The Churches of God (Adventist), Unat-
tached Congregations, if any of these churches existed in 1936, 1926, or 1916, were
probably included among the independent churches or merged with other Ad-
ventist bodies. The denomination reported prior to 1936 as "Churches of God In
Christ Jesus" is more or less a local name, and it is also known, in some localities,
as "Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith/' An investigation shows the general
conference to be organized under the name "Church of God," but in order to dis-
tinguish it from many other churches of this name the location of its headquarters
is added for definiteness, as "Church of God (Oregon, 111.)."
These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by
the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate to these churches
only.
STTMMAEY OF STATISTICS FOR THE ADVENTIST BODIES, 1936, 1926, 1916, AND 1906
DENOMINATION AND CENSUS YBAB
Total number of churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches report-
ing
Amount
Churches report-
ing
Amount
Churches report-
Ing
Scholars
1936
Total for the group
3,536
165, 815
1,758
$8,776,620
2,417
$6,574,658
1,845
119,756
Advont Christian Church
346
2,054
45
6
71
14
3,578
26, 258
133, 254
1,250
352
4, 163
538
146, 177
313
1,362
17
5
48
13
1,819
1, 867, 420
0, 690. 955
22, 090
42,500
137, 755
15,300
11,089,449
327
1,973
32
6
65
14
2,336
321, 922
6, 196, 143
9, 732
8,916
36, 308
1,637
7,610,863
288
1, 465
25
4
60
3
1,759
18, 702
97, 062
049
181
2,967
195
102,779
Seventh-day Adventist Denomina-
tion
Church of God (Adventist). .„ - _
Life and, Advent Union
Church of God (Oregon, 111 )
Primitive Advent Christian Church..
1926
Total for the group
Advent Christian Church
444
1,981
58
7
86
2,667
20,430
110,998
1,686
535
3,528
114,915
385
1,363
12
7
52
1,716
2, 310. 000
8,477,999
25, 850
91, 000
164, 600
3, 885, 235
379
1,849
39
6
63
2,240
536, 192
6,998,988
13, 887
19, 861
41,935
2, 180, 588
304
1,383
23
7
42
2,246
18, 80S
81, 067
685
344
1,877
98,802
Seventh-day Adventist Denomina-
tion
Church of God (Adventist) _ _
Life and Advent Union, . .
Churches of God in Christ Jesus . .
1916
Total for the group
Advent Christian Church
534
2,011
22
13
87
2,537
30, 597
79, 355
848
658
3,457
92,735
417
1,231
8
8
52
1,471
1, 188, 070
2, 568, 495
8,200
41, 600
78, 870
2, 425, 209
423
1,737
10
11
59
274,446
1,887,772
2,358
8,996
13, 016
379
1.803
21, 007
74, 863
Seventh-day Adventist Denomina-
tion - - - - -
Church of God (Adventist)
Life and Advent Union
9
65
2,078
439
2, 493
69, 110
Churches of God in Christ Jesus
1906
Total for the group
Evangelical Adventists
18
541
1,884
30
10
12
62
481
26,799
62, 211
354
267
509
2,124
15
428
981
3
2
6
36
27,050
854, 323
1,454,087
4,000
2,300
29, 799
53, 650
9
362
1,656
9
5
7
30
264
16,941
50, 225
326
200
259
895
Advent Christian Church
Seventh-day Adventist Denomina-
tion. . .
Church of God (Adventist)
Churches of God (Adventist), Unat-
tached Congregations
Life and Advent Union
Churches of God in Christ Jesus.—..
ADVENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification, — A general
summary of the statistics for the Advent Christian Church for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have been
admitted to the local churches, by vote of the members, upon profession of faith
and baptism by immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
346
26, 258
76
10, 310
15, 732
216
65 5
480
23, 606
2,172
2 0
321
313
$1, 867, 420
$1,819,142
$48, 278
$5, 966
51
$129, 023
201
117
105
$318, 992
327
$321 922
$157^ 376
$17, 065
$33, 220
$22, 716
$51, 381
$5, 284
$12,481
$7, 816
$4, 569
$10, 014
$984
288
3,059
18, 702
13
86
887
119
11, 976
101
4,664
7,168
144
65.1
280
10, 750
946
2.5
109
107
$1, 346, 315
$1, 345, 437
$878
$12, 582
40
$115,916
53
55
49
$209, 792
116
$216, 755
$98, 760
$12, 796
$22, 185
$19, 024
$39, 488
$3,054
$7, 850
$5, 411
$2, 757
$5, 430
$1, 869
110
1,433
9,073
10
75
710
227
14, 282
63
5,646
8,564
72
65 9
200
12, 856
1,226
1.5
212
206
$521, 105
$473, 705
$47, 400
$2, 530
11
$13, 107
148
62
56
$109, 200
211
$105, 167
$58, 616
$4, 269
$11, 035
$3, 692
$11, 893
$2, 230
$4, 631
$2, 405
$1, 812
$4, 584
$498
178
1,626
9,629
3
11
177
34.4
45.6
65.6
54.4
Members, number
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
45.2
45.6
66 7
54 8
54 4
33.3
Female
Sex not reported _ _ . . .
Males per 100 females
Membership by age
Under 13 years
58 3
45.5
43 6
41.7
54.5
56.4
13 years and over .. _ -
Aj?o not reported _ -
Percent under 13 years '
CJvurcl-. edifices number
34.0
34 2
72.1
74.0
1.8
66.0
65.8
27.9
26.0
98.2
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Dobt rmmbor rpnortlnff
Amount reported __ __
89.8
26 4
47.0
46 7
65.8
35.5
67.3
62 8
75.0
66.8
83.7
76.9
57 8
62.9
69.2
60.3
54.2
10.2
73.6
53.0
53.3
34.2
64.5
32 7
37.2
25 0
33 2
16 3
23.1
42.2
37.1
30 8
39.7
45.8
3STtimb<?r reporting "no debt" - --
Value number reporting
Amount reported .._,_.
Expenditures:
Churches reporting number
Amount reported - - - -
Pastors* salaries
All other salaries -
Repairs and improvements - - ------
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest _ _ _.
All other current expenses, including in-
terest _ - -
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc.-.
H om© missions --
" Iforoipjn missions - -
To general headquarters for distribution-.
All other purposes
A verag e expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting number - ~- - -
38.2
46.8
48.5
61.8
53.2
51.5
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Scholars - - -
80 0
20.6
' Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Based on membership with age classification reported.
7
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
Tn rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL l
Urban
Rural
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting number
6
18
167
4
67
304
2
6
71
2
31
145
4
12
96
2
36
159
Officers End teachers
Scholars -- -
42.5
57. 5
Parochial schools:
Churches reporting number
Officers and tefichors - -- -
Scholars - - - _____ .
47.7
52. 3
* Percent not shown where ba.so is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36, — Table 2 presents, in con vcnientform for comparison,
a summary of the available statistics of the Advent Christian Church for the
census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations) , number . -------
346
444
534
541
Increase l over preceding census.
Number -
-98
-90
-7
Percent -. - ,
-22.1
-16 9
— 1.3
Members, number - .
26, 258
29, 430
30, 597
26, 790
Increase l over preceding census.
Number - . -
-3, 172
— 1,167
3,798
Percent
—•10.8
-3.8
14.2
Average membership per church _,_ _ _
76
66
57
50
Church edifices, number - - -
321
410
418
428
Value — number reporting.. - „_
313
385
417
428
Amount reported -
$1 867,420
$2, 310, 000
$1, 188, 070
$854, 323
Average value per church - - - -.
$5, 966
$6,000
$2 849
$1, 996
rjeftt; — number reporting . . -
51
54
63
57
Amount reported
$129, 023
$121, 667
$95 970
$78 828
Parsonages, number - - - - -.-
117
Value — number reporting ..
105
111
77
44
Amount reported
$318, 992
$395, 150
$143, 050
$72, 675
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number _-
327
379
423
Amount reported - -
$321, 922
$536 192
$274 446
Pastors' salaries -. - . - --
$157, 376
All other salaries
$17 065
Repairs and improvements
$33 220
!• $409 241
$233 618
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest. ._
Local relief and charity. Red Cross, etc
$22, 716
$51, 381
$5, 284
Horn© missions
$12 481
Foreign missions
$7, 816
[ $112,292
$40 828
To general headquarters for distribution
$4, 569
All other purposes
$10 014
Not classified-- -
$14, 659
Average expenditure per church -- -~ - .-.
$984
$1, 415
$649
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
288
304
379
362
Officers and teachers
3 059
2 773
3 134
2 876
Scholars...
18, 702
18, 806
21, 007
16, 941
1 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
State tables, — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Advent Chris-
tian Church by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools.
Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for
the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936
- "-*•> " -~-i t> m_u1-. K
ADVENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH
shows the value of churches and parsonages and debt on church edifices for
1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing
the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables
5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions, — Table 7 presents, for each conference in the Advent
Christian Church, the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by States
in the preceding tables, including number of churches, membership, value and
debt on church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBEBSHIP OP CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGBAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOI S
"3
1
a
1
*c3
1
I
fl
1
2
(§
•S
1
r2
&
£
*S
?
to
§-
||
sT
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States
348
119
7
8
3
23
2
9
5
227
26, 258
11,976
889
652
179
1,798
230
980
300
14, 282
10, 310
898
516
248
747
157
472
289
28
353
100
370
72
290
85
86
125
22
47
362
669
1,501
350
254
879
66
11
81
127
21
154
160
41
36
195
90
408
15, 732
216
"§5~
65.5
61.9
59.6
65.1
60.4
51.6
62.0
67.1
288
3,059
18, 702
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
36
25
12
28
5
12
12
a
29
17
9
5
3
3
7
3
11
"T
2
7
3
4
3
"I
13
24
26
6
7
16
5
2,349
1,382
629
2,018
461
1,233
720
90
813
250
952
209
726
200
236
299
42
107
794
1,629
4,037
772
635
2,274
162
21
205
263
45
369
370
100
84
490
209
1,083
1,460
730
450
220
231
253
420
90
778
1,451
866
381
1,236
304
761
431
62
460
150
473
137
436
115
150
174
20
60
432
960
2,536
422
381
1,323
96
10
124
136
24
215
210
59
48
295
119
675
31
24
9
27
5
10
11
3
11
1
9
2
7
1
3
3
1
2
11
22
28
6
4
17
3
330
277
118
318
81
167
131
26
80
23
148
28
75
20
35
23
7
19
95
171
227
40
38
155
22
2,019
1,283
477
1,750
505
814
439
125
502
203
826
190
494
107
268
95
22
70
611
1,457
2,026
276
280
1,016
185
New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
12
1
9
4
9
4
4
1
1
6
2
2
1
35
250
789
139
229
126
109"
76.7
66.7
78.2
52.6
66.5
73.9
57.3
71.8
Indiana
Illinois
163
70
497
74
236
299
Michigan
Wisconsin.
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
3
Nebraska
1
3
13
1
2
42
95
Kansas . _ ._
12
794
1,138
2,835
726
484
1,098
126
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
83.8
69.7
59.2
82.9
66.7
66 4
West Virginia
20
35
7
8
22
7
1
5
4
2
9
1
1
6
2
1
2
491
1,202
46
151
1,176
36
21
68
~72~
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Alabama
3
4
1
3
3
137
263
45
176
266
::::
65.3
93.4
4
1
1
5
3
3
1
5
3
11
28
5
6
40
29
28
8
84
27
150
236
20
25
211
250
185
79
536
179
941
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Louisiana
1
Oklahoma
6
4
3
1
6
3
11
3
1
3
1
3
2
10
193
104
100
84
402
160
1,009
71.6
762
Texas
....
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
New M!exico
3
1
1
PACIFIC:
Washington
88
49
74
—
66 1
75.6
60.4
Oregon - . -
California
i Ratio not shown wher^e number of females is less than 100.
10
TABLE
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
, — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1036
1936
348
:;::.::.=::
36
25
12
28
5
12
12
3
12
1
9
4
9
4
4
3
1
3
13
26
35
7
8
22
7
1936
444
1916
534
1906
541
1936
1926
1916
1906
CO
,.8
£g
•gR
ID
OT
%&
S£
£!
ll
ia
§-
£23
8£
£•3
PH
United States
26, 258
29, 430
30, 597
26, 799
480
23, 606
2,172
2.0
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
45
24
15
32
7
14
13
6
15
4
9
5
13
4
5
5
1
5
10
51
43
7
18
27
fl
57
33
19
33
8
19
24
11
17
7
14
12
18
4
10
5
3
7
12
63
23
7
22
25
4
37
40
23
41
7
22
24
11
20
10
17
14
17
5
14
9
6
4
12
36
23
7
14
29
2,349
1,382
629
2,018
461
1,233
720
90
813
250
952
209
726
200
236
299
42
107
794
1,629
4,037
772
635
2,274
162
21
205
263
2,132
1,361
738
2,548
661
1,297
625
175
747
271
1,162
242
645
252
257
318
27
239
481
2,765
4,165
755
1,522
2,323
80
98
227
278
20
334
623
2,575
1,570
1,040
2,780
772
1,550
1,024
350
1,135
618
1,023
325
846
296
502
358
125
341
593
2,629
1,960
789
1,429
1, 954
130
274
296
313
84
215
651
1,610
1,608
1,082
3, 053
761
1,646
1,145
330
782
669
1,054
451
651
349
608
323
305
247
507
1,476
1,388
509
917
1,801
32
17
3
39
1
8
7
2,317
1,157
612
1,913
460
1,057
713
90
602
225
830
150
719
165
205
295
42
106
783
1,493
3,429
753
463
1,818
161
21
121
261
1.4
1.4
.5
2.0
.2
.8
1.0
New Hampshire
208
14
66
Vermont - -
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut -. ..
168
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
P ennsy 1 vania
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
17
25
13
194
2.7
10.0
1.5
Indiana „_ -
Illinois
109
59
Michigan.
Wisconsin. „__
7
1
14
4
1.0
.6
6.4
1,3
WEST NORTH CENTRAL-
Minnesota
34
17
Iowa
Missouri
Nebraska
Kansas
1
11
12
66
19
21
80
1
.9
1.4
.8
1.9
2.5
4.3
4.2
.6
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia . - ..
West Virginia
124
542
""IsT
376
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia _ _.
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
1
5
4
3
4
7
1
8
10
8
7
7
3
4
11
11
10
5
3
18
13
351
413
189
120
502
411
Alabama
4
2
80
3.2
.8
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas _
Oklahoma
6
4
?!
369
370
100
490
209
1,083
129
10
7
11
24
6
13
4
329
363
89
466
203
1,070
125
30
2.9
1.9
11.0
4.9
2.9
1.2
3.1
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho - - ...
PACIFIC:
Washington..
6
3
XI
32
7
5
14
4
8
12
13
4
9
10
15
5
514
230
1,052
266
466
323
980
281
410
302
675
155
Oregon.
California
Other States
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
' Includes: Louisiana, 1, and New Mexico, 1.
ADVENT CHEISTIAN CHUKCHI
11
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total
num-
ber of
church-
es
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE Or PAR-
SONAGES
Church-
es re-
porting
Amount
Church-
es re-
porting
Amount
Church-
es re-
porting
Amount
United States
346
321
313
$1,867,420
51
$129, 023
105
$318, 992
28, 750
28, 700
11, 300
32, 000
17,042
48, 500
10,000
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine _
36
25
12
28
5
12
12
3
12
9
4
9
4
4
3
13
26
35
7
8
22
7
5
4
6
4
6
3
11
11
35
23
12
25
5
11
12
3
12
9
3
9
4
4
3
13
23
34
7
6
21
4
3
4
5
3
6
3
11
8
35
23
11
25
5
11
12
3
11
9
3
9
3
4
3
13
22
34
7
6
20
3
3
4
5
3
6
3
11
36
159, 200
129, 500
62, 000
309, 100
65, 737
265, 000
83, 100
4,500
34, 930
98, 800
12, 700
32, 900
30,000
6,200
2,900
15, 550
84, 800
102, 128
19; 400
8,150
60, 025
5,000
3,800
1,950
9, 500
11, 250
50, 000
9, 500
167, 000
22, 800
3
4
9,500
3,675
13
10
5
7
3
7
5
New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
5
1
6
2
27, 709
500
6,235
3,800
Rhode Island.
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
Pennsylvania _
EAST NOKTH CENTRAL-
Ohio -,.
1
3
1
3
1
5,000
27, 600
4,256
5,112
850
1
8
1
6
1
3
0
29, 700
0)
18, 100
(9
5,200
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota..
Missouri
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
2
2
3
4
0)
0)
2,750
8,450
West Virginia .
1
5
1
8,450
3,888
5,300
North Carolina - _ .
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
2
1,796
7
1
14, 400
0)
KAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Alabama
TvTississipp i
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma
2
2
2
1, 052
950
2,850
Texas .. -
1
4
0)
6,500
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
4
2
9,000
1,500
8
3
31,800
25, 800
Other States
i Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
3 Includes: Indiana, I; Nebraska, 1; Kansas, 1; Tennessee, 1; and Idaho, 2,
12
CENSUS OE RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting}
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
report-
ing
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
. prove-
inonta
United States
346
327
$321, 922
8157,376
19, 850
17, 819
6,954
23, 993
4,409
12, 278
7,148
979
2,074
5, 197
1,400
4,699
1,400
686
175
1,335
5, 548
6,831
2, 405
1,508
6,238
17
250
109
707
1,707
985
5, 422
1,302
11,529
2,422
$17,065
780
1, 521
201
4,061
468
1, 665
579
$33,220
3,512
3, 271
1,190
8,141
492
3,102
682
114
307
922
200
66
489
139
20
466
697
2, 125
515
714
1,596
80
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
36
25
12
28
5
12
12
3
12
9
4
9
4
4
3
13
2fi
35
7
8
22
7
5
4
6
4
3
6
3
11
8
36
24
11
28
5
11
12
3
11
9
3
9
4
4
3
13
21
34
7
7
17
5
&
3
5
4
3
6
3
11
1 7
36, 423
30, 834
11, 609
60, 566
8, 153
27, 462
12, 317
1,408
3,871
11, 094
2,866
9,120
3,462
2,160
365
2, 755
8, 0-43
15, 586
4,224
2,602
12, 305
1,292
322
289
2,217
3,360
1,284
12, 019
2,214
27, 659
4,041
New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts _- - ......
Rhode Island ~
Connecticut -
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Now York
Pennsylvania. -
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio -
212
760
Illinois . .
Michigan . .
Wisconsin
639
700
8
20
139
627
761
27
104
274
12
10
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa - ---
Missouri
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
West Virginia -- . -.. .
North Carolina
South Carolina . _-_.
Georgia - - - --
Florida—
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky _ -.»
Alabama - -„
Mississippi «...
155
515
725
81
820
201
1, 783
100
WERT SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma .„ .-.
112
72
94
902
48
1,981
288
Texas . .. _ .
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho ..
PACIFIC-
Washington
Oregon _ .-.
California-.
Other States
i Includes: Indiana, 1; Nebraska, 1; Kansas, 2; Tennessee, 1; Louisiana, 1; and Now Mexico, 1,
ADVENT CHRISTIAN CHUECH
13
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
EXPENDI
TURES— CO
ntinued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Payment
n church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
includ-
ing in-
terest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States . „ _
$22, 716
851 381
$5 284
$12 481
$7 816
$4 569
$10, 014
fsw ENGLAND:
Maine _
2,803
4,931
367
871
985
648
1,676
New Hampshire
800
4,308
753
661
571
216
914
Vermont .- -
210
1 237
104
328
318
577
490
Massachusetts
8,109
10. 374
829
2 009
1 439
794
817
Rhode Island
1 607
383
197
252
45
300
Connecticut
956
6 984
346
949
395
410
377
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
225
2 238
132
311
318
93
591
Pennsylvania
108
22
123
62
2AST NOETII CENTRAL:
Ohio -
960
88
145
5
80
Illinois -
75
3 374
132
230
164
240
Michigan
847
212
6
201
"Wisconsin
753
1,584
159
174
374
260
412
VEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota ---
75
446
30
202
77
16
27
Iowa -
699
330
90
1
1
123
83
Missouri -
73
10
18
5
44
OUTH ATLANTIC :
Virginia
80
246
50
202
57
23
157
West Virginia
115
234
103
142
10
71
496
North Carolina
1 753
976
471
1,580
178
66
845
South Carolina
360
450
35
246
106
80
Georgia » ,
13
26
75
66
3
25
68
Florida
557
1,256
229
1,230
424
131
370
SAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
15
640
10
18
500
Alabama
12
50
[Mississippi
25
I?VEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
387
246
10
55
185
Texas
180
355
90
201
20
10
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
57
15
28
24
PACIFIC:
Washington - -
700
1,992
262
406
138
843
534
96
219
4
74
250
20
California
3,483
4,623
397
1,844
1,426
188
405
Other StatGiS. ,
272
648
111
23
117
20
40
14
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY CONFERENCES,
1936
CONFERENCE
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDI-
TURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Scholars
Total
346
26,258
313
$1,867,420
51
$129,023
327
$321, 922
288
18, 702
Catsldlls -...
3
14
7
10
2
17
8
8
1
36
24
1
3
4
4
10
25
6
5
5
7
1
3
11
6
19
6
6
23
2
1
6
10
1
5
24
4
8
10
207
1,437
162
1,073
130
2,380
456
444
45
2,349
1, 709
59
231
200
263
650
1,382
325
205
329
844
14
90
801
369
1,920
483
754
2,114
108
250
265
706
21
454
1,464
443
356
760
3
14
3
10
16
7
7
10, 000
303, 500
5,000
26,400
0)
34,578
57,000
32, 500
1
6
500
6, 235
14
r
10
1
16
8
7
1
36
24
1
2
4
3
9
24
6
5
5
7
1
3
10
5
19
5
6
18
2
1
6
10
1
5
22
4
8
10
1,338
31, 958
1,292
6,498
0
5,543
10, 228
6,487
0)
36, 423
55, 106
CO
(0
3,462
289
3,197
30, 834
6,837
322
7,858
10, 194
0)
1,408
3,841
2,217
11,944
8, 153
19, 801
10, 638
0)
0)
723
2,444
0)
3,601
7,661
10, 453
5,064
9,905
6,203
2
13
3
8
1
12
7
6
1
31
23
1
1
1
1
9
24
6
4
5
7
48
989
185
456
120
969
343
333
25
2,019
1,506
70
40
107
20
455
1,283
261
236
264
690
Connecticut and western
Massachusetts
Cumberland Valley (Ken-
tucky)
East Georgia and South Caro-
lina -.-- -
1
1
2
1
5, 300
4,256
838
3,300
Eastern Michigan
Eastern North Carolina
Hoosick Valley .,.
International
Louisiana
Maine
35
22
1
1
3
4
8
23
6
3
5
7
159, 200
270, 000
(')
(0
30, 000
1,950
16, 100
129,500
45, 600
3,800
51,000
92,300
3
5
9, 500
27, 709
Massachusetts . ~-
Michigan
Middl0 Georgia
Minnesota
1
850
Mississippi
Missouri Valley
2
4
1,500
3,675
New Hampshire
NGW York and Ontario
Northeastern Alabama
Northern California
2
3
2,300
27, 600
Northern Illinois
Northern Indiana and south-
ern Michigan
Northwestern Pennsylvania. _.
Ohio
3
10
5
19
5
6
21
2
1
5
10
1
3
21
4
7
10
4,500
34, 230
9,500
71, 550
65, 737
116, 000
56,425
8
5,250
12,800
0)
11,250
83, 000
46, 500
18, 500
35, 900
27,250
3
10
5
17
5
6
17
2
1
6
8
125
478
211
1, 193
505
677
940
130
203
339
471
1
2
3
1
2
2
5,000
1, 052
3,050
500
6,700
1,796
Oklahoma
Piedmont.. *_ . ..
Khode Island and eastern
Connecticut
Southern California
Southern Georgia and Florida-
Southern Illinois
Southern Indiana
Southwestern Virginia and
southern Virginia
Virginia
West Tennessee, north Mis-
sissippi, and eastern Arkansas.
West Texas
2
1
2
950
8,450
2,850
4
20
4
7
7
329
1,282
513
387
494
West Virginia
West Washington and British
Columbia
Willamette Valley
Wisconsin
3
5,112
Combinations
1 Amount included in figures on the line designated
of any individual church.
"Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
ADVENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH 15
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The disappointment felt by the Adventists at the passing of October 22, 1844,
the date set by S. S. Snow for the second advent of Christ, resulted in confusion and
much discussion as to the accuracy of the calculations. In 1852, Jonathan Cum-
mings, F. H. Berick, and several others, mostly young men who had recently
joined the Advent movement, began to teach that the Lord had bestowed upon
them the "high and distinguishing gift of understanding the time" for the coming
of Christ, which they claimed would be in the autumn of 1853 or the spring of
1854. Inasmuch as this view was not acceptable to the main body of Adventists,
a paper was started in Lowell, Mass., and named The World's Crisis, for the
advocacy of this 1854-time argument. This caused a division among the Advent-
ists. When 1854 passed without bringing the end of the age the men who had
led the movement admitted their mistake, and it was hoped that their followers
would rejoin the original body.
By this time, however, a well-marked difference of opinion had developed
among the Adventists in reference to the immortality of the soul. The followers
of Mr. Cummings had for the most part accepted the doctrine that man is by
nature wholly mortal and is unconscious in death, and that immortality is not
inherent in mankind, but is the gift of God to be bestowed in the resurrection on
those only who have been true followers of Christ. The main body of Adventists,
on the other hand, accepted, in general, the doctrine of the conscious state of the
dead and the eternal suffering of the wicked. Owing largely to this difference,
which they considered to be upon a vital point, when a general conference met
at Boston, June 5, 1855, the followers of Mr. Cummings did not unite in it, but
held a conference of their own on the same day. From this time the separation
between the two bodies was definitely recognized. Those who had separated
from the main body organized the Advent Christian Association at Worcester,
Mass., November 6, 1861, and have since borne the name "Advent Christian
Church/' This branch of the Adventists now holds simply to the general im-
minence of Christ's return, but takes the position that no man knoweth the
day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh." They also emphasize that
side of their faith which deals with the nature of man.
DOCTRINE
The Declaration of Principles held by this church, as unanimously approved
by the Advent Christian Association and General Conference of America, in
1900, emphasizes the following points:
1. The Bible is the Word of God, containing a revelation given to man under
divine supervision and providence; its historical statements are correct, and it is
the only divine standard of faith and practice.
2. As revealed in the Bible, (a) there is one God, the Father, Creator of all
things; (6) Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, came into the world, died
for man's sins, was raised for his justification, ascended into heaven as the High
Priest and Mediator, and will come again to judge the living and the dead, and
reign forever and ever; (c) the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, sent from God to
convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, sanctifies man and
seals him unto the day of redemption.
3. Man was created for immortality, but through sin has forfeited his divine
birthright, and only through faith in Christ can become partaker of the divine
nature and live forever. '
4. Death is, to all persons, righteous and wicked, a condition of unconscious-
ness, to remain unchanged until the resurrection at Christ's second coming, when
the righteous will receive everlasting life, while the wicked will be "punished with
everlasting destruction," suffering complete extinction of being.
5. Salvation is free to all who in this life and age accept the conditions, all
hope of future probation or universal salvation being excluded.
6. Jesus Christ, according to His promise, will, "in like manner" as He^went
into heaven, come again to this earth to reign forever, and this coming is the
hope of the church, inasmuch as upon it depend the reward of the righteous, the
abolition of sin, and the renewal of the earth to become the eternal home of the
redeemed.
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Keport on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Rev. C. H. Hewitt, secretary of the Advent Christian General Conference
of America, Aurora, 111., and approved by him in its present form.
16 CENSUS OF KELIGIOTTS BODIES, 1936
7. Bible prophecy indicates the approximate time of Christ's return, and the
great duty of the hour is the proclamation of this soon-coming redemption.
8. The church, an institution of divine origin, includes all Christians of what-
ever name, but the local organization should be independent of outside control,
subject to no dictation of priest, bishop, or pope, although recognizing true
fellowship and unity of action.
9. The only ordinances recognized are baptism and the Lord's Supper, im-
mersion being considered the only true baptism, Admission to the church is by
vote of the majority after baptism arid profession of faith. Open communion is
practiced and the invitation to the Lord's Supper is general, participation being
left to the individual,
10. The first day of the week, set apart by the early church in commemoration
of the resurrection, is held to be the proper Christian Sabbath, to be observed as
a day of rest and religious worship.
11. War as a means of settling international disputes is held to be contrary to
the spirit and teachings of Christ, contrary to the spirit of true brotherhood, and
inimical to the welfare of humanity. Christians are justified in refusing to bear
arms for conscience' sake.
ORGANIZATION
In accordance with the principles outlined, the Advent Christian Church is
congregational in church government, each church being absolutely independent
in its own management. Local elders (not ordained) and deacons are elected
annually, as are the various officials and committees. The elders have charge
of the religious services when the church has no pastor, and the deacons care for
the poor and serve as bearers at the communion service, which is usually held each
month. Women equally with men are eligible to office.
For fellowship and the better conduct of such work as belongs to them in com-
mon, the churches are associated in annual conferences, which are grouped in
five districts, while the Advent Christian General Conference represents the
entire denomination. According to the constitution adopted at Boston, May 20,
1915, the object of this conference is: To advance the interests of and unify the
Advent Christian people in their various branches of work; hold biennial sessions
for the transaction of business and the discussion of questions of interest to the
churches; devise the best methods for the conduct of the finances of the churches
and the cooperating societies; cooperate with the churches in securing pastors
and in utilizing the services of worthy men; act as a board of appeal; establish a
bureau of statistics; publish a biennial manual; and deal with any matters affecting
the welfare of the churches.
The membership of the General Conference consists of delegates chosen by
the annual conferences, one for each conference, and one for each 400 members
of the conference churches above the first 400, together with the officers and one
delegate from each cooperating society.
The organization of the General Conference as of 1936 includes as officers a
president, five vice presidents (who serve as regional superintendents of con-
ference work in the five districts), a secretary, who serves as the executive of
the conference, and a treasurer. In each of the five regions there is a board of
councilors, the vice president for each region being the chairman of the regional
board. The national officers named above constitute an executive committee
which has full charge of the General Conference activities between biennial
sessions. The General Conference acts in an advisory capacity only, but there
is a growing tendency to recognize its leadership in general denominational life.
The General Conference headquarters are in Boston, Mass.
There is one publication house located in each of the following cities: Boston,
Mass., Oakland, Calif., and Live Oak, Fla.
Ordination to the ministry rests with the conferences. It takes place on
request of a church, after examination of the applicant by a committee, vote of
the conference, and the appointment of an ordaining committee. The minister
becomes a member of the conference which ordained him. In the reception of
ministers from other bodies previous ordination is accepted.
ADVENT CHKISTIAKT CHURCH 17
WORK
The denominational activities of the Advent Christian Church are carried on
mainly through the American Advent Mission Society, the Woman's Home and
Foreign Mission Society, four publication societies, and regional organizations.
The American Advent Mission Society, which does both home and foreign
mission work, is incorporated and operates under the General Conference,
although it is independent in its organization. Its officers are elected by delegates
from the various churches and conferences, and its meetings are held annually.
The Woman's Home and Foreign Mission Society is also independent of the
General Conference in organization and operates similarly. This organization
is made up of local societies connected with the various churches. Its officers
are elected annually by delegates from the local societies. The foreign program
of this society is confined to India, and its home work is chiefly in the interest
of a home for students of the New England School of Theology. There is a West-
ern Home Mission Board which does about the same work in the Middle West
that the American Advent Mission Society does in the East, except that its
sphere is confined to home missions. There is also a woman's society called the
Helper's Union and Central Mission Branch, doing both home and foreign mission
work. The number of missionaries and evangelists employed during the year was
30 and the number of churches aided, 50. Contributions of more than $75,000
were received. A large part of the home missionary and philanthropic work
is done by the State conferences.
In the foreign field, 9 stations are occupied, in addition to 26 out-stations, in
India, China, and Japan. The report for 1936 shows 11 American missionaries,
with a force of well over 100 native evangelists, teachers, and colporteurs con-
stantly employed with the missionaries at the various stations; 23 churches with
2,273 members; 2 training schools, an industrial school, 2 secondary schools, 17
elementary schools, and several night schools in India, besides an academy, a
girls' school, and several elementary schools in China; a hospital, a nursing home,
5 dispensaries and rural clinics, and 3 orphanages. The value of property on
the foreign field is estimated at $133,361.
Two educational institutions, for which over $10,000 in addition to proceeds
from endowment and personal gifts were contributed in 1936, are carried on
under their auspices in the United States. They include a college at Aurora, 111.,
and a theological school at Boston. The two institutions reported 230 students
and property valued at $381,761, including an endowment of over $300,000,
which it is hoped will be increased to $500,000. The denomination maintains one
orphanage in the South, and, in connection with it, a home for the aged; there
is also a home for the aged in New England. The southern property, at Bowling
Park, Fla., consisting of two new fireproof buildings and several frame buildings,
is valued at $75,000, and $10,000 was contributed for its support in 1936. The
New England property at South Vernon, Mass., consists of a commodious build-
ing of 27 rooms and about 3 acres of land, valued at about $10,000.
The young people of the denomination are organized in a Young People's
Loyal Workers Society, which in 1936 included 135 branches, with a membership
of 3,352.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST DENOMINATION
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Seventh-day Adventist Denomination for the
year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these
figures between urban and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have
been baptized, by immersion, and received into full membership in the local
churches upon profession of faith.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
Ch.urch.es (local organizations), number ._-_
2,054
133. 254
65
43, 185
86, 838
3,231
49.7
3, 596
122, 368
7,290
2.9
1,451
1,362
$6, 690, 955
$0, 463, 299
$227, 656
$4, 913
195
$487,404
989
49
35
$117, 089
1,973
$6, 196, 143
$16, 652
$181,752
$136, 302
$86, 534
$285, 876
$100, 591
$202, 453
$580, 037
$4,427,039
$178, 927
$3, 140
1,153
90,417
84
29, 065
64, 420
2,932
45.1
2,691
87, 555
6,171
3.0
832
779
$5, 646, 358
$5,487,117
$159, 241
$7, 248
162
$470, 966
521
37
25
$107, 089
1,109
$4, 814, 000
$11, 963
$146, 773
$106, 635
$76, 119
$246, 747
$80, 186
$155, 539
$457, 446
$3, 394, 818
$137, 774
$4, 341
001
36, 837
41
14, 120
22,418
299
63.0
005
34, 813
1,119
2.5
619
583
$1,044,597
$976. 182
$68, 415
$1, 792
33
$16, 438
468
12
10
$10, 000
864
$1,382,143
$4, 089
$34, 979
$29, 667
$10, 415
$39, 129
$20,405
$46, 914
$122, 591
$1,032,201
$41, 153
$1, 600
56.1
72.4
43.9
27. 6
Members , number
Average membership per church, „ .
Membership by sex:
Malc__ *, _, - ,,__„
67,3
74.2
90.7
32.7
25. 8
9.3
Female -
Sex not reported ,. __ -.
Males per 100 females
Membership by ago:
Under 13 years
74.8
71.6
84.7
25.2
28.4
15.3
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 2
Church edifices, number ._
57.3
57,2
84.4
84.9
69.9
42.7
42.8
15. 6
15.1
30.1
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1036
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 193G-
Aver&Eje value per church
Debt — n umber reporting.. _ _ __
83.6
96. 6
52. 7
16.4
3.4
47.3
Amount reported «„ _ ..>.
Number reporting "no debt" _
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
01. 5
56. 2
77.7
71.8
80.8
78.2
88.0
86.3
79.7
76.8
78.9
76.7
77.0
8.5
43,8
22.3
28,2
19.2
21.8
12.0
13.7
20.3
23.2
21.1
23.3
23.0
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries ,
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc. _, .
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church.-
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Based on membership with age classification reported.
18
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENIIST DENOMINATION
19
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Sabbath scliools :
Churches reporting, number „_
1,465
19, 823
97,062
9
71
307
122
612
2,787
569
3,264
16, 438
845
13, 078
67, 920
4
33
146
84
451
2,150
379
2,253
11, 172
620
6,745
29, 142
5
38
161
38
161
637
190
1,011
5,266
57.7
66.0
70.0
42.3
34.0
30.0
Officers and teachers .
Scholars _ .
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
47.6
68.9
73.7
77.1
66.6
69.0
68.0
52.4
31.1
26.3
22.9
33.4
31.0
32.0
Weekday religious scliools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers _
Scholars ..
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Seventh-day Adventist
Denomination for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
19S6
1916
1906
Ch.Tirch.es (local orcaiiiftatiQTis), number , -, , .,„,-..
2,054
73
3.7
133, 254
22, 256
20.1
65
1,451
1,362
$6, 690, 955
$4, 913
195
$487, 404
40
35
$117, 089
1,973
$6, 196, 143
$16, 652
$181, 752
$136, 302
$86, 534
$285, 876
$100, 591
$202, 453
$580, 037
$4, 427, 019
$178, 927
1,981
-30
1.5
2,011
127
6.7
79, 355
17, 144
27.6
39
1,231
1,231
$2, 568, 495
$2, 087
240
$209, 154
1,884
Increase l over preceding census:
Number - -
Percent - - - - -«-
Members, number - - . ,
110, 998
31, 643
39.9
56
1,399
1,363
$8, 477, 999
$6, 220
261
$908, 352
62,211
Increase over preceding census:
Number -
Percent
Average membership per church «
33
981
981
$1, 454, 087
$1, 482
121
$77, 984
Value—number reporting
Amount reported
Average value per church
"Debt — number reporting
Amount reported -- , -
Value number reporting
36
$182, 600
1,849
$6, 998, 988
$1, 291, 018
l$5, 647, 948
$60, 022
$3, 785
1,383
14,972
81, 067
16
$20,450
1,737
$1, 887, 772
$476, 524
$1,411,248
14
$14, 165
Amount reported <
Expenditures :
oflurcnes ™t ori g, o
Pastors' salaries. , -
All other salaries -
Kepairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest —
All other current expenses, including interest. _.
Local relief and chanty, Red Cross, etc _ -
Home missions - --- -----
Foreign missions _____ ___
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes - __-_«- _
Not classified
Average expenditure per church
Sabbath schools :
Churches reporting number -- ------------
$3,140
1,465
19, 823
97, 062
$1, 087
1,803
15, 298
74,863
1,656
11, 033
50, 225
Officers and teachers - ,
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
275318 — 41 3
20
CENSUS OF KELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Seventh-day
Adventist Denomination by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the
number and membership of the churches classified according to their location in
urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sabbath
schools. Table 4 gives for each State the number and membership of the churches
for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936
classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5
shows the value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church
edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing
separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each conference in the Seventh-
day Adventist Denomination, the more important statistical data for 1936
shown by States in the preceding tables, including number of churches, member-
ship, value and debt on church edifices, expenditures, and Sabbath schools.
TABLE 3. — NTJMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SABBATH SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SABBATH
SCHOOLS
3
e
a
1
P
-3
1
•a
I
§
•8
p
rt
£
r-2
£
*
i!
%*
CQ
Males per 100
females
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States
2,054
1.158
901
133,254
96,417
36,837
43, 185
86, 838
3,231
49.7
1,465
19, 823
97,062
NEW ENGLAND:
Mains
23
11
16
33
8
17
76
35
77
66
54
68
150
81
65
58
41
45
28
48
48
5
24
4
33
12
31
16
23
60
21
44
21
22
5
7
6
28
5
14
54
32
50
46
35
52
63
37
34
33
20
9
11
21
26
3
13
4
17
10
19
11
17
44
12
25
12
14
18
4
10
5
3
3
22
3
27
20
19
16
87
44
31
25
21
36
17
27
22
2
11
"~16
2
12
5
6
16
9
19
9
8
740
318
384
2,801
406
592
5,620
1,690
4,058
4,222
3, 026
4,666
9,395
3,040
4,124
2,434
2, 529
1,741
1,178
3,102
2,312
242
2,723
887
1,631
590
1,239
429
1,335
4,023
1,075
3,040
926
777
292
201
170
2,209
347
565
4,961
1,618
3,354
3,256
2,592
4,017
6,170
1,490
3,426
1,845
1,915
348
626
2,486
1,539
182
2,299
887
1,029
635
769
334
1,196
3,474
853
1,881
728
518
448
117
214
592
59
27
659
72
704
966
434
649
3,225
1,550
698
589
614
1,393
652
616
773
60
424
""602
65
470
95
139
549
222
1,169
198
259
225
92
137
854
109
174
1,835
558
1,314
1,303
831
1,317
3,034
1,067
1,445
776
728
708
424
734
748
82
971
174
484
134
368
124
373
1,100
267
907
278
235
515
226
247
1,947
297
383
3,785
1,132
2,744
2,919
2,195
3,176
6,337
1,973
2,679
1,648
1,801
1,033
754
1,538
1, 564
160
1,752
508
1,147
366
871
305
944
2,788
759
1,558
648
542
"""35
43.7
40 7
55.5
43.9
36.7
45.4
48,5
49.3
47.9
44.6
37,9
41.5
47.9
54.1
53.9
47.1
40.4
68.5
56.2
47.7
47.8
51.3
55.4
34.3
42.2
36.6
42.3
40.7
39.5
41.6
35.2
58.2
42.9
43.4
18
7
10
19
6
13
50
24
59
42
39
44
105
62
38
39
31
28
21
31
30
4
18
2
29
9
23
8
19
47
15
37
16
16
143
76
01
334
71
107
721
287
692
550
500
706
1,525
536
406
441
364
274
237
324
340
51
314
84
312
92
217
47
232
658
197
497
168
178
561
203
247
1, 850
362
466
3,766
1,290
3,297
3,070
2,210
3,261
7,607
2,116
1,713
1,786
1,976
1,367
1,128
1, 295
1,680
211
2,191
350
1,615
395
996
195
1,086
3,505
781
2,516
761
721
New Hampshire
Vermont . -~
Massachusetts
Rhode Island. _.
Connecticut - -
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
""l73
24
"""16
""830
""205
"""90
"""18
75
49
575
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana .
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin . _ - -
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota .. -_
Nebraska
Kansas-.-. ..-
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
District of Columbia.
Virginia - ..
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia.
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky .
Tennessee
Alabama ...»
Mississiooi
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST DENOMINATION
21
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SABBATH SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936 —
Continued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBEE OP
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SABBATH
SCHOOLS
s
&
fl
1
b
(§
5
3
22
22
12
18
7
27
8
4
1
1
69
46
81
*e3
"o
&
fS
3
3
•3
%
48
s
2
fs
02
Males per 100
females
Churches re-
porting
|e
Q S?
0
Scholars
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
23
14
41
67
24
31
11
49
14
13
7
4
108
76
208
18
11
19
45
12
13
4
22
6
9
6
3
39
30
127
1,022
790
2,099
4,102
917
1,875
373
2,754
484
1,002
279
141
7,808
6,569
25, 744
834
742
1,228
2,737
492
1,287
208
1,916
246
899
262
132
4,314
4,310
18, 698
188
48
871
1,365
425
588
165
838
238
103
17
9
3,494
2.259
7 046
325
191
664
1,345
300
602
123
925
187
372
81
45
2,812
2,317
8,926
697
599
1,435
2,757
563
1,048
250
1,765
297
630
198
96
4,846
4,136
16, 280
46.6
31 9
46.3
48 8
53 3
57.4
49.2
52.4
63.0
59.0
40 9
C1)
58.0
56,0
54 8
19
12
26
52
17
22
10
35
10
8
4
3
84
57
147
243
137
328
669
179
281
92
442
140
131
60
28
1,156
923
3,272
879
593
1,453
2,431
772
1,212
337
2,243
327
702
156
143
5,594
4,952
18, 714
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
54
225
"~64
150
116
538
Idaho
Wyoming —
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
Utah
Nevada
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER 0?
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1936
1916
1906
CO
7! m
<s> 5j
1"
§1
-i
TH OJ
§43
14
II
oS
£q
Pn3
"United States
2,054
1,981
2,011
1,884
133, 254
110, 998
79, 355
82, 211
3.596
122, 388
7,290
2.9
NEW ENGLAND:
3VJ aine - -
23
11
16
33
8
17
76
35
77
66
54
68
150
81
65
58
41
45
28
48
48
16
7
13
36
6
13
81
42
73
66
55
60
138
79
66
79
37
52
30
51
61
18
8
16
37
5
11
73
29
75
62
60
64
180
91
65
97
54
40
37
54
75
22
6
19
26
9
12
99
18
66
84
72
56
174
105
77
121
55
27
40
64
83
740
318
384
2,801
406
592
5,620
1,690
4,058
4,222
3,026
4,666
9,395
3,040
4,124
2,434
2,529
1,741
1,178
3,102
2,312
532
177
352
2,146
336
489
5,271
1,721
4,794
3,467
2,421
4,170
7,955
3,185
3,237
2,651
2,326
2,017
1,439
2,635
2,259
586
164
399
1,655
182
419
3,546
1,181
2,704
2,490
1,800
2,440
6,266
2,781
2,300
2,851
1,830
1,322
1,046
2,443
2,504
527
115
458
926
179
269
2,614
451
2,000
2,334
2,029
1,906
7,042
3,194
2,103
3,097
1,805
868
1,042
2,415
2,394
1
9
"""II
2
18
74
13
108
142
77
171
173
36
23
35
99
15
41
102
206
714
309
364
2,594
369
561
5,546
1,677
3,950
4,080
2,613
4,213
7,954
2,913
3,641
2,379
2,430
1,72,6
1,137
2,135
2,043
25
.1
2.8
._...
.5
3.1
1.3
.8
2.7
3.4
2.9
3.9
2.1
1.2
.6
1.4
3.9
.9
3.5
4.6
9.2
New Hampshire
Vermont _ _
20
196
35
13
"336
282
1,268
91
460
20
""§65
63
M assachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut _.
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsy 1 vania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois _. «
Michigan
W isconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
M innesota
Iowa
M issouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas _
'Based on membership with age classification reported.
22 CENSUS OF KELIGIOCJS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER ANJ> MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES- — Continued
GEOGEAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHUKCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
1930
1936
1936
1916
1906
1930
1936
1916
1906
Under 13
years
13 years
and over
"0*0
*$
SS,
•^ s
Percent
under 13 J
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware .
5
24
4
33
12
31
16
23
60
21
44
21
22
23
14
41
67
24
31
11
49
14
13
7
4
108
76
208
6
20
4
29
10
33
17
19
44
20
38
20
18
19
10
47
52
25
32
8
63
9
9
6
2
93
69
198
5
17
6
29
10
26
19
21
35
15
37
22
18
20
15
55
40
18
30
9
65
12
14
4
3
85
67
163
3
11
3
25
19
13
13
8
17
19
29
15
20
22
19
66
29
24
12
4
49
6
9
8
2
60
50
94
242
2, 723
887
1,631
590
1,239
429
1,335
4,023
1,075
3,040
928
777
1,022
790
2,099
4,102
917
1,875
373
2, 754
484
1,002
279
141
7,808
6,569
25, 744
270
1,598
1,441
941
492
1,189
423
1,056
2,630
1,013
2,082
740
568
706
536
2, 642
3,011
872
1,186
310
3, 309
221
579
190
125
6,063
4,936
18, 429
189
897
1,006
736
283
704
485
710
1,259
382
1,414
609
398
601
481
2,258
1,801
701
1,065
224
2, 702
323
441
175
149
3, 944
3,476
10, 973
155
401
382
576
344
264
201
205
411
343
1, 101
315
380
544
502
1, 967
1,414
565
430
76
2,311
218
214
216
76
2, 592
1,844
6, 396
2
58
14
61
10
8
7
40
129
26
65
53
14
27
35
55
126
24
32
7
55
9
42
9
1
208
160
963
240
2,665
668
1, 555
490
1,231
407
1,277
3,791
1,000
2,400
861
686
995
755
2,044
3,752
823
I, 534
366
2, 546
475
938
270
140
7, 443
5,829
23, 839
"205
15
90
— ...
18
103
49
575
12
77
""224
70
309
0.8
2.1
2.1
3.8
2.0
.6
1.7
3.0
3.3
2 5
2 0
5.8
2.0
2.6
4.4
2.6
3.2
2.8
2 0
1.9
2.1
1.9
4.3
3.2
.7
2.7
2.7
3.9
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia -
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina -.
Georgia ._
Florida .
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kientucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi.. . _ -
WEST SOUTH CENTEAL:
Arkansas .
Louisiana
Oklahoma.
Texas _ _
M OUNTAIN:
M ontana.
Idaho .
"W yoming
Colorado
153
"""22
157
580
942
New Mexico _
Arizona
Utah
Nevada
PACIFIC:
"W ashington
Oregon
California
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PAKSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
num-
ber of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edi-
fices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
2,054
1,451
13
4
8
17
5
7
42
21
44
44
38
37
120
58
1,362
$6,890,955
195
$487, 404
85
$117, 069
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
23
11
16
33
8
17
76
35
77
66
54
68
150
81
12
4
6
16
5
6
39
19
41
42
36
36
116
56
26, 725
17,000
14,000
123, 600
62, 800
36, 300
686, 863
126, 500
453, 600
286, 345
206, 200
182,425
654, 213
165, 925
1
275
New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
4
1
4
9
8
16
16
8
5
19
11
41, 275
8,161
9,184
69, 954
13, 400
91, 750
51, 496
13, 969
7,663
40, 059
3,501
Hhode Island
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York . .
i
1
2
2
1
2
3
i;>
(')
0)
10, 100
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois —
Michigan..- »
Wisconsin
i Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
SEVENTH-DAY ADVEWTISX DENOMINATION
23
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
num-
ber of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edi-
fices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
65
58
41
45
28
48
48
5
24
4
33
12
31
16
23
60
21
44
21
22
23
14
41
67
24
31
11
49
14
13
7
4
108
76
208
46
42
30
28
21
38
30
5
17
2
?i
21
14
18
47
16
27
10
20
19
8
31
50
19
20
8
35
10
11
4
3
84
59
163
44
38
28
26
20
37
27
5
15
1
29
7
21
13
16
44
15
23
9
19
19
7
30
44
18
16
8
32
10
10
4
3
80
56
154
$161, 870
104, 775
143, 100
82, 150
42, 250
116, 254
94, 850
34, 300
}z 114, 600
76, 950
35, 600
59, 200
32, 850
83, 500
245, 820
78,400
97,450
41, 950
29, 950
27, 950
15, 600
74, 800
132, 350
41, 050
47, 336
17, 675
96, 350
16, 015
44, 400
29, 000
7,500
251,950
178, 685
991, 979
6
3
5
4
$5, 203
2,150
16, 765
1,530
1
1
2
0)
(l)
0)
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota.
Nebraska
I
2
3,000
8,100
3
$7, 500
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC.
Dclawaro
Maryland,
/ 6
I 1
3
2
3
4
1
5
1
1
}*24,992
2,525
800
2,956
2,150
200
17, 733
6,000
564
District of Columbia..
Virginia
( I
1
8
West Virginia
North Carolina
1
0)
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
1
1
(0
(0
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
2
3
240
2,658
1
(')
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana,
Oklahoma _
9
4
2
3
7,443
2,300
282
1,945
2
2
C1)
0)
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
M!ontana
Idaho
1
(0
Wyoming
Colorado
1
1
4,500
192
New IVtexico
Utah
1
G)
Nevada
PACIFIC:
Washington
6
8
6
4,975
10, 432
7,082
2
(0
Oregon
California
2
0)
99,489
Combinations
* Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
« Amount for District of Columbia combined with figures for Maryland, to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
24
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and
improve-
ments
United States
2,054
23
11
16
33
8
17
76
35
77
66
54
68
150
81
65
58
41
45
28
48
48
5
24
4
33
12
31
16
23
60
21
44
21
22
23
14
41
67
24
31
11
49
14
13
7
4
108
76
208
1,973
22
11
16
32
8
15
72
34
75
63
53
66
142
78
63
55
38
43
27
45
47
5
23
4
32
10
30
14
22
57
19
40
19
22
21
12
39
65
23
30
10
46
14
13
7
4
108
75
204
$6, 196, 143
36, 610
19,360
16, 552
189, 782
34, 210
30, 726
380, 628
121, 492
246, 117
205, 576
162, 307
192,058
384, 300
105,769
156,636
87, 403
92, 753
39, 973
42,851
98,475
75,954
18, 725
171, 145
32,010
80, 718
24, 295
46, 362
14,027
57,044
161, 720
46, 492
121,986
38,822
35, 517
27, 596
25, 649
72,241
126,888
42,041
53, 970
18, 171
121,093
21,299
49,564
18,229
5,118
307, 406
261,343
1, 477, 140
$16, 652
8181,752
260
1,615
$136,302
1,750
2,918
361
1,175
51
398
4, 703
2,206
11, 152
6,371
13,427
3, 037
7,411
3,085
4, 151
4,381
2,027
1,214
1,657
3,721
1,245
191
2,780
1,003
2,056
388
2,987
553
332
2,768
318
1, 631
766
477
1,489
578
802
1,279
454
1,080
500
1,118
478
937
260
275
7,510
8,731
18, 090
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine _„„_
Now Hampshire
"Vermont
Massachusetts -
4,406
Rhode Island
C onnecticut
1,571
13,096
2,174
7,019
5,229
4,697
4, 276
10, 881
2,637
3,531
3,880
2, 845
550
450
458
1,458
495
2,300
2,347
3,654
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey - -
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio . —
Indiana,
Illinois . , . ._ .
Michigan
Wisconsin
408
WEST NORTH CENTBAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
585
Maryland, ___
District of Columbia .
1,378
Virginia - .
West Virginia »
North Carolina
1,738
48
2,934
6,011
1. 430
1,743
1,383
638
2,147
868
1,833
3,285
2,555
2.390
316
3,313
4,061
1,840
South Carolina
Georgia
1,763
125
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee .
Alabama, .
2,160
Mississippi _
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana _„
Idaho „
Wyoming „_. . „
Colorado
3,553
New Mexico
Arizona
1,040
Utah
Nevada _
500
5, 065
8,708
49, 117
PACIFIC:
Washington. _
Oregon
California
5,640
SEVENTH-DAY ADYE'NTIST DENOMINATION 25
TABLE 0. — CHUECH EXPENDITUEES BY STATES, 1936-~-Continued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION" AND STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local re-
lief and
chanty
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To general
head-
quarters
All
other
pur-
poses
United States
$86, 534
125
$285, 876
1,174
1,145
362
7,321
6, 844
2,043
24,839
6,879
20,814
13,914
10,395
10,849
23,831
5,195
4,752
3,596
4,734
1,288
4,158
5,242
3,456
2,027
6,653
1,828
4,206
962
884
768
2,117
6,568
980
3,317
965
671
777
961
4,240
4,443
995
3,297
313
4,205
500
2,226
573
217
9,238
6,321
53, 013
$100, 591
=========
438
395
523
2,329
327
542
5,679
900
3,643
5,034
981
4,961
2,942
1,363
2,190
1,038
1,44$
879
1.092
1, 519
766
36
2,424
155
1,674
1,509
1,043
345
763
2,781
1,704
1,516
344
355
481
700
1,107
1,889
214
1,035
126
1,202
265
527
511
166
2,510
3,883
32, 342
$202,453
580, 037
4,427,019
5178,927
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
1,830
95
1,221
1,926
2,716
247
12, 722
8,747
4,782
5,514
6,113
9,375
6,936
5,717
3,138
1,739
5,078
3, 293
1,361
2,555
1,513
44
2,363
39
1,147
783
734
217
1, 056
4,135
2,640
3,325
206
1,245
1,159
222
1,737
6,731
840
8,307
699
10. 186
1,384
1,240
285
240
22, 155
11, 155
31, 561
2,033
1,063
3,494
24, 357
1,242
1,323
36,981
14,874
20, 531
17, 448
14,035
17, 360
38, 738
15,812
17,327
11, 148
4,009
2,652
2,188
20, 116
8,999
442
9, 547
4,343
6,080
2,811
4,886
617
3,239
16,691
4,268
6,867
4,425
947
2,907
2,488
9,391
18, 459
4,183
6,082
3, 053
11, 699
4,433
2.488
2,667
1,850
38, 248
29, 054
102, 142
27, 612
12, 078
9,733
146, 743
23, 009
24, 018
263, 817
77, 975
161, 210
144, 264
97, 511
136, 014
279, 382
69, 100
116, 434
58, 953
65, 689
27,679
31, 095
63, 949
55, 043
14, 516
141, 607
18, 883
60, 323
16, 647
32, 247
11, 438
44, 618
112, 758
33, 736
99, 405
22,888
29,680
16,207
17, 321
49,417
85,612
32, 186
28,832
12, 942
78,468
9,333
38, 965
10,410
1,870
206, 825
176, 097
1, 132, 480
1,388
51
858
758
21
300
11, 190
4,822
9,128
3,316
2,973
5,509
6,480
1,572
4,423
1,702
6,756
1,934
850
915
424
389
2,067
2,034
1,138
827
1,118
41
222
8,248
416
4,022
5,667
1,047
2,384
2,304
2,412
3,737
266
1,252
222
6,986
553
301
3,523
New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
767
Rhode Island
Connecticut
284
7,601
2,915
7,838
4,486
12, 175
677
7,719
880
690
966
172
484
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York „
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois.. _. „_
' Michigan .
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri .
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
3,050
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
1,404
District of Columbia
Virginia
410
368
725
West Virginia.
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia--,
Florida
1,635
1,000
360
18
457
45
207
1,302
1,453
348
1,695
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky _ __
Tennessee
Alabama. _ _ __
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana . .
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
Wyoming
Colorado
363
292
New Mexico
Arizona
Utah
Nevada
PACIFIC:
Washington.
4,539
5,662
13,422
11,316
11, 732
39, 333
Oregon ,
California ,__
26
CENSUS 01? RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SABBATH SCHOOLS, BY CONFERENCES,
1936
UNION AND LOCAL
CONFERENCE
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SABBATH
SCHOOLS
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Scholars
Total
2,054
133,254
1,362
$6, 690, 955
195
$487,404
1,973
$6, 196, 143
1,465
97, 062
Atlantic Union
184
25
51
50
58
394
50
58
48
65
41
48
45
28
11
256
25
49
35
66
41
28
12
353
68
54
150
81
239
25
23
80
56
55
232
63
13
57
54
45
238
47
44
57
47
43
158
37
42
1
78
10,861
2,606
3,014
1,442
3,799
20, 603
2,810
2,434
2,312
4,124
2,529
3,102
1,741
1,178
373
16,043
1,590
2,939
1,690
4,222
3,874
1,119
609
20, 127
4,666
3,026
9,395
3,040
17, 169
1,498
875
7,011
4, 525
3,260
27, 166
5,883
499
5,651
6,793
8,340
12, 844
1,914
1,602
3,835
2,632
2,861
8,441
1,812
2,129
9
4,491
88
13
26
22
27
261
33
38
27
44
28
37
26
20
8
159
19
28
19
42
31
13
7
244
36
36
116
56
170
13
18
58
41
40
171
48
7
44
39
33
160
31
33
41
29
26
109
26
31
967, 288
563, 613
123, 250
57, 725
222, 700
860, 774
97, 850
104, 775
94, 850
161,870
143, 100
116, 254
82, 150
42, 250
17, 675
1, 127, 895
126, 400
366, 400
126, 500
286, 345
97,450
87, 200
37, 600
1, 208, 763
182, 425
206, 200
654, 213
165,925
519, 021
40,886
41,050
176,585
145, 900
114, 600
1, 072, 879
261,873
36, 500
176, 060
178, 696
419, 750
669, 120
77,700
91. 800
240, 020
126,550
133, 050
265,215
43, 550
75,450
19
7
2
1
9
22
1
3
2
6
5
1
4
128,849
68, 354
1,600
275
58, 620
41, 248
4,500
2,150
8,100
5,203
16, 765
3,000
1,530
176
25
47
49
55
375
47
55
47
63
38
45
43
27
10
246
24
49
34
63
40
26
10
339
66
53
142
78
236
24
23
79
55
55
228
61
13
56
S
223
45
42
53
44
39
150
33
40
1
76
707,868
238,967
141, 661
72, 522
254, 718
734,849
122,633
87,403
75,954
156,636
92, 753
98, 475
39, 973
42, 851
18, 171
900, 078
90, 453
177, 716
121,492
205, 576
209, 465
68,401
26, 975
844,434
192, 058
162,307
384,300
105, 769
664,760
41,771
42,041
267,344
163, 285
150,319
1,550,051
305, 001
26,382
254, 479
419, 101
545,088
521, 970
85,008
59, 188
151,051
120,774
105, 949
272, 133
53,245
} i 75, 645
143,243
123
18
32
35
38
264
36
39
30
38
31
31
28
21
10
187
18
38
24
42
35
21
9
250
44
39
105
62
180
16
17
59
38
50
162
39
8
38
41
36
181
36
30
43
39
33
118
31
f 26
I 1
60
7,445
1,676
2,080
1,011
2,678
13, 575
2,293
1,786
1,680
1,713
1,976
1, 295
1,367
1,128
337
12,419
1,372
2,370
1,290
3,070
2,960
927
430
15, 194
3,261
2,210
7,607
2,116
12,530
890
772
5,031
2,942
2,895
19,715
3,704
349
4,780
4, 932
5,950
10, 551
1,800
1, 163
3,177
2,198
2,213
5,633
1,472
1,453
17
2,691
Greater New York
New York
Northern New England..
Southern New England. .
Central Union
Colorado
Iowa
Kansas
Minnesota .. ....
Missouri -_
Nebraska-
North Dakota
South. Dakota
Wyoming Mission
Columbia Union
52
5
13
8
16
5
3
2
43
5
8
19
11
19
3
2
7
3
4
6
184, 963
21, 900
81, 650
13, 400
51, 496
5,617
10, 100
800
65, 292
7,663
13, 969
40,059
3,601
17, 534
1,337
282
10, 240
1,200
4,475
7,082
Chesapeake
East Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Ohio
Potomac
West Pennsylvania.
West Virginia
Lake Union,
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan ...
Wisconsin..
North Pacific Union
Idaho
Montana
Oregon
Upper Columbia
Washington
Pacific Union
Central California
Nevada-Utah
Northern California.
Southeastern California-
Arizona „ .. ._ .
3
2
1
17
3
7
4
2
1
17
3
9
2,900
l;Jo8o2
29, 843
430
5,106
17, 543
764
6,000
12,593
2,658
7,443
Southern California
Southern Union . .
Alabama-Mississippi
Carolina ...
Florida
Georgia-Cumberland. ...
Kentucky-Tennessee
Southwestern Uni on
Arkansas-Louisiana
Oklahoma
Southwest Indian Mission
Texas
52
146, 215
6
2,492
1 Amount for Southwest Indian Mission combined with figures for Oklahoma, to avoid disclosing the
statistics of any individual church.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST DEKOMIISTATIOK 27
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The religious denomination known as Seventh-day Adventists had its rise about
the middle of the nineteenth century. The name is based upon two of the dis-
tinctive beliefs they hold, namely, the observance of the Sabbath of the Scriptures,
and the imminent, personal second advent of Christ.
In those years, not only in the United States, but in other countries of the world,
many students of Bible prophecy became convinced that the second advent was
drawing near, and this belief resulted in a great religious awakening, in Britain, in
some countries of the Continent of Europe, and in North America. "Whether
this doctrine is orthodox or not," wrote the historian Macaulay, in 1829, "many
who hold it are distinguished by rank, wealth, and ability. It is preached from
pulpits both of the Scottish and of the English church.7' One English writer of the
time estimated that in the years just before 1840 about 700 clergymen of the
Church of England were taking part in the awakening movement.
In the United States and Canada came a parallel movement, in which were
represented Christians of all the churches. Among prominent leaders in the pub-
lishing and evangelistic work of this second advent evangelism were William Miller,
a Baptist layman, of Low Hampton, N. Y., and Joshua V. Himes, a clergyman, of
Boston. Monthly and weekly papers devoted to this work were issued in Boston,
New York, and many other parts.
It was from among the Adventists engaged in this movement in America that
there arose a small group in 1844, in Washington, N. H., who began to observe the
seventh-day Sabbath, as they found it enjoined in the fourth commandment of the
Decalogue. Thus came the first Seventh-day Adventists, though the name was
not formally adopted until later years.
Prominent among those who pioneered the work were Joseph Bates, James
White, his wife, Mrs. Ellen G. White, Hiram Edson, Frederick Wheeler, and
S. W. Rhodes. Later came J. H. Waggoner, J. N. Loughborough, J. N. Andrews
(who was the first Seventh-day Adventist missionary to be sent overseas from the
United States), Uriah Smith, and S. N. Haskell.
By 1860 the movement had grown until, in connection with the organization
of the first publishing house in Battle Creek, Mich., the denominational name
was assumed. The following year saw the beginning of the organization of
State conferences of churches, and in 1863 the General Conference was organized,
with John Byington as its first president. In order to decentralize and distribute
administrative responsibility, local State conferences are grouped in fairly large
areas as a union conference, with a union corps of officers. The union conferences
in continental areas are grouped again as divisions — as North American, South
American, southern Asia, Australasian, etc., covering all continents — each
division having its staff of officers. There are 12 divisions. Representatives
from each division make up the General Conference committee, with headquarters
in Washington, D. C. For about half a century the headquarters had been at
Battle Creek, Mich., where the first equipped publishing house was built, also
their first medical sanitarium (with which grew up the early health food pro-
motion), and their first college. In 1903, however, the general offices were re-
moved to Washington,
DOCTRINE
Very briefly stated, the main features of Seventh-day Adventist teaching are
as follows:
1. Holy Scripture the rule of faith and practice. (2 Tim. 3:15—17.)
2. The Godhead, or Trinity, consists of the Eternal Father, the Son of the
Eternal Father, through whom all things were created, the Holy Spirit, the third
person of the Godhead, the great regenerating power in the work of redemption.
(Matt. 28:19.)
3. Jesus Christ is very God. While retaining His divine nature He took upon
Himself the nature of the human family, died for our sins, rose from the dead,
and in heaven ever lives to make intercession for us. (John 1:1, 14; Heb. 2:9-18;
8:1, 2; 7: 25.)
* This statement, which differs somewhat from that published in vol. II of the Report on Beligioiis Bodies,
1926, has been revised by a committee named for the purpose, and presented in its present form by H. E.
Rogers, statistical secretary, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Takoma Park, Washington,
D. C.
28 CENSUS OF BELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
4. The new birth, through faith, by the recreative power of God. (John
3:3, 16.)
5. Baptism of believers, by immersion. (Mark 16: 16; Rom. 6: 1-6.)
6. The ten commandments, the moral law of God, the standard of the judgment.
(Ex. 20 : 1-17; Matt. 5 : 17-19; Eccl. 12 : 13, 14.)
7. The fourth commandment of God's law enjoins the observance of the
seventh day as the Sabbath of the Lord our God, made holy for all mankind.
(Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11; Mark 2:27, 28.)
8. "Sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4.) "The wages of sin is
death." (Rom. 6 -23.) Having sinned, man cannot save himself, nor can the
law justify him. God so loved the world that He gave His Son, even Jesus Christ,
to die in man's stead; accepting Chrst by faith, as his substitute, the sinner is
justified by the Saviour's grace, who cleanses from sin, creates the new heart,
and abides within by His Spirit, to work obedience. Thus the gospel becomes
"the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." (Rom. 1:16.)
9. Man is by nature mortal. God "only hath immortality." (1 Tim. 6:16.)
Immortality and eternal life come to redeemed man only as the free gift in Christ;
and "this mortal shall put on immortality" at the second coming of Christ.
(1 Cor. 15:51-55.)
10. The condition of man in death is that of unconscious sleep. All men, good
and evil alike, in death remain in the grave until the resurrection. (Eccl. 9: .5, G;
Ps. 146:3, 4; John 5:28, 29.)
11. The resurrection of the just takes place at the second advent of Christ
(1 Tliess. 4:13-18), that of the unjust, a thousand years later, at the close of the
millennium. (Rev. 20:5-10.)
12. The impenitent, including Satan, the author of sin, are destroyed, brought
to a state of nonexistence. (Rom. 6: 23; Mai. 4: 1-3; Rev. 20: 9, 10; Obadiah 16.)
13. The Christian is to live and act and eat and drink to the glory of God,
recognizing his body as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Thus the believer will
clothe the body in neat, modest, dignified apparel, and will be led to abstain from
all intoxicating drinks, tobacco, and other narcotics. (1 Cor. 3: 16, 17; 9: 25;
10: 31; 1 Tim. 2: 9, 10; 1 John 2: 6.)
14. Gospel work is to be supported by the Scripture plan of tithes and offerings.
(Lev. 27: 30: Mai. 3: 8-12; Matt. 23: 23; 1 Cor. 9: 9-14; 2 Cor. 9: 6-15.)
15. Seventh-day Adventists believe that the Bible and the Bible alone is the
authority for all faith and doctrine, and the standard by which all religious teaching
is to be judged. Believing also in the impartation of the Holy Spirit to the church
for all time, they accept the Scriptural teaching regarding the manifestation of
spiritual gifts as a means by which the church is edified and built up — the gifts of
apostleship, prophecy, teaching, evangelism, etc. (1 Cor. 12: 28-30; Eph. 4:
1 1-14.) As the gift of prophecy is among these gifts listed, they accept the admoni-
tion of Paul, "Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which
is good." From 'the beginning of the movement they have had constant and
cumulative evidence that through the counsels and writings of Ellen G. White,
the Holy Spirit has given special help to the church. The counsel and instruction
thus received, has been a potent factor in the maintenance of unity of doctrine and
of organization for world-wide service.
16. The second coming of Christ is the hope of the church, the climax of the
plan of salvation, spoken of by all the prophets "since the world began." (Acts
3: 19-21.) While no man knows the day and the hour, Christ and all prophecy
have foretold signs by which it may be known when it "is near, even at the doors."
The gospel message in these times, it is believed, must call attention to the signs
of the times and to the message of preparation to meet the Lord. The closing
ministry of Jesus in heaven, before He comes, is a work of judgment, which will
determine between the just and the unjust. (Dan. 7: 9, 10.) When that judg-
ment begins in the heavenly temple, the gospel message is due to the world; "The
hour of His judgment is come." (Rev. 14: 6, 7.) Seventh-day Adventists
believe it is their work to carry that message to every people and tongue.
17. The order of events of the second advent are understood to be as follows:
The voice of Christ calls forth the just of all the ages from their graves, the living
righteous being translated. All ascend with Jesus to heaven. The glory of His
corning has consumed the unjust. The earth is desolated, uninhabited *by men
for a thousand years, the prison house of Satan. (1 Thess. 4: 16, 17; 1: 7-9;
Rev. 20: 1-3, 5.)
18. The millennial reign of Christ covers the period between the first and
second resurrection, during which the saved live with Him in heaven. At the end
of the thousand years, the Holy City, with Christ and the saved, descend to earth,
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENT1ST DENOMINATION" 29
the wicked are raised in the second resurrection; led by Satan they come up
against the Lord and the city. Pinal judgment is pronounced upon them, and
fire consumes them utterly. Death itself is destroyed, and the grave. Satan is
no more. All traces of sin are removed by the purifying fires, and the earth comes
forth, recreated, restored to the purity and beauty of the original Eden. 'The
meek shall inherit the earth." It becomes the eternal home of the redeemed of
Adam's race. (Rev. 20: 7-15; 21: 1-5.) There is then no sin or pain in all the
universe, and every creature gives praise to God. (Rev. 5: 13.)
ORGANIZATION
The local church. — The local church is congregational in its government, although
under the general supervision of the conference of which it its a member. One
or more elders — generally laymen — are elected annually to care for the spiritual
interests of the church, conduct services, and, in the absence of an ordained
minister, to administer the sacraments. One or more deacons and deaconesses
are also elected annually to care for the financial and administrative work. In
the case of large congregations, particularly in cities, ordained ministers are
sometimes appointed by the conference as pastors, but usually they act as evange-
lists, having supervision of a number of local churches, and directing their chief
effort to evangelistic work in the development of new churches.
Local, union, and General Conference. — A number of churches are united to
form a conference or mission. The conference meets biennially and is composed
of delegates elected by the churches. The conference has general supervision
of the churches and their work. In some large States there are two or more of
these conferences, and as a matter of convenience the term "local conference"
has come into use. The local conferences or missions are united into groups to
form union conferences, which hold sessions quadrennially, and to which delegates
are elected by the local conferences. The union conferences and union missions
throughout the world are united in the General Conference, which holds quadren-
nial sessions composed of delegates from union conferences and union missions
throughout the world. For convenience in administering the work of the General
Conference, the world field is divided into 12 divisions, each with its staff of
division officers, presided over by a vice president of the General Conference.
Executive committees. — Each local conference and local mission has an executive
committee for the conduct of its work, composed of its officers and other elected
or appointed members. The union conference president, secretary, and treasurer,
together with the presidents of the local conferences and superintendents of
local missions and other elected members, compose the executive committee of
the union conference. The president, secretary, and treasurer, the field secre-
taries of the division, the presidents of union conferences, and superintendents
of union missions, with division departmental secretaries, and other appointed
members, constitute the executive committee of the division. The president of
the General Conference, and other officers of the General Conference and the
divisions, the field secretaries, together with General Conference and division
departmental secretaries, the union conference presidents and superintendents of
union missions, and other elected members, constitute the General Conference
executive committee.
WORK
Membership and work. — Applicants for church membership appear before the
pastor or officers of the local church for examination. If approved, they are
recommended for baptism and church membership.
Candidates for the gospel ministry are licensed to preach, for a limited term,
by a conference, either local, union, or general. At the expiration of that term,
on approval by the conference, they are recommended for ordination.
Local church expenses are met by special contributions, and collections are
made during the year for the different departments of denominational work.
An effort is also being made to collect a sum amounting to 40 cents per week per
member for foreign mission work. The support of the ministry is provided by
the tithing system, each church member being expected to contribute a tenth of
his net income for this purpose. The tithes are paid through a church treasurer
to the treasurer of the local conference. The conference supervises the work of
ministers and pays the salaries. Associations for the holding of property belong-
ing to the denomination have been formed in nearly every country in which work
is carried on. The jurisdiction of these associations is coextensive with that of a
conference, local, or union, and their officers are the officers of the conference,
30 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
while their constituencies consist of the delegates to the sessions of the conference.
The associations connected with local conferences hold in trust all the property
for the local churches, while associations formed for union conferences hold prop-
erty of a more general character.
In all the world. — Believing in the command of our Saviour, as expressed in
Matthew 28: 19 — "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations" — Seventh -day Ad-
ventists have literally gone forth into all the world, carrying the gospel message
to all lands.
At the close of 1936, Seventh-day Adventists were conducting work in 378
countries, islands, and island groups, by 26,553 evangelistic and institutional
laborers, who are using in their work 649 languages and dialects. This was an
increase of 71 languages during 1936, or practically 1 new language added every
5 days during that year. Since 1926, 393 languages have been added, or 1 new
language added on an average of a little less than 10 days.
The membership of the 8,243 churches of the denomination throughout the
world at the close of 1936 was 438,139. In the United States there were 153,125
while outside there were 285,014. There are 70 union conferences, 143 local
conferences, 328 missions, with 12,589 evangelistic laborers. The first missionary
was sent outside the United States in 1874. Since that time there have been
about 5,000 missionaries sent to labor outside this country.
Educational. — In 1872, the first denominational missionary training school was
opened in Battle Creek, Mich. At the close of 1936 there was in operation a
graded system of education, requiring 16 years' work for completion, and includ-
ing, in all countries, 33 literary and theological colleges and junior colleges, 1
medical college, 187 academies and intermediate schools, and 2,514 primary
schools. All these schools had 5,715 teachers. The enrollment of the 2,514
Primary schools was 83,605, and of the advanced schools, 29,227, a total of 112,832.
a the United States the enrollment was 33,849. The earnings and contributions
received by all the schools throughout the world for 1936 were $7,081,983. The
schools in the United States received $5,307,296.
Health promotion. — In 1866 a sanitarium was erected in Battle Creek, Mich.,
for the rational treatment of disease and the dissemination of the principles of
temperance and healthful living. At the close of 1936 there were 95 well-equipped
sanitariums, and 68 hydropathic treatment rooms, throughout the world, in
addition to a number of dispensaries and about 50 medical institutions under
private management that are recognized as following the denominational prin-
ciples. All these institutions treated 625,083 patients during 1936. Physicians,
nurses, and other employees number 5,995.
Publishing. — The first really equipped denominational publishing house was
erected in Battle Creek, Mich., in 1855. At the close of 1936 there were 17
publishing houses and branches in the United States, and 56 in other countries,
a total of 73 publishing houses and branches, engaged exclusively in the pro-
duction and sale of denominational literature. These houses issue 282 periodicals,
in 194 languages, have 1,154 employees engaged in production of literature, and
3,383 colporteurs employed in its distribution. Literature sales in 1936 amounted
to $3,622,299. The total value of book and periodical sales from 1863 to the close
of 1936 was $109,948,167.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST DENOMINATION" 31
A statement showing the growth in respect to churches and membership by
20-year periods is indicated below:
Year: Churches Membership
1863 125 3,500
1883 680 17,436
1903 2, 120 69,072
1923 5, 096 221, 874
1936 8, 243 438, 139
Another statement showing the total amount of eyangelistical funds raised
during the 20 years preceding the date shown below, is indicated herewith:
Total evangelistk
funds during preceding
Year: SO years
1882 $747, 216. 06
1902 7, 948, 103. 27
1922 79, 614, 141. 76
1936 (14 years) 152,166,358.64
Total 240, 475, 819. 73
Of this amount there has been contributed as: Percent
Tithe $133,267,000. 11 55.42
Foreign missions 71, 102, 663. 19 29. 57
Home missions 36, 106, 156. 43 15. 01
Total 240, 475, 819. 73 100. 00
The number of evangelistical and institutional laborers connected with the
denominational work is indicated below by 20-year periods:
Year: Totallaborers
1863 30
1883 300
1903 4,704
1923 15, 156
1936 26,553
CHURCH OF GOD (ADVENTIST)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of God (Adventist) for the year 1936
is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination comprises all baptized persons who have
been received into fellowship in the local churches upon profession of faith.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF TOTAL l
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
45
1,250
28
512
723
15
70,8
55
1,024
171
5.1
22
17
$22, 690
$22, 190
$500
$1, 335
2
$1,380
10
2
1
$1,000
32
$9, 732
$1, 265
$35
$318
$520
$936
$321
$2,943
$1, 106
$1, 700
$588
$304
25
154
649
9
326
36
152
174
36
924
26
360
549
15
65,6
34
728
162
4.5
17
12
$14, 390
$13,890
$500
$1, 199
Members , number
26.1
73.9
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
29.7
24.1
70.3
75.9
^Female - -
Sex not reported - _ _
Males per 100 females ... .
87.4
21
296
9
6.6
5
5
$8, 300
$8, 300
Membership by age:
Under 13 years -
13 years and over
28.9
5.3
71.1
94.7
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 2__ _
Church edifices, Tyumhftr
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
36.6
37.4
63.4
62.6
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936_.
Average v alue per church _.
$1, 660
2
$1, 380
3
2
1
$1, 000
9
$3, 607
$1, 065
$25
$130
$520
$697
$130
$300
$105
$550
$85
$401
5
26
150
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Number reporting "no debt"
7
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
100 0
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number
23
$6, 125
$200
$10
$188
Amount reported . _
37.1
84.2
62.9
15.8
Pastors' salaries . _
All other salaries __
Repairs and improvements
40.9
100.0
74.5
40.5
10.2
9.5
32.4
14.5
59.1
25.1
59.5
89.8
90.5
67.6
85.5
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including interest.
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc
Home missions _ ..
$239
$191
$2, 643
$1, 001
$1, 150
$503
$266
20
128
499
Foreign missions ... _> .
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sabbath schools :
Churches reporting, number ...
Officers and teachers ..
16.9
23.1
83.1
76.9
Scholars __ _
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
32
CHURCH OF GOD (ADVENTIST)
33
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of God (Adventist)
for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
191)6
190G
Clvurclies (local organizations), number
45
58
22
10
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number - _ - .,_ _ -,
— 13
36
12
Percent2
MeinberSj number „.,-,„ -, -,.,„- -,„„„ ..., ..^ .„..,-„»„-
1,250
1,686
848
354
Increase i over preceding census:
Number
—436
838
494
Percent
-25 8
98 8
139.5
Average membership per church _ -
28
29
39
35
Churcli edifices, number - -
22
12
8
3
Value — number reporting
17
12
8
3
Amount reported -
$22, 690
$25, 850
$8, 200
$4, 000
Average value per church
$1, 335
$2, 154
$1, 025
$1. 333
D0ht — number reporting
2
3
1
Amount reported «. . »
$1, 380
$975
$700
PsxsoH&ces number
2
Value — number reporting
1
Amount reported
$1, 000
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, nnTnb6r
32
39
10
Amount reported . ______
$9, 732
$13, 887
$2, 358
Pastors' salaries .
$1, 265
All other salaries --- --
$35
Repairs and improvements
$318
$4, 805
$1, 258
Payment on church debt, excluding interest...
All other current expenses, including interest..
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc-
$520
$936
$321
Home missions
$2, 943
Foreign missions
$1, 106
$9, 082
$1,100
To general headquarters for distribution
$1, 700
All other purposes
$588
Average expenditure per church
$304
$356
$236
Sabbath, schools :
Churches reporting, number . -
25
23
9
Officers and teachers
154
126
52
Scholars - _._._«_._.__
649
685
326
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Church of God
(Adventist) by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936" the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sabbath schools.
Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for
the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified
as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the
value of church edifices and the debt on such property for 1936. Table 6 pre-
sents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses,
improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid ^ disclosing the financial
statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is
limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value and expendi-
tures.
34
CENSUS OF EELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SABBATH SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGEAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SABBATH
SCHOOLS
3
o
B
t-4
P
1
P3
'3
4-3
o
EH
1 Urban
"c3
3
PH
03
1
Female
4
«!
M fi
<D
ra
Males per
100 females *
Churches
reporting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States
45
2
5
9
36
1,250
326
18
83
924
512
723
22
53
56
167
57
9
51
19
123
65
35
12
28
26
15
70 8
25
1
2
1
7
2
1
3
154
649
EAST NOKTH CENTRA.!/
Michigan
1
1
5
1
11
2
1
1
46
85
97
279
87
17
104
25
209
123
55
24
S3
46
28
85
14
279
87
17
28
209"
34
55
24
18
46
24
32
41
97
30
8
53
6
86
58
20
12
25
20
6
8
7
41
21
4
12
20
11
17
155
75
12
91
Wis consin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa -
3
11
2
[Missouri
15
59 5
Nebraska-
9
TC arises
1
76
25
"89"
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
West Virginia
3
1
5
2
1
WEST SOTJTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas .
Oklahoma.
5
2
2
1
2
2
69.9
4
1
31
4
189
40
Texas
3
?
1
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
Colorado
1
PACIFIC:
Washington
4
?
2
35
2
1
7
13
24
15
Oregon
i Eatio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[ Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1938
1910
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States....
Michigan
45
2
5
3
11
2
3
58
2
3
3
15
3
32
10
1,250
1,686
848
354
55
1,024
171
5.1
3
46
85
97
279
87
104
20
31
69
669
147
153
4
2
12
3
42
83
85
208
12
98
Wisconsin
Iowa
2
7
2
4
2
50
379
60
159
56
Missouri
68
75
1 4
Nebraska .. ..
West Virginia
6
5.8
Alabama _ „ .
3
12
1
4
63
249
25
130
Oklahoma
5
3
2
209
123
79
6
16
3
3
203
88
41
164
2.9
15.4
Texas
19
9
Washington
4
53
Other States _
27
17
5
167
438
111
1.8
1 Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Includes 2 churches each in the States of Idaho and Oregon; and 1 m each of the followm g— Kansas
Arkansas, and Colorado.
CHURCH OF GOD (ADVENTIST)
35
TABLE 5. — VALUE OP CHUKCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
Total
Number of
VALUE 01
EDI*
- CHURCH
ICES
DEBT ON
EDIE
CHURCH
ICES
churches
edifices
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
45
22
17
$22 690
2
$1 380
Missouri _
11
7
6
6,100
Other States
34
15
1 11
16 590
2
1 380
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Iowa, Oklahoma, and Idaho; and 1 in each of the
following — Michigan, Nebraska, Arkansas, Texas, and Washington.
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and
improve-
ments
United States
45
32
$9, 732
81, 265
$35
$318
Iowa
3
11
5
4
22
3
6
4
4
i 15
460
543
646
1,747
6,336
130
135
Missouri.. _ _
10
Oklahoma
200
700
365
Washington
Other States » -
25
53
STATE
EXPENDITURES— -continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
includmi
interest
Local
relief and
; charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To
general
head-
quarters
All
other
purposes
United States
$520
$936
$321
$2,943
81, 106
81, 700
$588
Iowa
120
210
15
102
97
512
Missouri
3
43
10
265
195
296
280
929
185
5
160
238
Oklahoma
"Washington
400
100
2,843
Other States — .
1,106
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Michigan, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Texas, Idaho,
and Oregon; and 1 in each of the following—Nebraska, Kansas, and Arkansas.
36 CENSUS OF BELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
In the year 1863 there were many people in various parts of the United States
who held to the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath and were looking for the
soon return of Christ, but who either had never been connected with the Seventh-
day Adventists, or who had rejected the inspiration of the so-called "visions" of
Mrs. E. G. White. These people were scattered and unorganized. In the
summer of 1863 a number of t-hem associated together and began the publication
of a monthly paper, named "The Hope of Israel." The first issue was dated
August 10, 1863, and was issued from Hartford, Mich. Enos Easton was editor
and Samuel Davison and Gilbert Cranmer were leaders of the work. Some of
those supporting the paper were loosely organized under the name "Church of
Christ" while others held to the name "Church of God." But they were united
in faith in the soon coming of Christ and a number of other doctrines, and also
were opposed to accepting the "visions" of Mrs. E. G. White.
The paper was soon move'd to Waverly, Mich., where publication continued
until October 1865, when it was forced to discontinue for lack of financial support.
In the month of May 1866, "The Hope of Israel" was revived, being issued at
Marion, Iowa, by an association of some of the original group, and others who
had joined with them, under the name "Christian Publishing Association."
The movement had received fresh impetus through two prominent Adyentist
ministers, who had refused to accept the inspiration of Mrs. E. G. White, joining
with them. These were B. P. Snook and W. H. Brinkerhoff, who with W. E.
Carver, were the leaders of the revived work. Later Jacob Brinkerhoff became
one of the principal leaders. The name "Church of God" was then in general
use by these brethren and soon was adopted as a distinctive name. The ministers
were practically all evangelists, and local churches were established throughout
the country.
The history of the church is closely connected with the history of the publica-
tion which continued to be published in Marion, Iowa, until the year 1889, when
it was moved to Stanberry, Moc The name of the paper was changed several
times, and it is now known as "The Bible Advocate and Herald of the Coming
Kingdom."
Some of the churches formed remained independent from the general organiza-
tion, although holding the same beliefs. In 1906 these were registered as a
separate body under the title of Churches of God (Adventist) Unattached Con-
gregations. Many such independent groups still exist.
DOCTRINE
The Church of God (Adventist) has no formal written creed but believes in
constantly growing in the knowledge of the Bible, which it accepts as the sole rale
of faith and practice. Among the doctrines upon which the church as a whole
stands united are: (1) The observance of the seventh day of the week as the
Sabbath. (2) The literal and premillennial second coming of Christ, and that
present-day events indicate that this will take place soon. (3) The unconscious
state of the dead. (4) The resurrection of the righteous dead at the second
advent of Christ and their reign with Christ on the earth during 1,000 years of
restitution. (5) The complete destruction of the wicked at the end of the 1,000
years. (6) The eternal reward of the righteous on the earth, made new.
(7) That Christ was crucified on Wednesday and arose near sundown Saturday.
(8) That the Lord's Supper service was instituted by Christ to take the place of
the ancient Passover, and should be observed annually, at the time of the Passover.
(9) That the Ten Commandment law is recognized in Scripture as distinct from
the Law of Moses. (10) That sin is the transgression of the Ten Commandment
law. (11) That acceptance of Christ is followed by repentance/baptism by im-
mersion in water, and the reception of the Holy Spirit, followed by Hghteous living.
* This statement, which differs somewhat from that published in vol. II of the Report on
Bodies, 1926, was furnished by Roy Davison, president, General Conference of the Church of God, Stan-
berry, Mo., and approved by him in its present form.
OHUKOH OF GOD (ADVENTIST) 37
ORGANIZATION
In polity the denomination is essentially congregational. This is modified
somewhat by the fact that a large proportion of the membership is composed of
isolated members. Where there are enough members in a State, they are organized
into a local conference. At this writing there are nine such conference organiza-
tions, some of which include several States. Each local conference has an executive
board which directs the evangelistic work in its territory. Of the tithes received,
one-tenth is sent for the work of the General Conference, which includes all the local
conferences and all unorganized territory.
Candidates for the ministry first are issued licenses on recommendation of a
church or conference. After having gained experience and proven their calling,
they may be ordained into the ministry by prayer and the laying on of hands in a
public service, by other ordained ministers of the church. Ministers are referred
to by the title "elder," no other religious titles indicating office being used.
WORK
The organized conferences employ evangelists who work for the spreading of the
gospel and the building up of the church in their territories. Work in unorganized
territory is conducted by the General Conference, with funds given or allotted for
that purpose.
The church maintains one publishing house from which is issued many books
and tracts. Besides the general church paper, "The Bible Advocate," there are
also issued, "The Sabbath School Missionary and Young People's Friend," a
biweekly for children and young people; "The Field Messenger," a monthly
church news magazine; and "The Sabbath School Quarterly," a quarterly booklet
of Bible lessons. The printing plant is known as "The Church of God Publishing
House," and is located at Stanberry, Mo.
LIFE AND ADVENT UNION
STATISTICS
Summary for the TJnited States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Life and Advent Union for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination comprises those persons who have been
baptized, by immersion, and have subscribed to the articles of faith of the local
churches.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN ANB RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Ghurclies (local organizations), number
6
352
59
105
170
77
61.8
5
300
60
88
135
77
65.2
1
52
52
17
35
Members number -- - --
85.2
14.8
Average membership per church ..--
Membership by sex:
Male -
83.8
79.4
16 2
20.6
Female _- -
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
00
Membership by age:
Under 13 years - _ _
13 years and. over -.
352
5
5
$42, 500
$42, 500
$8,500
3
$5, 250
2
6
$8, 916
$4, 605
$445
$194
$50
$1,564
$35
$289
$1,734
$1,486
4
41
181
300
4
4
$32, 500
$32, 500
$8,125
3
$5,250
1
5
$7, 572
$3,855
$301
$169
$50
$1,489
$10
$164
$1, 534
$1, 514
4
41
181
52
1
1
$10, 000
$10, 000
$10, 000
85.2
14.8
Cliurcli edifices, number - -.- -
Value — number reporting, _ . -
Amount reported _ -
76.5
76.5
23.5
23.5
Constructed prior to 1936 .
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting ,
Amount reported
i"
1
$1, 344
$750
$144
$25
100.0
Number reporting "no debt"
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported ,_.. » _ ~ -
84.9
83.7
67.6
87,1
15.1
16.3
32 4
12 9
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries _„
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
$75
$25
$125
$200
$1, 344
95.2
4.8
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Foreign missions
56.7
88.5
43. 3
11.5
To general headquarters for distribution. _
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers - -
Scholars -
100.0
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
38
LIFE AND ADVENT UNION
39
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Life and Advent Union for
the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPAEATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Church.es (local organizations), number .
6
7
13
12
Increase i over preceding census:
Number .
-1
-6
1
Percent2
Members, number _
352
535
658
509
Increase * over preceding census:
Number
—183
—123
149
Percent
-34.2
—18.7
29 3
Average membership per church
59
76
51
42
Church edifices, number
5
7
8
6
Value — number reporting
5
7
8
6
Amount reported -
$42, 500
$91, 000
$41, 600
$29, 799
Average value per church
$8, 500
$13, 000
$5, 200
$4, 967
Debt — number reporting
3
4
3
Amount reported
$5, 250
$10, 500
$12, 250
$10, 300
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
6
6
11
Amount reported
$8, 916
$19, 861
$8, 996
Pastors' salaries - _
$4, 605
All other salaries __
$445
Repairs and improvements
$194
[ $13, 894
$7, 529
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$50
$1, 564
$35
Foreign missions
$289
I $5, 967
$1, 467
To general headquarters for distribution _
$1, 734
Average expenditure per church
$1, 486
$3, 310
$818
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number -
4
7
9
7
Officers and teachers
41
76
73
45
Scholars
181
344
439
259
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for the Life and Advent
Union by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and member-
ship of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory,
membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives for
selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four census
years 1906 to 1936. Table 5 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing
separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid
disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation
in table 5 is limited to the State of Connecticut, the only State in which three or
more churches reported expenditures.
40
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER O?
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
S
S
o
P)
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
8,
M~*
2
03 23
2
PJ§
8?
co ,3
K>
d
a
03
§
W S
"o
S o
£
03
3
03
'*
2
CD
S
S
jrt
"o
o
y
0
•S
EH
P
rt
EH
t>
W
*
*
CQ
rf
o
O
CQ
United States
6
5
1
352
300
52
105
170
77
61.8
4
41
181
NEW ENGLAND:
Connecticut
g
3
197
!97
52
fiS
77
3
35
151
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1
1
4S
43
1R
95
New Jersey
1
1
52
59
17
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
1
1
....
60
60
18
42
1
6
30
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906 J
STATE
NUMBER OF CHUECHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
1936
19S6
1916
1906
1936
1936
1916
1906
United States ..
6
7
13
12
352
535
658
509
Maine. __
3
3
7
2
4
6
37
155
466
22
128
359
Connecticut ._ . «.-
3
13
3
4
197
155
231
304
Other States
i Includes 1 church each in the States of New York, New Jersey, and Virginia.
TABLE S. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting)
EXPE
NDITUJ
^ES
«
,
T-J
•S
S
ja
"S
S
.3
*2
o
a
w
STATE
il number of
> reporting
1
1
M
1
nd improve!
on church
uding intere
ll
Ss
S.g
ef and chari
CO
o
1
9
§
a1
fl
"cfl
4J
1
1
«
fl
B
•g-s
CD
1
"2
a
S
3
3
-S
0
ex
9
S
*
o
W)
,5
o
CO
o
o
O
EH
<l
«
d)
o
fe
United States
6
6
n, 916
84, 805
$445
$194
S50
81, 564
S35
$289
$1 734
Connecticut ..
3
3
5,715
3,100
301
169
50
961
10
164
960
Other States
3
i 3
3,201
1,505
144
25
603
25
125
774
i Includes 1 church each in the States of New York, New Jersey, and Virginia,
LIFE AND ADVENT UNION 41
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The doctrine that there will be no resurrection of the wicked was preached in
1848 by John T. Walsh, then an associate editor of the Bible Examiner, an
Adventist periodical published in New York City. A considerable number of
Adveritists joined him and in 1863 the Life and Advent Union was organized in
Wilbraham, Mass., and the Herald of Life was founded as the denominational
organ, with George Storrs as its first editor. The number of churches has not
been large, but a number of people hold the views of the Union who are not
enrolled in its organized churches. Of these it is impossible to give any estimate.
DOCTRINE
In matters of doctrine they are in accord with the earlier Adventists except in
regard to the resurrection and the millennium. They hold that the righteous
dead only will be raised and that eternal life is bestowed solely at the second
coming of Christ; that the millennium, the one thousand years of Revelation xx,
had its fulfillment in the past and, instead of being a time of peace and happiness,
was a period of religious persecution and suffering; that this earth, purified by
fire and renewed in beauty, will be the eternal inheritance and dwelling place of
God's people, in which the wicked dead will have no share at all, their sleep being
eternal. They believe that omens of the near approach of Christ are to be dis-
cerned in the widespread weakening of faith in an inspired Bible, the general
condition of unrest and perplexity among the nations, and kindred developments
along many lines.
ORGANIZATION
In polity the Life and Advent Union is distinctly congregational; associations
are for fellowship and have no ecclesiastical authority. Home and foreign mis-
sionary work and the publication of the Herald of Life are under the control of
the Governing Council, consisting of two delegates from each member organiza-
tion, and an Executive Board, elected annually by the Governing Council. Min-
isters are ordained, either at their own request or on request of a church, and after
proper examination by a committee appointed for the purpose.
The control of the spiritual interests of the Life and Advent Union is vested in
a Ministerial Board consisting of five members, elected annually during the an-
nual meeting of the Life and Advent Camp Meeting Association, by the ordained
ministers of the Life and Advent Union in good and regular standing, from
among their members.
WORK
The activities of the Life and Advent Union consist of maintaining mission
work in China and aiding weak churches in this country. The headquarters of
the China work are in Ho-Hsien, Anhwei, the work being carried on by native
pastors and teachers under the supervision of an American missionary. The
amount spent for mission work in 1936 was approximately $6,000.
Two camp meetings are held annually — -one in Maine and one in Connecticut
(which is the principal one). The official publication of the denomination is
the Herald of Life, issued biweekly at New Britain, Conn. This paper has a
circulation in the United States and in several foreign countries.
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1920, has been revised by H. L. Babcock, editor emeutus of the Herald of Life, New Britain, Conn.,
and approved by him in its present form.
CHURCH OF GOD (OREGON, ILL.)
(FoKMERLy REPORTED AS CHURCHES OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban -rural classification, — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of God (Oregon, 111.) for the year 1936
is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination comprises those persons who have been
admitted to the church upon profession of faith and baptism by immersion.
TABLE l.~
-SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL TERRI-
TORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEECENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Church.es (local organizations), number
71
4, 163
59
1,618
2,545
63.6
114
3, 151
898
3.5
51
48
$137, 755
$131, 105
$6, 650
$2, 870
$8, 817
33
5
4
$4, 900
65
$36, 308
$20, 649
$1, 489
$4, 103
$2,094
$5, 379
$787
$266
$214
$741
$559
60
490
2,967
27
1,767
65
669
1,098
60.9
98
1,564
105
5.9
21
19
$76, 225
$72, 575
$3, 650
$4, 012
4
$6, 717
14
3
2
$2, 500
25
$20, 427
$10, 870
$773
$2, 553
$1, 519
$3, 184
$539
$104
$189
$290
$406
$817
25
228
1,525
44
2,396
54
949
1,447
65 6
16
1,587
793
1.0
30
29
$62, 530
$58, 530
$3, 000
$2, 122
2
$2, 100
19
2
2
$2,400
40
$15, 881
$9, 779
$716
$1, 550
$575
$2, 195
$248
$162
$25
$296
$335
$397
35
262
1,442
Members, number «.
42.4
57.6
Average membership per church
Membership by sex*
Male
41 3
43.1
58.*
56 9
Female
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
86.0
49.6
11.7
14.0
50.4
88.3
13 years and over
Age not reported «. _ __
Percent under 13 years 2
Church edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
55 3
55 4
54 9
44.7
44.6
45.1
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Avcr age value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported.. _ _
76.2
23.8
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
51.0
49.0
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported _ _, _
56 3
52.6
51 9
62.2
72.5
59.2
68.5
39.1
88.3
49.5
54.8
43.7
47.4
48.1
37.8
27.5
40.8
31.5
60.9
11.7
50.5
45.2
Pastors' salaries -
All other salaries __ __
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc...
Home missions _. ,.
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribiition..
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church __
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number _.
Officers and teachers
46.5
51.4
53.5
48.6
Scholars _
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
4.9
CHUBCH OF GOD (OREGON, ILL.)
43
Comparative data, 1906-86. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of God (Oregon, 111.) for
the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number _„
71
86
87
62
Increase * over preceding census:
Number - -
— 15
—1
25
Percent2 _ _
M** inters, TUJTnhor
4 163
3 528
3 457
2 124
Increase over preceding census:
ISPumber - -
635
71
1 333
Percent
18 0
2 i
62 8
Average membership per church - -
59
41
40
34
Church edifices, number
51
54
52
37
Value — number reporting _ _
48
52
52
36
Amount reported
$137 755
$164 600
$78 870
$53 650
Average value per church ..
$? 870
$3 165
$1 517
$1, 490
Dgfot — number reporting
6
7
Amount reported
$8 817
$13 700
$1 290
Parsonages, number __ - ,
5
Value — number reporting -_
4
2
3
1
Amount reported
$4 900
$6 500
$4 050
$3 000
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number _
65
63
59
Amount reported
$36 308
$41 935
$13 016
Pastors' salaries
$20, 649
All other salaries
$1 489
' Repairs and improvements _. . _.
$4, 103
> $33, 587
$11, 246
Payment on church debt, excluding interest...
All other current expenses, including interest-
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$2, 094
$5, 379
$787
Home missions
$266
Foreign missions
$214
> $8, 348
$1 770
To general headquarters for distribution
$586
All other purposes
$741
Average expenditure per church . _
$559
$666
$221
Sunday schools :
rjhnrfihfis r6Pnrtifrgr ntimbftf
60
42
55
30
Officers and teachers - - - .
490
295
358
193
Scholars _.
2,967
1,877
2,493
895
1 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables.— Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Church of God,
headquarters, Oregon, 111., by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the
number and membership of the churches classified according to their location in
urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the
churches for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for
1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table
5 shows the value of church edifices and the amount of debt on such property for
1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing
the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables
5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
44
CENSUS OF EELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 8. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
3
£
Urban
2
«
3
£
1
P
1
tf
2
cd
3
,2
£
Males per 100
females 1
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Now York
71
27
44
4,163
1,767
2,396
1,618
2,545
63,8
60
490
2,967
30
642
435
532
230
158
60
1
6
9
12
2
4
1
3
4
5
1
;o
638
506
601
206
233
200
42
177
90
60
33
360
30
92
115
121
55
97
258
39
140
70
415
221
180
106
35
249
189
239
57
94
75
20
71
36
25
7
150
15
31
35
53
19
37
113
13
55
35
389
317
362
149
139
325
22
106
54
35
26
210
15
61
80
68
36
60
145
26
85
1
6
8
11
2
3
8
7
75
76
106
23
25
17
EAST NORTH CENTRAL*
Ohio
3
5
7
1
4
8
1
3
1
1
1
1
2
1
......
193
285
421
100
233
200
25
134
15
60
33
360
30
32
""l02"
64.0
59.6
66.0
38.3
67.6
60.0
Indiana
Illinois ...
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL-
Minnesota
Iowa
8
Missouri
2
4
2
1
1
1
1
1
17
43
75
Nebraska
67 0
3
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
2
2
1
2
21
11
6
6
3
14
16
14
8
7
15
17
6.
17
63
35
15
12
50
60
140
200
25
44
70
70
21
75
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
West Virginia
South Carolina
1
71.4
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas _ _
2
Louisiana
2
1
3
1
2
4
1
2
1
1
]
1
1
2
1
2
60
115
19
55
35
147
39
140
Oklahoma
Texas.
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
77.9
Arizona - , „„-
1
2
62
111
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California .
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
CHURCH OF GOD (OREGON, ILL.)
45
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGEAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1936
1916
1906
Under 13
years
13 years
and over
11
|1
^ ^
Percent
under 13 1
United States
71
86
87
62
4,163
3,528
3,457
2,124
114
3,151
898
3.5
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
6
9
12
2
4
8
2
4
2
1
6
10
11
6
4
8
4
7
1
3
3
3
1
4
3
1
11
6
11
10
8
4
13
10
9
638
506
601
206
233
200
42
177
90
60
510
412
380
202
228
144
120
258
26
97
81
155
14
117
167
27
590
372
663
276
338
175
696
274
328
1
40
17
3
5
637
318
524
203
228
200
.2
11.2
3 1
1.5
2.1
Indiana.. .
148
60
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
9
2
8
1
4
4
10
7
6
2
4
3
1
208
81
164
15
102
153
499
281
145
47
96
48
50
Missouri
17
68
90
25
109
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
60
North Carolina
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas.-
2
1
3
4
1
210
30
115
121
258
39
847
30
100
36
147
39
454
Oklahoma
2
33
15
"85"
111
13.0
Texas
PACIFIC-
Washington
1
1
5
2
3
3
40
30
235
56
62
114
Oregon
Other States
33
360
6.8
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
2 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Louisiana, Arizona, and California; and 1 in each of
the following— New York, West Virginia, South Carolina, and Idaho.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHTTKCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
71
51
48
$137, 755
35, 600
14, 500
24, 100
6,400
5,800
4,130
7,500
39, 725
6
$8, 817
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
6
9
12
4
8
4
4
24
5
7
8
4
3
3
3
18
5
6
7
4
3
3
3
U7
1
4,400
Indiana
Illinois
2
3,300
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
1
166
Nebraska
PACIFIC:
Washington
Other States
2
1,017
' Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Michigan, Kansas, Louisiana, and California; and
1 in each of the following— New York, Missouri, Virginia, South Carolina, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas,
Idaho, and Arizona.
46
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
1
EXPENDITURES
£
W)
C
s
o fl
w ^
S3 S
fl
^
»
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
JS
I
a
fl
S
cs
g
CJ
a
9 a
a o
II
a
S
fl
o
GJ
"^ »S
1
s
0
w
«
"9
2 ^-w
S -WS
CD %
S3
s
d
a
•a
1
E
j§
HP
«*?§
°ls
€
ri
d
W)
&
1
3
O
J3
1
03
"o
ft
QJ
||f
Isl
1
O
1
o
o
&
0
•4
PS
^
o
w
fc
E-i
^
United States ...
71
65
$36 308
$20 649
$1 489
$4 103
$2 094
$5 379
HH7
$flflfl
$9il4
$586
$741
EAST NORTH CENTRAL-
==:
Ohio
6
6
9 575
5 075
477
1 979
175
1 587
232
50
Indiana
9
9
2 4,31
1 487
167
150
24
433
30
60
45
35
Illinois
12
12
6 334
3 675
236
402
620
793
114
rs
5
211
220
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
4
4
1 908
1 475
75
50
157
5
7*?
35
30
Iowa
8
8
1,085
960
75
50
Nebraska
4
870
300
15
415
73
K,
16
46
PACIFIC:
Washington
4
4
1 330
720
96
83
269
17
50
25
56
Other States
24
119
12, 769
6,957
423
1,024
1,200
2,017
364
83
149
254
298
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Michigan, Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas,
Arizona, and California, and 1 in each of the following— New York, Virginia, West Virginia, Oklahoma,
and Idaho.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
With, the development of church life independent of denominational organiza-
tions, many churches throughout the country were organized under various
names, such as Church of the Blessed Hope, Brethren of the Abrahamic Faith,
Restitutionists, Restitution Church, Church of God, and Age to Come Adventists.
Some were loosely affiliated but refused to be identified with any denomination,
although, in general, they were Adventist in their doctrine. In November 1888
representatives from a number of such churches met in Philadelphia and organ-
ized the association known as Churches of God in Christ Jesus, which is in
general accord with the Adventist bodies and is classed with them, although
the term "Adventist" does not appear in its title.
In August 1921 a General Conference was organized at Waterloo, Iowa.
Headquarters were located at Oregon, 111., at which place are maintained the
general offices.
DOCTRINE
The churches belonging to this association have no creed but the Bible. The
members, however, believe:
1. That there is one God, the supreme creator and controller of all things, who
is a lovable, loving, and approachable Father, and a re warder of all who diligently
seek Him and keep His commandments.
2. That the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into existence as set
forth in the Gospels and gave His life as a sacrificial offering for our sins; that
those who believe in Him and obey His teachings may through Him have their
sins forgiven; that Christ arose from the dead on the third day and, after meet-
ing with His disciples on several occasions, was taken up into heaven, there to
remain with God until certain things foretold by the prophets shall have been
accomplished.
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Sydney E. Magaw, secretary and editor, National Bible Institution,
Oregon, 111., and approved by him in its present form.
CHURCH OF GOD (OREGON, ILL.) 47
3. That Christ will come again personally (a) to give immortal life to those
who have been faithful, raising the dead and changing the living; (6) to establish
the kingdom of God on earth, which, with its capital city at Jerusalem, will be
gradually extended until all nations and races of mankind are brought under
His sovereignty; and to restore to its ancient heritage and God's favor the
Israelitish nation, which will then be the most favored nation in this kingdom;
(c) to reward the immortal saints as joint heirs with Christ, according to their
works, giving to each a position of honor and trust as joint ruler with Christ in
the kingdom of God; (d) to mete out to the ungodly "the wages of sin/' even the
second death.
4. That obedience to the commandments of God is obligatory upon all
Christians, the first act necessary being baptism for the remission of sins.
5. That those who believe the gospel message, repent of their sins, and are
baptized, have entered into covenant relationship with God, their part of the
covenant being that they will live useful lives of faith and good works, God's
part being that if they remain faithful unto the end He will give them eternal
life and positions of honor and trust in His kingdom.
Candidates for admission into the churches are required to confess faith in
God. and in the promises of the gospel; to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord,
Saviour, and King; and to covenant to live Christian lives. On this confession
candidates are baptized by immersion.
ORGANIZATION
In polity the churches are congregational. For fellowship and general work
they gather in State and district conferences, which, however, exercise no authority
over the individual churches, being wholly advisory, educational, and evangelistic
in character. Each local church adapts its organization to circumstances. In
some cases they have pastors, in others the services are conducted by elders
or presidents. The term "minister," as understood among them, is applied to the
person in spiritual charge of the congregation, or who preaches the gospel. There
is no formal method of ordination. Ministers are authorized by the several
State conferences, who, on application, are, after confirmation as to character,
recognized by the General Conference. The general attitude toward other
denominations is liberal, the invitation to the communion service being extended
to all Christians, leaving each individual to be his own judge as to participation.
WORK
The home mission work of the churches is conducted by a number of evangelists,
who are supported by voluntary contributions. A Bible Training School is
maintained at Oregon, 111., for those who wish to qualify for the ministry or for
other active church work. In addition to this, literature, quarterly and annual
gatherings, and Bible classes in various centers are used as mediums for educa-
tional work. There is a young people's society, called the Bereans, which has a
national organization, with affiliated State organizations and local societies.
There are about 25 of these local societies with about 500 members. Sunday
schools, ladies' aid societies, and similar educational and charitable institutions
are also conducted as a part of the general work of the churches.
In the Golden Rule Home, at Oregon, 111., provision is made to care for aged
persons and others who may need such care.
Denominational printing is done by the National Bible Institution, Oregon, 111.
PRIMITIVE ADVENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH
STATISTICS
A summary of the statistics for the Primitive Advent Christian Church for the
year 1936 is presented, which shows the distribution of these data between urban
and rural territory.
No parsonages were reported. All churches are reported from the State of
West Virginia.
The Primitive Advent Christian Church is a recent development from the
Advent Christian Church. As this denomination was reported for the first time
in 1936, no comparative figures are available. This body failed to furnish its
history, doctrine, or the facts of organization.
A SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
14
538
38
202
336
60.1
2
536
0.4
13
13
$15, 300
$14, 100
$1, 200
$1, 177
2
$543
2
14
$1, 637
$716
$108
$556
$135
$32
$9
$37
$44
$117
3
20
195
1
70
70
27
43
(2)
13
468
36
175
293
59. 7
2
466
0.4
12
12
$13, 700
$12, 500
$1, 200
$1, 142
1
$143
2
13
$1, 393
$611
$84
$556
$35
$17
$9
$37
$44
$107
2
13
139
Members, number
13.0
87.0
Average membership per church
Membership by sex
Male _
13.4
12.8
86.6
87.2
Female
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
XTnder 13 years
13 years and over
70
13.1
86.9
Percent under 13 years
Church, edifices, number
1
1
$1, 600
$1, 600
Valuft — number reporting
Amount reported
10.5
11.3
89.5
88 7
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
$1, 600
1
$400
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
73.7
26 3
Number reporting "no debt"
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
1
$244
$105
$24
Amount reported.
14 9
14.7
22.2
85 1
85 3
77 8
100. 0
25 9
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Hepairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
$100
$15
74.1
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Home missions _.._.
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
$244
1
7
56
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars _
28.7
71.3
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
48
AFRICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the African Orthodox Church for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination includes all baptized persons, infants as
well as adults.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND EURAL TER-
RITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEECENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Church.es (local organizations), number
13
1,952
150
789
1,163
67.8
367
1,527
58
19.4
4
4
$36, 204
$33, 654
$2, 550
$9, 051
3
$30,913
1
12
$12, 621
$2,807
$1, 016
$790
$1,336
$5, 167
$398
$239
$156
$308
$404
$1, 052
12
89
747
11
1,907
173
762
1,145
66.6
365
1,484
58
19.7
3
3
$35,300
$33, 000
$2,300
$11,767
3
$30,913
1
11
$12,478
$2,807
$1, 016
$790
$1,336
$5, 167
$365
$190
$156
$291
$360
$1, 134
10
80
701
2
45
23
27
18
(2)
2
43
Members, number .
97.7
2.3
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
96.6
98.5
3.4
1.5
Female
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
99.5
97.2
.5
2.8
13 years and over _
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years3.. .
0)
1
1
$904
$654
$250
$904
OhliroK eclffioes, TiUTnber ,„,,...
Value— number reporting
Amount reported _
97.5
98.1
90.2
2.5
1.9
9.8
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936
Average value per church .
Debt- — number reporting
Amount reported.
100.0
Parsonages, number _ _ _- _ .
Expenditures :
Churchps reporting, number
1
$143
Amount reported
98.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
1.1
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
100.0
$3§"
$49
"$17"
$44
$143
2
9
46
100.0
91.7
79.5
100.0
94.5
89.1
8~3
20.5
Foreign missions _
To general headquarters for distribution
6.5
10.9
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
93.8
6.2
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
s Based on membership with age classification reported.
50
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1936 and 1926, — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for
comparison, a summary of the available statistics of the African Orthodox
Church for the census years 1936 and 1926.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1936 AND 1926
ITEM
1936
1926
ITEM
1936
1936
Churclies (local organizations),
number _.
13
13
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number.
12
13
Amount reported ._
$12, 621
$19, 368
Members, number
1,952
1, 568
Pastors' salaries
$2, 807
Incrssso over pr6C6dins' C6n~
All other salaries
$1 010
sus:
Number _- - ..
384
Repairs and improve-
ments- -. _-_
$790
Percent
24.5
Paymenton church debt,
>$18,211
Avftrag'R TT)6Tnhp>,rsWp pfiT
excluding interest
$1, 33C
church
150
121
All other current ex-
Church edifices, number
4
penses, including in-
terest - .
$5, 167
Value — number reporting
4
Local relief and charity,
Amount reported
$36 204
Red Cross, etc.
$398
Average value per
Home missions- ... ...
$239
church
$9, 051
Foreign missions .,
$156
Debt — number reporting .
3
To general headquarters
$1, 157
Amount ffipnrt.fid
$30 913
for distribution
$308
All other purposes
$404
Parsonages, number
1
Average expenditure per
church
$1, 052
$1, 490
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number.
Officers and teachers
12
89
11
49
Scholars
747
445
State tables, — Tables 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for the African Orthodox
Church by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and member-
ship of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural terri-
tory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives
the number and membership of the churches for the census years 1936 and 1926,
together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and
"13 years of age and over." Table 5 presents, for 1936, the church expendi-
tures, showing separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
g
i
"C
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
r"1 OT
** bjd
S ^
W H
<u
a
.-t
P)
,-»
'i
o3 i
B'w
03
£
•e
P?
o
•s
P
1
M
i
3"
A
O
O
•s
CO
United States
1ft
11
9
1,952
1,907
45
789
1 163
67.8
1^
R9
747
NEW ENGLAND
Massachusetts _ _
1
i
115
115
56
59
(i)
1
fi
32
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York -- ~- - ,. ,-
7
7
1,640
1,640
644
996
64.7
7
56
545
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Florida
5
3
2
197
152
45
89
108
82.4
4
27
170
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
AFRICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
51
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1936 AND 1926, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
STATE
NXTMBEE OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP FT AGE, 1936
1936
1936
1936
1936
Under
13 years
13 years
and
over
Age not
re-
ported
Percent
under
13 i
United States
13
1
13
1,952
1,568
367
1,527
__.
58
19.4
Massachusetts
3
1
115
378
55
916
46
173
21
18.3
Connecticut . - --
New York
7
6
1
1,640
329
1,311
20.1
Illinois
Florida - „
5
2
197
17
122
58
12.2
i Based on membership with age classification reported.
TABLE 5. — CHTJRCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
,0
EXPENDITURES
JI
,
fl h
<8"
>>
B
o
0
rt d
p "**
n?
t-i
0
a
t
•S'S
0.2
•s
H
§
$
STATE
8
M
-t-3
&
•c
^+s
^'fl
"fl
ri
o
*§
§,
f
a
o S
p "*
0
I
(H
M
0
"3
g
§s
n1
0
M
H
«
a
PJ
i
E
1
B§
£
a
d
s
1
j3
3
3
•2
0
Si"® t?
^ d
03
g
as
bo
o
o
.CI
oj^3 <»
o
o
0
B
PH
4
tf
O
^
M
fr
EH
^
United States
13
12
$12, 821
$2, 807
$1, 016
S790
81, 336
$5, 187
$398
$239
$156
$308
$404
Massachusetts
1
7
1
7
}i 11, 242
2,300
926
780
1,000
5,158
350
178
64
201
285
New York
Florida
5
4
1,379
507
90
10
336
9
48
61
92
107
119
1 Amount for Massachusetts combined with figures for New York, to avoid disclosing the financial
statistics of any individual church.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The African Orthodox Church came into existence in 1921, after a preliminary
period of preparation. The Reverend Dr. George Alexander McGuire, for many
years a priest in the Protestant Episcopal Church, believing that Negro Epis-
copalians should conduct and control their own religious organization, as their
Methodist and Baptist brethren have done for over a century, withdrew from the
Anglican communion in 1919 and established a number of congregations in the
United States, Canada, and Cuba, which he designated "Independent Epis-
copal." On September 2, 1921, the first General Synod was convened in the
city of New York for the purpose of organizing a branch of the Holy Catholic
Church which should be governed by persons of African descent and should gather
in churchmen of this particular race in both hemispheres, yet not refuse persons
of other racial groups who might voluntarily seek to enter its membership or
receive its sacraments. At this synod the name "African Orthodox" was
chosen as the distinctive title of the new church, and the organizer, the Rev-
erend Dr. ^McGuire, was unanimously elected as its first bishop, receiving the
consecration 3 weeks later from Archbishop Vilatte, whose episcopate had been
derived from the West Syrian Jacobite Church of Antioch by special mandate of
i No revision of the history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this body for 1936, hence this state-
ment is the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious B odies, 1926. No data are available
for "Work" in 1936.
52 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
the patriarch, Peter Ignatius III. Thus the African Orthodox Church derived
its apostolic succession and became episcopal in government and polity; and
while it is autonomous and independent, it aspires to be recognized as an integral
portion of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
DOCTRINE
The African Orthodox Church accepts the Holy Scriptures, as well as the
Holy Tradition, as the source of divine truth; it accepts the Nicene Creed,
without the "filioque" interpolation, as of obligation, but believes also in the
symbols known as the Apostles' Creed and the Creed of St. Athanasius. It
accepts the dogmatic decrees of the Seven Ecumenical Councils held between the
fourth and the eighth centuries. It receives as a portion of the original deposit
of faith the Seven Sacraments. It holds that the Eucharist is both a sacrament
and a sacrifice offered for the living and the dead. Marriage being one of the
sacraments, it holds that there should be no dissolution of its bonds except for
the cause of adultery or malicious desertion, and no priest may marry a divorced
person unless he or she be the innocent party in a divorce granted by a proper
court for the causes mentioned, and then only by permission of his bishop in
each such case of remarriage.
The denomination has set forth its own sacred liturgy, with other rites and
ceremonies. Generally speaking, it follows the Western rite and is a combina-
tion of Anglican, Roman, and, in a few instances, Greek Orthodox formularies,
prepared with the special purpose of making an appeal to Negro Episcopalians
and Roman Catholics. The mass is the chief service each Sunday, and in the
bestowing of holy orders the Roman forms of ordination and consecration are
followed. The vestments used in worship are those prescribed by the Western
rite and the hymnal that which is known as Hymns Ancient and Modern.
Membership is counted as in the Roman Catholic Church, not by communi-
cants, but by the persons baptized.
ORGANIZATION
The polity of the African Orthodox Church conforms to that of all churches
which regard the episcopacy as the central source of authority in matters spiritual
and temporal. The bishop is the head of his diocese or jurisdiction, functioning
also as president of his diocesan synod. Groups of dioceses form a province,
over each of which there is an archbishop and primate, who presides over the
provincial synod. At the head of the entire church, including all provinces, is
the patriarch, who presides over the Pan-African Conclave of Archbishops and
Bishops and is the acknowledged ruler of the African Orthodox Church of the
world. At present there is an American province extending through Canada,
the United States, and Latin America; and an African province extending through
the Union of South Africa, each with its own archbishop and primate.
AMERICAN ETHICAL UNION
(SOCIETIES FOB ETHICAL CTJLTTJEE)
STATISTICS
The data given for 1936 represent seven active societies of the American Ethical
Union, all reported as being in urban territory. The classification of membership
by age was reported by all of the seven societies, none of which reported any
members under 13 years of age. These statistics were compiled from schedules
sent directly to the Bureau by the leader or clerk of the individual societies and
the data relate to these societies only.
Membership in the Ethical Societies is conferred upon those who express a
sympathy with the purpose of the societies and a desire to affiliate with others
in advancing the aims and purposes of the Ethical Movement.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 1 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of this organization for the census
years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 1. — COMPAEATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Societies (local organizations), number
7
6
5
5
Increase over preceding census:
Number _ „ _ _ _ . _
1
1
Percent *
Members, number
2,659
3,801
2,850
2,040
Increase 2 over preceding census:
Number
— 1, 142
951
810
Percent _
—30.0
33.4
39 7
Average membership per society
380
634
570
408
Society buildings, number
3
5
Value — number reporting
3
5
Amount reported
$925, 750
$1, 157, 821
Average value per society
$308, 583
$231, 564
Debt — number reporting
2
2
Amount reported _ __ _
$288, 000
$212, 000
Expenditures :
Societies reporting, number
6
6
5
Amount reported
$227, 789
$256, 141
$80, 661
Leaders' salaries . .. . ._ _
$38. 722
All other salaries
$33, 894
Eepairs and improvements
$3, 589
41 £*> QAO
Gar onn
Payment on society building debt, excluding in-
terest
$27, 000
All other current expenses, including interest
Ijocal relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$72, 928
$47, 728
To general headquarters for distribution
$2 213
I $103, 239
$6 193
All other purposes
$1, 715
Not classified
$8 568
Average expenditure per society
$37, 965
$42, 690
$16, 132
Sunday schools :
Pocfettes ropo^tiTig, nmriher
5
5
4
5
Officers and teachers-. _ __ __
44
47
45
64
Scholars *.
424
416
436
466
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
53
54
CENSUS OF EELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
State tables. — Tables 2 and 3 present the statistics for the American Ethical
Union by States. Table 2 gives for each State for 1936 the number and member-
ship of the societies, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools.
Table 3 gives the number and membership of the societies for the four census
years 1906 to 1936.
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF SOCIETIES, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND
SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
num-
ber of
soci-
eties
Num-
ber of
mem-
bers
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Male
Female
Males
per 100
females
Soci-
eties
report-
ing
Offi-
cers
and
teach-
ers
Schol-
ars
United States
7
2,659
1,196
1,463
81.7
5
44
424
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts j.
1
3
1
1
1
159
1,531
347
255
367
65
762
129
100
140
94
769
218
155
227
(0
99.1
59.2
64.5
61.7
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
3
1
25
5
257
42
Pennsylvania - -
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Illinois
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
1
14
125
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF SOCIETIES BY STATES, 1906 TO 1936
STATE
NUMBER OF SOCIETIES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
1936
1936
1916
1906
1936
1936
1916
1906
United States
7
6
5
5
2,659
3,801
2,850
2,040
Massachusetts
1
3
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
159
1,531
347
255
367
209
1,893
721
550
428
New York...
2
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1,450
504
329
567
1,265
198
217
360
Pennsylvania
Illinois.
Missouri
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
HISTORY
The Ethical Movement was inaugurated by the founding of the New York
Society for Ethical Culture by Dr. Felix Adler in 1876. Ethical societies have
since been formed in Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Brooklyn, Boston, and
Westchester, and the movement has extended also to other countries, including
England, Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, and Japan. Two federations
have been formed — the American Ethical Union, organized in 1886, and the
International Ethical Union, organized in 1896.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
The Ethical Movement is linked with man's religious tradition and with the
insights and wisdom of philosophy. With reverence for the best in traditional
faiths it attempts to reinterpret ethical teachings so as to deepen man's spiritual
1 This statement, which differs somewhat from that published in vol. II of the Keport on Religious Bodies,
1926, has been revised by Algernon D. Black, American Ethical Union, New York City, and approved
by him in its present form.
AMERICAN ETHICAL UNION 55
life today. "Ethical" is to be interpreted as that aspect of self which is sensitive
to and creative in human relationships. In its broadest and deepest sense it is
an emphasis on the fulfillment of man's possibilities. It calls for the development
of man's aesthetic and scientific powers, but above all it stresses the values to be
fulfilled through better human relationships. It is the purpose of the Ethical
Movement to make men more aware of the intrinsic worth of human personality,
of the uniqueness of every human being, of the interpenetration of one life with
another, and of the possibilities of creative relationships among men. Through
developing conscience and the sense of responsibility for better relations in friend-
ship, in family, in industry, and among different nations and cultures, the Ethical
Movement fulfills man's need for a sense of purpose, direction, and meaning.
This is the purpose of the plan of ethical education which begins with the Sunday
school and continues through youth and adulthood to old age.
The societies have no formal expression of doctrine. Their purpose, as
expressed by the constitution of the American Ethical Union, is "to assert the
supreme importance of the ethical factor in all the relations of life." The further-
ance of personal and social relationships which will promote man's ethical possi-
bilities takes the place of formal creeds; this very striving for moral life becomes
itself a "consecrating influence."
While there are no fixed rites or ceremonies, the Sunday meetings of the Society
are regarded by most of the members as religious meetings. Music, readings,
and addresses by leaders of the Society constitute an inspirational service. The
leaders, who take the place of ministers, officiate at the funerals of members of the
societies, offer counsel in moral difficulty, name children, and perform marriage
ceremonies under the laws of the States, and in the case of New York City and
Brooklyn by special act of the legislature.
The American Ethical Union, composed of the seven American societies listed,
holds an annual assembly to which the several societies send delegates in propor-
tion to their numbers. In the interval between assemblies the business of the
Union is conducted by an executive committee. However, each society is
autonomous in government.
WORK
In each of the Ethical societies there are Sunday schools for the moral instruc-
tion of children, and study and fellowship groups for young people and adults.
Effort is made to develop a sense of the fellowship and community of the members
in one another.
Each of the societies has undertaken and carries on a variety of activities —
educational, philanthropic, and social — emphasizing the ethical needs and possi-
bilities of man. These include neighborhood houses for work in neglected areas.
The New York Society is to be credited with the inception of settlement house
work in this country. Neighborhood houses initiated by the societies are in
operation in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and St. Louis. Free kinder-
gartens in the New York schools, the visiting nurse movement (also started by the
Henry Street Settlement), the Child Study Movement, and the movement for the
abolition of child labor were also introduced by the Society. Some of the first
model tenements, the impulse to the first tenement house law in New York City,
and much of recent activity on behalf of housing has been stimulated by members
of the New York Society. The Chicago Society started the first public legal aid
bureau and led to the spread of this kind of institution.
The Society has also established the Ethical Culture schools for advanced
experimental work in elementary and high school education. The most recent
development of the Ethical Culture school system is the Meldston School at
Eiverdale, New York City. This undertaking is an attempt to help growing
youth through a new approach to preprofessional and high school education.
The Ethical Culture schools rank among the foremost as laboratories in education.
Systematic ethical instruction is a special feature of the schools. No attempt is
made, however, in the schools or other institutions connected with the societies
to proselytize for the Ethical Movement, The cultural and educational activities
are open to all who wish to take part, irrespective of religious views or affiliations.
AMERICAN RESCUE WORKERS
STATISTICS
The data given for 1936 represent 19 active stations of the American Rescue
Workers, all reported as being in urban territory. These statistics were compiled
from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual
stations and the data relate to these stations only.
Profession of faith in the Word of God, as evidenced by baptism of the candidate,
is the only requirement for membership in this organization.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 1 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summarv of the available statistics of the American Rescue Workers
for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 1. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Stations (local organizations), number «._
19
97
29
20
Increase > over preceding census:
Number
-78
68
9
Percent a
Members, number
797
1,989
611
430
Increase l over preceding census:
Number .
-1192
1,378
175
Percent . . . . . .
-59.9
225.5
40.1
Average membership per station
42
21
21
22
Station "buildings, number
1
3
2
2
Value — number reporting
3
2
2
Amount reported
$13, 800
$1, 900
$9, 700
Average value per station
$4, 600
$950
$4, 850
Debt — number reporting
1
2
Amount reported
$1, 600
$25
$2, 900
Expenditures:
Stations reporting, number—
16
92
19
Amount reported _ _
$46, 175
$135, 214
$22, 682
Pastors' salaries
$5, 933
All other salaries
$4, 001
Repairs and improvements _ _ __
$1, 367
| $82,838
$16, 994
Payment on station debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc
$200
$9, 846
$18, 418
Home missions
$98
Foreign missions
1 $49, 282
$5, 688
To general headquarters for distribution
$1, 740
All other purposes -
$4, 572
Not classified
$3, 094
Average expenditure per station
$2, 886
$1,470
$1, 194
Sunday schools:
Stations reporting, number
9
50
13
2
Officers and teachers
60
90
61
18
Scholars
395
1,091
438
175
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 2, 3, and 4 present the statistics for the American Rescue
Workers by States. Table 2 gives for each State for 1936 the number and mem-
bership of the stations, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools.
Table 3 gives for selected States the number and membership of the stations for
56
AMERICAN RESCUE WOUKE.RS
57
the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classi-
fied as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 4 presents,
for 1936, the station expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improve-
ments, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of
any individual station, separate presentation in table 4 is limited to those States
in which three or more stations reported expenditures.
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF STATIONS, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND
SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
num-
ber
of
sta-
tions
Num-
ber
of
mem-
bers
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Male
Fe-
male
Sex not
report-
ed
Males
per 100
females l
Stations
report-
ing
Officers
and
teachers
Scholars
United States...
19
3
3
4
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
797
283
390
124
72.6
9
60
395
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York .
130
68
38
73
160
80
60
100
9
24
55
53
28
14
37
65
24
29
62
40
24
36
95
56
31
15
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
5
5
7
9
8
5
9
10
30
48
47
79
35
61
20
53
New Jersey . .
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Illinois
Wisconsin
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland—
100
9
District of Columbia.
8
25
16
30
1
2
22
Florida _
1 Eatio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF STATIONS, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more stations in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
STATE
NUMBER OF STATIONS
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1986
1916
1906
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States
19
97
29
20
797
1,989
611
436
139
580
98
19.9
Massachusetts
6
6
5
19
13
3
12
3
1
4
1
12
3
2
364
67
81
382
298
46
270
53
55
38
15
108
17
65
New York
3
3-
4
2
2
1
10
1
1
130
68
38
73
30
20
322
7
9
48
45
22
73
82
New Jersey
23
Pennsylvania .
16
Ohio
Indiana-
Illinois
1
160
45
115
28.1
1
3
Maryland
1
1
5
5
3
3
2
1
1
100
55
201
5
3
14
100
141
15
25
75
55
Florida
Mississippi
Texas
California
3
11
1
1
52
153
15
42
Other States
H
4
173
45
46
127
26.6
* Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
a Includes: Wisconsin, 1; Delaware, 1; District of Columbia, 1; and Georgia, 1.
58
CENSUS' OF BELIGIOUS BODIEiS, 1936
TABLE 4. — STATION EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more stations reporting]
p
o
EXPENDITURES
33
bfl
a
Jp
S«
fl
ns
8
STATE
fe
ft
g
4-3
s
«J
<S
s
13
if
03^
P M
ii'
03
S-B
1
OT
2
^ w
Q
£
o
w
^g
IB C3
.53
§ e3
P<
p
a
1
*ta
S
°s®
O
t3
«>
1
.2
B
3
1
o
'|n
g.^0
in
o
1
u>
0
EH
H
3
rt
HH
o
W
EH
*
United States
19
16
$46, 175
$5, 933
$4,001
$1,367
S200
89,846
$18,418
S98
$1,740
$4, 572
New York
3
3
10, 056
1,300
1,399
100
741
4,204
326
1, 986
Pennsylvania
4
4
4,249
1,378
203
1,317
1,088
263
Other States
12
19
31,870
3,255
2,399
1,267
200
7,788
13, 126
98
1, 151
2,586
* Includes: New Jersey, 2, Ohio, 2; Illinois, 1; Wisconsin, 1; Florida, 1; Delaware, 1; and Maryland, 1.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
HISTORY
About the year 1880, Thomas E. Moore was put in charge of the American work
of the Salvation Army by Gen. William E. Booth, whose headquarters were in
London. After a few years a difference of opinion arose between the two in regard
to the financial administration of the American branch. General Booth con-
tended that a part of all funds raised in America should be sent to England and
that, as the work of the Salvation Army was world-wide, a member of that army
should not call any country his own. Mr. Moore contended that funds raised
by the Salvation Army in America should be used only in this country and that
the organization should have an American charter.
In 1882, with a number of the American officers, he withdrew and began inde-
pendent work. The movement was incorporated in 1884, and in 1885 an amended
charter was granted under the name of the Salvation Army of America. Mr.
Moore was made head of the new organization with the title of general, but
subsequently withdrew to enter the Baptist ministry and was succeeded by
Col. Richard Holz. Headquarters were first established at Mohawk, N. Y.,
but were afterwards changed to Saratoga Springs. Subsequent changes in the
Salvation Army in the United States and certain overtures made by the new
commander, Gen. Ballingtpn Booth, to General Holz and other officers of the
new organization resulted in the return of a considerable number to the former
organization. However, about 25 posts refused to return and these united and
reorganized; in 1913 the name of the organization was changed to American
Rescue Workers, under which name it has been incorporated under the laws of
the State of Pennsylvania; and later incorporated also in the States of New York,
Ohio, California, and New Jersey.
DOCTRINE
In general doctrine and organization this body is very similar to the older one,
except that, besides being an evangelistic and philanthropic movement, it is a
Christian church with the usual sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper,
acknowledging belief in one God, in the Trinity, the inspiration of the Scriptures,
the divinity of Christ, the doctrines of original sin and of the atonement, repent-
ance, and regeneration as prerequisites to salvation, the inward witness of the
Holy Ghost and the eternal punishment of the wicked and the eternal reward
of the righteous.
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Beligious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Gen. James W. Duffin, commander in chief of the American Rescue
Workers, Philadelphia, Pa., and approved by him in its present form.
AMERICAN KESCUE WORKE&S 59
ORGANIZATION
The organization is represented in its corporate capacity by a board of directors,
the majority of whom are laymen and all of whom are elected by the duly quali-
fied voters of the corporation. These directors are all members of the general
council of the American Rescue Workers, which includes also the commander,
the staff officers, the field officers, and representatives of the corps.
Titles to property are not vested in the general council, but stations having
real estate may have their own local boards of directors. Should a station cease
to exist, however, the general board is legally qualified to become tjb.e custodian
of all such property for American Rescue purposes.
WORK
The organization has two mam objects, the dissemination of the Word of God
to the masses not reached by ordinary church methods, and the assistance of the
unfortunate; as its name indicates, the organization does a general philanthropic
work, depending for its support on voluntary contributions.
APOSTOLIC OVERCOMING HOLY CHURCH OF GOD
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God
for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of
these figures between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled
from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the indi-
vidual churches and the data relates to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of all persons admitted to the
local churches upon confession of faith and baptism.
TABLE 1. — SUMMAKY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN II BE AN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEBCENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number -
23
863
38
188
675
27.9
94
726
43
11.5
12
12
$16, 040
$15, 850
$190
$1, 337
6
$3, 000
3
1
1
$3, 000
21
$7, 742
$4, 183
$233
$358
$419
$1, 331
$264
$141
$594
$217
$369
20
131
567
13
591
45
116
475
24.4
57
534
10
272
27
72
200
36.0
37
192
43
16.2
6
6
$1,040
$850
$190
$173
1
$30
2
Mem "hers, THTmfofir
68.5
31.5
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
61.7
70.4
38.3
29.6
Female
HVTales per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over
73,6
26.4
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 3 - -
9.6
6
6
$15, 000
$15, 000
Church edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported _ ".,
93.5
94.6
6.5
5.4
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church ._
$2, 500
$2,970
1
1
$3,000
12
$6,420
$3, 292
$210
$300
$377
$1, 231
$233
$130
$528
$119
$535
12
79
353
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported _°.__
99.0
1.0
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported ._ « __
100.0
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number „ ._
9
$1, 322
$891
$25
$58
$42
$100
$31
$11
$66
$98
$147
8
52
214
Amount reported ""
82.9
78.7
89.4
83.8
90.0
92.5
88.3
92.2
88.9
54.8
17.1
21.3
10.6
16.2
10.0
7.5
11.7
7.8
11.1
45.2
Pastors' salaries .. _.
All other salaries
Repairs and im pro v6imenffS ^ „„ j.. „
Payment on church debt, excluding inter-
est
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Ked Cross, etc
Home missions
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and'teacher's
60.3
62.3
39.7
37.7
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
a Based on membership with age classification reported.
APOSTOLIC OVERCOMING HOLY CHUECH OP GOD
61
Comparative data, 1936 and 1926.— Table 2 presents, in convenient form for
comparison, a summary of the available statistics of the Apostolic Overcoming
Holy Church of God for the census years 1936 and 1926.
TABLE 2. — COMPAKATIVE SUMMARY, 1936 AND 1926
ITEM
1936
1936
ITEM
1936
1926
Churches (local organizations),
number.
23
16
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number
21
16
Increase over preceding cen-
Amount reported
$7,742
$17, 198
sus:
Pastors' salaries
$4, 183
\
Number
7
All other salaries
$235
Percent^
Repairs and improve-
ments
$358
Members, number
863
1,047
Payment on church debt,
\$15, 010
Increase3 over preceding cen-
excluding interest .........
$419
sus:
Number
—184
All other current ex-
penses, including interest
$1, 331
Percent
-17.6
Local relief and charity,
Average membership per
Red, Cross, etc
$264
church „ . - , .
38
65
Home missions
$141
Foreign missions
Church edifices, number.. .
12
10
To general headquarters
$2, 188
Value— number reporting
12
10
for distribution
$594
Amount reported
$16, 040
$16,950
All other purposes
$217
Average value per church.
Debt— number reporting
$1, 337
6
$1,695
5
Average expenditure per
church,.
$369
$1,075
Amount reported
$3, 000
$1,975
Parsonages, number
1
1
Sunday schools :
Cfiurches reporting, number
20
15
Value — number reporting
1
1
Officers and teachers
131
67
Amount reported
$3, 000
$3,000
Scholars
567
1,068
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
State table. — Table 3 presents the statistics for the Apostolic Overcoming Holy
Church of God by States for 1936, giving the number and membership of the
churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory, mem-
bership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools,
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEM-
BERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
'a
o
e
Urban
a
«
•a
4.3
o
fr
Urban
*3
3
»S?
1
•I
1
1
1
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
§
1
0
DQ
567
20
547
United States
EAST SOUTH OENTEAL:
Kentucky ,
23
13
10
863
591
272
188
675
27.9
20
131
1
22
1
12
"""16"
30
833
30
561
"272"
8
180
22
653
0)
27.6
1
19
5
126
Alabama
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
62 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
This denomination, reported for the first time in 1926, was incorporated in
1916 under the laws of the State of Alabama as the Ethiopian Overcoming Holy
Church of God. At the annual meeting in June 1927, by a majority vote, the
word " Apostolic" was substituted for "Ethiopian," and the denomination has
since been called Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God.
The churches are nearly all in three States of the South, but there is one organ-
ization in Illinois. The headquarters of the denomination are in Mobile, Ala.
The National Convention, which meets annually, is divided into districts
called ministerial councils. The presiding officer of the general body is a bishop,
and the church has also elders and teachers. Its general purpose is evangelistic,
supported by the payment of tithes from all the members.
* No revision of the history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this body for 1936, hence this state-
ment is the same as that published in Eeligious Bodies, vol. II, J926.
ASSEMBLIES OF GOD, GENERAL COUNCIL
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Assemblies of God, General Council, for the year
1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also^the distribution of these figures be-
tween urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules
sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and
the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of persons who profess rebirth,
live consistent Christian lives, believe in the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures,
and assume personal responsibility for the conduct of the church.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEECENT OF
TOTAL
"Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
2,611
148, 043
57
53, 902
91, 849
2,292
58.7
10, 564
122, 597
14, 882
7.9
1,925
1,830
$6,099,541
$5,513,005
$586, 536
$3, 333
718
$1,370,965
868
715
580
$587, 115
2,477
$2,876,463
$1,264,322
$122, 552
$215, 961
$237, 514
$495, 527
$38,217
$62, 252
$189, 582
$119, 775
$130, 761
$1, 161
1,083
92, 775
86
33, 788
57, 402
1,585
58.9
6,760
77, 423
8,592
8.0
786
754
$4,824,007
$4, 389, 398
$434, 609
$6,398
441
$1, 245, 142
258
268
202
$373, 841
1,055
$2,126,003
$837,000
$100,937
$157, 829
$194, 686
$401, 033
$29, 408
$49, 693
$155, 736
$98, 546
$101, 135
$2, 015
1,528
55,268
36
20, 114
34,447
707
58.4
3,804
45, 174
6,290
7.8
1,139
1,076
$1, 275, 534
$1, 123, 607
$151,927
$1, 185
277
$125, 823
610
447
378
$213, 274
1,422
$750, 460
$427, 322
$21, 615
$58, 132
$42, 828
$94,494
$8, 809
$12, 559
$33, 846
$21, 229
$29, 626
$528
41.5
62.7
58.5
37.3
Members, number
Average membership per church
Membership bv sex:
Male
62.7
62.5
69.2
37.3
37.5
30.8
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females --.».»
Membership by age:
Under 13 years „
64.0
63.2
57.7
36.0
36.8
42.3
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years l
Church edifices, number
40.8
41.2
79.1
79.6
74.1
59.2
58 8
20.9
20.4
25.9
Value — number reporting _ _
Amount reported __
O onstructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936. _
Average value per church
Debt—number reporting
61.4
90 8
29.7
37.5
34.8
63.7
42 6
73.9
66.2
82.4
73.1
82.0
80.9
77.0
79.8
82.1
82.3
77.3
38 6
9.2
70.3
62.5
65.2
36.3
57.4
26.1
33.8
17.6
26.9
18.0
19.1
23.0
20.2
17.9
17.7
22.7
ArnoiTnt Tftportftfl
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number - - - ... «.--
Value — number reporting-. _
Amount reported
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries - - .
All other salaries .
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest _ _ ..
All other current expenses, including in-
terest . .
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Hforne Tnispious
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution. ..
All other purposes
Averaee expenditure Der church
i Based on membership with age classification reported.
63
64
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number -_
2,321
21, 745
179, 356
190
1, 445
11,906
82
272
2,261
7
42
315
1,000
11, 440
106, 221
99
961
8,197
36
138
1,063
2
13
158
1,321
10, 305
73, 135
91
484
3,709
46
134
1,198
6
29
157
43.1
52.6
59.2
52.1
66.5
68.8
C2)
50 7
47.0
(2)
ffia
56.9
47.4
40.8
47.9
33.5
31.2
(2)
49 3
53.0
(2)
(459.8
Officers and teachers
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars ._
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
2 Percent not shown when base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1916-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Assemblies of God, General
Council, for the census years 1936, 1926, and 1916.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1916 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
Churches (local organizations), number _
2,611
671
118
Increase over preceding census:
Number
1,940
553
Percent
289.1
468 6
Members, number
148, 043
47, 950
6 703
Increase over preceding census:
Number
100 093
41 247
Percent ._
208.7
615.4
Average membership per church
57
71
57
Church edifices, number
1 925
497
63
Value — number reporting
1 830
479
63
Amount reported
$6,099 541
$3 468 989
$101 779
Average value per church
$3, 333
$7 242
$1 616
Debt — number reporting
718
260
31
Amount reported
$1, 370 965
$1, 087, 362
$12 460
Parsonages, number -- - *
715
Value — number reporting
580
125
10
Amount reported
$587 115
$255 815
$7 021
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, Tuimbnr
2 477
595
96
ATTKYnnt repnirtflcl
$2 876 463
$1 405 491
$61 941
Pastors' salaries
$1, 264, 322
All other salaries _ _ .
$122, 552
Repairs and improvements
$215, 961
[• $1, 089, 993
$45 675
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
$237, 514
All other current expenses, including interest .
$495, 527
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$38 217
Home missions _
$62, 252
Foreign missions
$189, 582
$273 670
$16 266
To general headquarters for distribution
$119, 775
All other purposes
$130 761
Not classified
$41 828
Average expenditure per church _
$1, 161
$2, 362
$645
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number __ _ _ _
2 321
549
79
Officers and teachers-
21 745
4 232
460
Scholars - «
179 356
41 255
4 379
ASSEMBLIES OF G.OD, GESTEBAL COUNCIL
65
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Assemblies of
God, General Council, by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, the membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools.
Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for
the census years 1936, 1926, and 1916, together with the membership for 1936
classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over.77 Table 5
shows the value of churches and parsonages and amount of debt on church
edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing
separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. Separate pres-
entation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches
reported value and expenditures, in order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics
of any individual church.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OS-
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP
BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
3
£
PI
1
I
3
o
f
1
P5
&
"3
a
rSJ
1
^•0
Kft
a>
05
n-1
<D g
ft-f
co a
CD P
^ o>
II
OT bfl
0 g3
it
5s
o
fl<°
»S
II
O4"
e
03
-3
United States
2,611
1,083
,528
48,043
92, 775
55, 268
53, 902
1,849
2,292
58.7
53.4
,321
5
2
14
3
6
44
25
80
67
22
80
46
45
34
44
140
29
28
46
71
4
23
2
21
22
12
j
12
68
20
24
58
23
1,745
-
50
11
126
31
50
481
264
948
697
255
906
517
442
331
387
1,429
225
241
425
804
79, 358
245
72
856
148
280
3,708
1,972
7,543
5,708
2,103
7,316
3,837
3,025
2,701
2,866
12, 551
1,694
1,545
2,700
6,313
644
1,858
818
1,562
1,349
879
155
1,103
4,153
1,240
1,691
3,301
1,774
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine _
6
2
17
3
8
52
25
84
71
25
87
48
46
38
48
156
31
31
54
76
4
24
4
27
24
12
i
18
95
25
32
79
27
2
1
15
3
7
45
19
54
54
19
53
27
32
21
24
53
7
8
14
29
J
t
i:
<
j
\
8
23
6
12
15
11
4
1
2
....
7
6
30
17
6
34
21
14
17
24
103
24
23
40
47
1
17
""16
21
9
""16
72
19
20
64
16
227
104
890
270
327
4,374
1,523
6,855
5,682
2,077
7,327
3,078
2,464
1,989
2,422
10, 613
1,245
1,236
2,366
4,192
525
1,377
1,101
1,039
993
673
154
1,095
3,531
134
90
811
270
304
4,206
1,293
5,508
5. 158
1,786
6,008
2,451
2,033
1,450
1, 550
6,104
497
441
725
2,527
487
660
1,101
626
195
189
154
877
1,375
288
704
724
630
93
14
79
"""23
168
230
1,347
524
291
1,319
627
431
539
872
4,509
748
795
1,641
1,665
38
717
"""413
798
484
""218
2,156
564
761
79
41
324
101
128
1,639
571
2,627
1,754
780
2,711
1,179
1,018
779
943
3,603
494
511
946
1,433
200
513
430
378
323
252
57
336
1,148
282
577
1,009
375
148
63
566
169
199
2,699
952
4,228
2,671
1,297
4,616
1,899
1,446
1,210
1,477
6,858
751
725
1,420
2,660
325
864
New Hampshire. _
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut
36
1,257
57.2
59.8
64.3
60.7
60.0
62 1
65.7
60.1
58.7
62.1
70.4
64.4
63.8
525
65.8
70.5
66.6
53.9
61.5
59,4
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
E. NORTH OENTEAL:
Ohio
Indiana _
Illinois
Michigan..
Wisconsin.
—--
152
"~99
W. NOETH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas .
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
60
222
58
173
173
97
31
112
522
145
201
433
18
Maryland
Dist. of Columbia-
Virginia
671
661
670
421
97
759
2,362
570
888
2,061
783
64.1
57.2
48.2
59.9
~44.~3
48.6
49.5
65.0
49.0
47.9
West Virginia
North Carolina...
South Carolina,..
Georgia .
Florida
21
E. SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
852
Tennessee
1,465
3,098
1,178
""28
2C
Alabama -
2,374
548
MississiDDi
Katio not shown where number of females is less than 100,
66
CENSUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIEiS, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936 — Con.
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP
BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
I
1
s
•3
1
Urban
,
42
3
Female
£
if
w
CD
W
Males per
100 females 1
Churches
reporting
Officers and
teachers
S
02
W. SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
214
30
236
341
27
19
8
63
28
15
1
41
6
62
136
11
10
1
25
8
10
173
24
174
205
16
9
7
38
20
5
1
1
55
36
78
10, 440
1,311
11, 428
19, 093
1,144
616
246
2,841
989
584
24
86
6,059
2,611
14,229
3,787
513
5,102
11,902
682
316
55
1,706
341
446
6,653
798
6,326
7,191
462
300
191
1,135
648
138
24
30
1,983
1,155
3,248
3,596
401
3,973
6,871
436
237
97
1,100
383
214
11
31
2,260
1,021
5,730
6,813
910
7,442
12, 202
683
361
149
1,687
606
369
13
55
3,314
1,590
8,469
31
""13
20
25
18
~~~64
""""I
52.8
44.1
53.4
56.3
63.8
65 7
65.1
65 2
63 2
58.0
185
28
218
301
25
14
8
56
24
14
1
2
85
53
183
1,601
227
1,936
2,639
220
102
68
492
165
97
6
14
842
462
1,842
13, 104
1,740
17,699
23,206
1,701
650
371
3,726
1,127
914
24
104
7,377
3,308
16, 595
Louisiana -
Oklahoma
Texas _ ...
MOUNTAIN:
Montana . .
Idaho
Wyoming _.
Colorado
New Mexico..
Arizona
Utah
Nevada
3
91
58
195
2
36
22
117
56
4,076
1,456
10, 981
485
""16
68.2
64.2
67.7
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon. . .„.
California ,
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
ASSEMBLIES OF GOD, GENERAL COUNCIL
67
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1916 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, or 1916]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1930
1936
1926
1916
1936
1926
1916
Under
3 years
3 years
and
over
Age not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
131
United States
2,611
671
118
148, 043
7,950
,703
10, 564
r -: . s
49
17
22, 597
;:":-: •"II,:.TT;
133
873
270
226
3,459
1,340
5,753
4,473
1,682
5,323
2,916
1,717
1,902
1,977
9,421
640
973
1,896
3,624
483
1,264
951
887
844
665
104
985
2,954
711
1,346
2,472
1,072
8,498
974
9,805
16,261
938
515
207
2,327
797
464
84
4,918
2,195
11,195
83
14, 882
;• •," .. =
45
7.9
:: . • =rr,t
26.9
1.9
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine _ _ _
6
17
3
8
52
25
84
71
25
87
48
46
38
48
156
31
31
54
76
4
24
4
27
24
12
3
18
95
25
32
79
27
214
30
236
341
27
19
8
1
3
227
890
270
327
4,374
1,523
6,855
5,682
2,077
7,327
3,078
2,464
1,989
2,422
10, 613
1,245
1,236
2,366
4,192
525
1,377
1,101
1,039
993
673
154
1,095
3,531
852
1,465
3,098
1,178
10,440
1,311
11,428
19,093
1,144
616
246
2,841
989
584
86
6,059
2,611
14,229
128
95
123
Massacb usetts
6
5
3
""§"
Rhode Island
Connecticut __
5
17
12
27
20
11
36
12
3
7
9
40
4
""Is"
30
1
8
2
4
6
1
1
1
32
7
5
43
7
72
6
41
60
6
2
133
2,023
805
2,534
2,162
711
4,029
833
817
603
400
2,595
142
730
143
335
3
262
30
705
447
283
593
162
247
40
126
647
79
244
277
283
42
113
150
20
48
8
10
41
110
63
91
46
33
506
56
548
1,484
137
32
39
328
156
8
2
364
188
1,402
45
98
653
153
397
762
112
1,411
1.3
7.0
2.2
10.9
9.1
14.4
10.0
5.3
12.6
2.1
6.0
6.4
11.0
20.0
12.7
7.2
8.0
8.2
13.6
2.2
5.4
1.2
8.8
4.0
3.6
8.1
6.3
1.8
3.0
5.6
5.4
5.3
8.4
12.7
5.9
15.9
12.4
16.4
1.7
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
"§3l"
"sie"
75
182
531
Illinois . „
Michigan _.
Wisconsin
2
1
4
11
500
47
319
545
526
19
193
285
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa _« „„_
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
2~
6
"""T
Nebraska _.
765
1,736
143
505
355
152
286
33
20
38
1,697
213
364
1,391
219
3,641
459
2,750
3,793
215
77
60
242
Kansas _ _„
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
170
~~24~
69
District of Columbia
Virginia
1
2
132
101
West Virginia ...
North Carolina
South Carolina
40
69
467
78
28
580
73
1,436
281
1,075
1,348
69
69
Georgia
"285"
27
"l89~
Florida _ . .
6
1
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky-.,
Tennessee ___„
Alabama
4
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
12
923
Louisiana
Oklahoma
13
25
780
897
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana... _ .
Idaho
Colorado -
63
28
15
11
4
4
817
135
159
""48"
186
36
112
New Mexico
Arizona
1
PACIFIC:
Washington
91
58
195
»3
11
7
77
2
2
_.
1,225
613
8,093
51
60
"286"
777
228
1,632
6.9
7.9
11.1
35.2
Oregon „
California
Other States
1 Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Includes: New Hampshire, 2, and Utah, 1.
275318 — 41-
68
CENSUS1 OF BELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHTTKCHES AND PAKSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total number of
churches
Number of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
a
-«
Churches re-
porting
Amount
"United States
2,611
1,925
1,830
86, 099, 541
718
1
8
2
17
10
35
17
8
27
18
24
17
15
33
12
11
13
27
6
9
3
4
4
11
7
10
9
7
30
9
52
87
8
7
4
17
4
5
27
20
77
6
$1, 370, 965
580
S587, 115
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
6
J7
8
52
25
84
71
25
87
48
46
38
48
156
31
31
54
76
24
27
24
12
18
95
25
32
79
27
214
30
236
341
27
19
8
63
28
15
91
58
195
20
3
8
5
32
17
54
33
17
63
34
30
27
32
103
23
17
37
53
21
22
15
10
18
78
15
28
66
24
166
28
204
279
21
15
6
32
22
11
62
43
143
8
3
7
4
31
17
48
31
17
57
32
28
27
31
98
23
16
35
50
19
22
15
10
18
74
15
26
62
23
158
26
191
269
21
12
6
30
21
11
58
43
137
»8
7,142
73, 300
31,000
475, 600
195,000
418, 137
286, 143
104, 500
474, 256
198,251
148,725
174, 538
100, 368
275,365
65, 824
57, 170
43,800
115, 723
68,100
41,560
31,018
15, 300
27,011
92, 610
20, 835
43, 325
70, 710
32, 640
159, 086
23, 520
264,006
414, 976
51, 173
19, 250
8,725
71, 285
20,691
25, 875
312, 190
137, 547
801, 466
101,800
1,950
38,878
*,071
122, 569
55, 862
140, 779
51, 573
38,023
113,050
40, 830
48, 716
54, 767
26, 683
59, 356
17,486
20,063
4,084
17, 171
8,840
11,365
5,600
1,498
8,049
9,894
5,351
6,735
3,034
935
16,015
3,403
25, 507
82, 183
6,303
1,490
2,352
16, 376
656
6,673
67, 363
22,566
184,171
14,695
1
0)
Massachusetts
Connecticut
1
5
2
6
2
3
10
8
9
9
5
27
7
11
9
24
4
2
(»)
24,800
0)
20, 500
(0
4,750
22, 850
23,350
20, 750
14,950
3,700
18,225
5,250
12, 970
5,700
26, 200
8,700
0)
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey .. ...
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois _ _
Michigan. __
"Wisconsin .
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri . _
North Dakota
South Dakota -
Nebraska —
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC-
Maryland
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina - _ _.
1
3
16
4
3
13
7
62
10
86
101
7
5
3
14
12
3
26
14
43
2
0)
1,016
15,905
1,500
3,500
9,450
7,250
34, 700
11, 180
35, 295
63,442
4,600
4, 350
1,200
14, 400
5,160
950
34, 650
16, 680
68, 102
41,100
Georgia .._
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky . ......
Tennessee
Alabama -. -
Mississippi.
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN-
Montana —
Idaho
Wyoming . . ., -.
Colorado ..
New Mexico
Arizona
PACIFIC:
Washington. _.
Oregon
California .. .
Other States .
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
2 Includes: New Hampshire, 2; Rhode Island, 1; Delaware, 2; South Carolina, 2; and District of Colum-
bia, 1.
ASSEMBLIES OF GOD, GENERAL COUNCIL
69
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and
improve-
ments
United States
2,611
2,477
$2,876,463
81,264,322
$122, 552
$215, 961
NEW ENGLAND-
Maine_..
6
17
3
8
52
25
84
71
25
87
48
46
38
48
156
31
31
54
76
4
24
4
27
24
12
3
18
95
25
32
79
27
214
30
236
341
27
19
8
63
28
15
91
58
195
6
6
17
3
7
51
25
84
69
25
81
47
46
38
47
145
31
31
52
74
4
23
4
25
23
11
3
18
88
20
31
76
27
183
28
212
327
27
18
8
61
26
15
87
58
190
15
4,357
27, 138
9,928
15,293
132, 522
52, 523
167,469
126,757
46, 158
170, 199
94.426
58, 650
73, 310
35, 704
161, 349
26,762
29,680
40, 463
77,100
18, 244
31,115
35,364
34,565
12,014
6,473
5,535
14,749
49,669
10,087
19,591
32, 127
19,391
89, 808
15, 186
164, 451
263,402
39,464
14, 136
6, 731
53. 575
15,472
12,929
141. 013
59, 743
358,445
3,396
2,284
10, 666
2,731
5,600
43, 286
20, 410
61, 520
49,680
20,657
63, 478
32, 834
22,477
22, 680
19,678
74, 122
12, 597
12, 129
24,768
37, 510
3,355
14,848
8,819
10, 448
5,769
3,393
3,220
7,499
30, 043
i 4,944
11,870
19,914
11,085
55, 934
10,091
99, 521
147,888
14,425
6,917
3,587
25,019
9,095
7.599
48, 798
26, 241
133, 744
1,149
68
1,074
101
771
7,715
1,440
10, 178
7,767
1,870
10,067
6,483
1,717
3,973
1,157
10, 712
1,261
781
674
2,290
680
990
1,568
601
867
663
60
656
2,646
261
570
1,379
653
2,040
195
3,850
9,597
727
370
5
1,180
341
519
4,155
1,945
15,838
97
293
544
1,563
1,900
4,990
4,322
7,689
4,849
8,371
7,357
6,948
3,575
8,614
1,414
8,582
1,852
864
1,489
6,129
280
3,156
3, 065
7,071
967
979
510
1,101
3,539
823
527
4,034
2,916
7,289
660
14,281
21,396
7,030
791
235
2.753
1,081
731
18, 169
2,782
28,445
n
Massachusetts
Ehode Island ,
Connecticut. __ __ «.
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey.— .___
Pennsylvania .
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota _
Iowa. _-
Missouri _
North Dakota.
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC*
Delaware
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia _
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi .
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana . ..._._
Idaho
Wyoming
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona. _
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
Other States
« Includes: New Hampshire, 2; Utah, 1; and Nevada, 2.
70 CENTS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHUECH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
EXPENDiTURES—continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
mis-
sions
Foreign
missions
To
general
head-
quarters
All
other
•pur-
poses
United States
$237, 514
83
1,587
480
2,069
4, 445
4,924
14, 320
16, 515
1,670
15,006
9,280
6,626
6,917
3, 852
6,376
2,765
3,882
1,442
9,401
610
980
8,091
9,984
901
303
351
1,123
1,944
937
3,459
3,083
1,975
3,243
1,801
12, 552
19, 372
4.480
1,115
857
5,434
1,185
523
7,781
3,660
32,030
100
$495, 527
$38,217
$62, 252
15
806
966
130
4,273
1,498
2,715
3,370
767
3,315
3,000
1,895
2,731
385
1, 609
301
772
702
670
550
311
2,234
372
127
17
10
1,029
926
272
164
297
43
926
193
1,958
4,710
1,022
248
159
623
399
287
4,839
905
9,481
229
$189, 582
399
1,826
1,463
703
15, 331
4,910
22, 387
7,857
2,546
22, 295
7,801
4,772
4,315
1,556
7,936
1, 103
1, 581
1,469
3,657
2,807
3,262
1,512
430
641
136
280
1,161
2,312
375
499
421
62
1,397
467
5,061
6,988
1,427
1,070
366
2,493
322
189
14, 063
4,480
23,221
233
$119,775
49
1,341
90
551
16,618
1, 606
5,666
11, 138
544
5,581
1,945
1,657
1,973
1,377
4,193
1, 353
744
1,081
2,545
628
573
2,203
681
475
82
20
350
793
185
359
744
452
6,766
155
3,557
6,391
1,922
639
21
1,040
317
449
6,341
1,981
22,606
4
$130,761
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine -
1,117
7,405
2,260
3,424
30, 710
9,448
38, 207
21, 356
6,958
35, 103
22, 171
13, 725
17,848
4,456
26, 811
4,729
7,858
7,370
11, 548
9,198
5,861
5,105
2,952
1,808
481
964
1,255
3,627
2,135
1,444
2,236
903
8,304
1,173
15, 252
30,627
6,310
2,621
846
10,630
1,824
1,376
28,536
13, 523
62,729
1,300
49
1,589
255
20
1,790
3, 356
2,849
3,443
2,421
6,328
2,902
1,617
3,476
1,623
19,313
560
940
1,341
2,325
41
802
2,105
1,837
358
265
Massachusetts.
300
19
125
3,364
609
1,938
782
354
1,669
1,062
589
783
206
1, 695
238
129
127
1,025
95
332
662
189
101
154
120
263
608
27
98
267
824
1,166
141
2,698
6,678
1
10
86
374
340
224
835
851
6,047
12
Rhode Island
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey __
Pennsylvania .. _. .
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri-
North Dakota-
South Dakota _
Nebraska... _
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia .
312
3,231
128
601
1,752
478
2,754
310
5,723
9,755
2,120
352
669
4,029
5fi8
1,032
7,496
3,375
24,304
267
Florida .
EAST SOUTH CENTRAT :
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi _
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas..
Louisiana
Oklahoma .
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana. .
Idaho
Wyoming.. _ ... .
Colorado _„
New Mexico .- ...
Arizona ,.— „
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
Other States
ASSEMBLIES OF GOD, GENERAL COUNCIL 71
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
Following a great revival movement which, swept around the world in 1906 and
1907, a considerable number of churches, missions, or assemblies in the United
States found a common interest in a distinctively evangelistic type of mission
work. This was at first purely independent and voluntary, but some association
and -mutual fellowship became recognized as valuable and necessary for the
purpose of establishing doctrinal standards and providing effective methods of
home and foreign missionary work.
In the spring of the year 1914, a group of pastors of indepen4ent churches issued
a call for all interested in Bible order, system, evangelism, and united doctrine to
meet at Hot Springs, Ark. About 100 delegates came to this meeting. Some
were former ministers of evangelical denominational churches and others were
serving as pastors of churches, not having had previous denominational member-
ship. An organization was agreed upon based on the principles of voluntary
unity and cooperation in religious effort. This organization was firsft incorporated
in Arkansas in October 1914, and then in Missouri in November 1916, under the
name of "The General Council of the Assemblies of God."
DOCTRINE
The doctrine of the Assemblies of God tends mostly toward Arminian princi-
ples, emphasizing the inspiration of the Scriptures; the fall and redemption of
man; the baptism in the Holy Ghost accompanied by the speaking in other
tongues; sanctification as the goal for all believers; the church a living organism;
a divinely called and scrip turally ordained ministry; divine healing; the pre-
millennial and imminent coming of Jesus to judge the world in righteousness,
while reigning on earth for a thousand years; everlasting punishment for the
wicked, and a new heaven and a new earth for the believers. While they recognize
human government and affirm unswerving loyalty to the United States, the
Assemblies of God claim that as followers of the Prince of Peace they are con-
strained to declare that they could not conscientiously participate in war and
armed resistance which involves the actual destruction of human life.
ORGANIZATION
The polity of the denomination is a combination of the Congregational and
Presbyterian systems. The local churches are Congregational in the conduct of
their affairs, and their sovereignty in this respect is fully recognized by the Gen-
eral Council constitution. They act, however, under the advice and suggestions
of the district and general presbyters.
The work of the denomination in the IJnited States has been divided into 35
districts, largely following State border lines. These districts are officered by a
district presbytery, chosen by the membership of each district and entrusted with
the examination, licensing, and ordination of ministers. The extension of the
fellowship through home mission effort is also entrusted to the district councils.
All ordained ministers are members of the General Council, which meets
biennially. At this council, general officers are chosen, doctrinal standards are
established, and ways and means adopted for church extension. Departmental
heads are also chosen, who serve in the capacity of executive presbyters, A
general presbytery serves in an advisory capacity to the executive presbytery.
The membership in the general presbytery is composed of three members from
each district council, elected by the districts to this office. The general officers
are superintendent, assistant superintendent, secretary, treasurer, home missions
secretary, foreign missions secretary, principal of Bible Training School, editor of
publications, etc.
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Keport of Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by J. Roswell Flower, general secretary, General Council Assemblies of God,
Springfield, Mo., and approved by him in its present form.
72 CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
WORK
The primary work of the Assemblies of God is evangelistic and missionary and
this work is pursued diligently through the home and foreign missions depart-
ments. Outgoing missionaries, whether ordained or not, must be endorsed by the
missionary committee of the General Council. All local churches are encouraged
to have a part in the missionary program and many local assemblies support
missionaries on the foreign field wholly or in part. Missionary funds go through
the central missionary committee but a considerable amount is sent by individ-
uals and churches directly to missionaries whom they support or help to support.
Annual missionary receipts and disbursements are running well over $350,000 per
year. All offerings for foreign work are sent to the field, 100 percent, without
any deduction whatever for home administration, the expense of the conduct of
the foreign missions department being met by free-will offerings and grants from
the general fund of the denomination.
Only one school is operated under the direct supervision of the General Council,
the Central Bible Institute at Springfield, Mo. This school has accommoda-
tions for about 500 students and offers a 3-year course for the training of ministers
and missionaries. Other schools are operating under district supervision at
Minneapolis, Minn., Seattle, Wash., San Francisco, Calif., Pasadena, Calif., Zion,
III., Green Lake, Pa., Enid, Okla., Fort Worth, Tex., Houston, Tex., and New
Brockton, Ala. The total enrollment is approximately 2,000, and the courses
are devoted exclusively to subjects pertaining to ministerial and missionary work.
There are some district publications, but the publishing work of the denomina-
tion has been centered largely in the Gospel Publishing House of Springfield, Mo.,
which is entrusted with the publication of the Pentecostal Evangel, published
weekly, the Sunday school literature and numerous books, pamphlets, and tracts.
ASSYRIAN JACOBITE APOSTOLIC CHURCH
STATISTICS
• The data given for 1936 represent four active organizations of the Assyrian
Jacobite Apostolic Church, all reported as being in urban territory. These sta-
tistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor
or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of all persons received into the
local churches through baptism.
Comparative data, 1916-36. — Table 1 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Assyrian Jacobite Apostolic
Church for the census years 1936, 1926, and 1916.
TABLE 1. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1916 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
Churches (local organizations), number
4
3
is
Increase l over preceding census:
Number ._ _ _> _
1
•in
Percent2 .__
Members, number
3,100
1 407
748
Increase over preceding census:
Number. __ _
1,693
659
Percent.. ._ _ _
120.3
88.1
Average membership per church __
775
469
50
Church edifices, number .
4
3
Value — number reporting
4
3
Amount reported
$UO, 000
$92, 000
Average value per church
$27, 500
$30, 667
"pp.bt — nitTnber reporting' ^T
3
3
Amount reported __ __ __
$17,000
$27, 500
Parsonages, number -- .
1
Value — number reporting - -
1
Amount reported _ _ _
$6, 000
Expenditures:
fhurchQS T^portiTig, ntrm'hfir , ,r , ^
4
3
Am mint report Ad
$13,880
$24, 253
Pastors' salaries
$4, 540
All other salaries
$350
Repairs and improvements
$1, 800
$23 576
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
$1, 700
All other current expenses, including interest
$1, 550
Local relief and charity* Ked Cross, etc .
$550
i
"PToTT1 Tnlssions
$3, 090
Foreign missions
$300
> $677
To general headquarters for distribution
1
All other purposes
j
Average expenditure per church
$3, 470
$8, 084
Sunday schools:
^•hurch^s ^-porting1 numbor
3
Officers and teachers
20
Scholars
160
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 2 and 3 present the statistics for the Assyrian Jacobite
Apostolic Church by States. Table 2 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches, membership classified by sex, and data for
Sunday schools. Table 3 gives for selected States the number and membership of
the churches for the three census years 1916 to 1936, together with the membership
for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over."
73
74
CENSUS1 OF BELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 2. — NUMBEE AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHUBCHES, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND
SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
mem-
bers
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Male
Female
Males
per 100
females
Churches
reporting
Officers
and
teach-
ers
Schol-
ars
United States
4
3,100
880
470
1,200
550
1,680
1,420
118.3
3
1
1
1
20
6
6
8
160
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts „
1
1
1
1
465
250
665
300
415
220
535
250
112 0
113.6
124.3
120.0
40
65
55
Rhode Island
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New Jersey
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Michigan
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, 1916 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, or 1916]
STATE
NUMBEE OF
CHUBCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
1936
1936
1926
1916
1936
1936
1916
Under
13
years
13 years
and
over
Per-
cent
under
13
United States. „ »
4
3
15
3,100
1,407
748
860
2,240
27.7
201
19.2
39.2
Massachusetts
1
1
12
1
1
1
6
5
4
880
1,200
1,020
220
1,025
162
291
311
146
230
230
400
650
970
620
New Jersey
Other States
i Includes: Rhode Island, 1, and Michigan, 1.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
HISTORY
The Assyrian Jacobite Apostolic Church traces its origin to the first 12 apostles
of Christ, particularly to St. Peter, the first Patriarch of Antioch,
The gospel had its origin in Syria and the Assyrian fathers were the first Chris-
tian missionaries. From the beginning of Christianity, the Assyrians went out
to Gaul, Persia, India, China, and Africa, where, notwithstanding severe perse-
cutions, they succeeded in establishing numerous schools and monasteries. They
have been constantly persecuted by the various Roman, Greek, Persian, and
Turkish rulers, and, judging from the continuous numerous outrages, it would
seem that the Turks and Arabs intended to exterminate all the Assyrian Christians.
In the face of all these persecutions they gallantly faced death, and to this day
they ably uphold the early Christian faith.
Contact with American missionaries who had established schools in various
localities turned the attention of the Assyrians to America, and they fled from the
rule of the Moslem Turk and sought shelter under the American flag. This im-
migration began about 1893, and soon there were several large Assyrian communi-
ties in the United States. Some of these people were members of the Assyrian
1 No revision of history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this body for 1936, hence this statement
is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Keligious Bodies, 1926.
ASSYRIAN JACOBITE APOSTOLIC1 CHUUCH 75
Roman Catholic Church, others belonged to the Assyrian Protestant Church,
while still others belonged to the Assyrian Nestprian Church or the Chaldean
Church. On coming here, all except the Nestorians identified themselves with
their respective American denominations. The majority of them, however, were
members of the Assyrian Jacobite Apostolic faith, and as the number of immi-
grants continued to increase, church services for them were in great demand.
In April 1907, the Assyrian Americans sent Deacon Hanna Koorie, then of
Paterson, N. J., to Jerusalem. There he was ordained priest and later a koorie
(cvhoorie). He returned to the United States September 28 of the same year.
Immediately afterward, he assembled the dispersed Assyrians, for the first time,
to worship in St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Paterson, N. J. The members of this
faith are scattered in various States, but their churches were reported only from
two New England States, New Jersey, and Michigan.
DOCTRINE
The doctrine of this church is based on the Nicene Creed. It varies, however
from that of the Western Church as regards the procession of the Holy Ghost
and uses the phraseology, "the Holy Ghost proceeded from the Father and is
with the Son." It accepts the canons of the first three General Councils of the
church, namely, the Nicene, Constantinople, and Ephesus, as well as the writings
of the recognized fathers of the church of the period of these councils. It teaches
that Christ was perfect God and perfect man. The interpretation of the Bible,
the ecclesiastical ordinances, as well as the traditions of the church, are held
equally important. The seven sacraments, baptism, confirmation, the eucharist,
penance, extreme unction, orders, and matrimony, are accepted. Baptism is
administered by pouring and by immersion, chiefly the latter; it usually takes
place several days after birth, and is followed by the ceremony of anointing with
the sacred oil or chrism in the form of a cross, and by the laying on of hands.
The minister also breathes on the child and on the water. The membership of
the church includes all baptized persons. Auricular confession is accepted. Holy
Communion is the sacrament which contains the body and blood of Christ under
appearance of bread and wine. It is received fasting and is given to the laity in
only one kind, the form of bread. The Blessed Virgin and the saints are venerated,
and prayers are offered for the dead.
ORGANIZATION
The organization of the Assyrian Jacobite Apostolic Church centers on the
Patriarch of Antioch, who resides at Mardin, Dair el Zahfaran, and his authority
is supreme on faith and in all church matters. Next in rank is the Metropolitan,
or mifrian, who resides in Mosul and who ordains the bishops. Then follow the
iskiffs and the mitrans, who together with the mifrian, act as advisers to the
patriarch and as heads of various commissions or congregations which have charge
of the church administration. Only a mifrian can become a patriarch. The
mifrian is chosen from the mitrans all of whom are celibates. Then follows the
office of bishop, or koorie (cvhoorie), rhahib, priest, and deacon, respectively.
A deacon under 30 years of age cannot be ordained to the priesthood. A celibate
deacon can be ordained to the office of rhahib, mitran, mifrian, and patriarch.
A married deacon can become a priest, a koorie (cvhoorie) , or an iskiff .
The government of this church is democratic, every officer of the church from
the lowest to the highest being chosen by the people. It is also in a sense hier-
archical, for every priest must be ordained by a bishop whose commission is traced
to the apostles through the apostolic succession of bishops. The Patriarch of
Antioch is the supreme head of all the Assyrian churches throughout the world,
and he was represented at the second World Conference on Faith and Order at
Lausanne, Switzerland.
The official periodical of the church is the Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia), pub-
lished in West New York, N. J.
BAHA'IS
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification, — A general
summary of the statistics for the American Bahd/is for the year 1936 is presented
in table 1, which shows, also, the distribution of these statistics between urban
and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent dfrectly
to the Bureau by the individual assemblies and the data relate to these assemblies
only.
To become a voting member of a BaM'i community one must be a resident of
the locality (city, town, or village) in which the community exists; have attained
the age of 21 years; and have established to the satisfaction of the local Spiritual
Assembly, subject to the approval of the National Assembly, that he possesses
all the qualifications of Bahd'i faith and practice.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB ASSEMBLIES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Assemblies (local organizations), number 3
88
2,584
29
171
354
2,059
483
10
2,574
0.4
17
$6,827
$125
$2,028
$281
$5
$3,464
$924
$402
84
2,534
30
163
337
2,034
48.4
9
2,525
0.4
15
$5,822
$125
$1,528
$281
$5
$2,959
$924
$388
4
50
13
8
17
25
(3)
1
49
(0
2
$1,005
MenObers, number ,
98,1
1.9
Average membership per assembly
Membership by sex.
Male
95.3
95.2
98.8
4.7
4.8
1.2
Female .. -
Sex not reported ._
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over . . ,
98.1
1.9
Percent under 13 years
Expenditures :
Assemblies reporting, number _ -
Amount reported- .
85.3
1000
75.3
100.0
14.7
Eepairs and improvements
All other current expenses, including interest--
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc.-- _
$500
24.7
Home missions
To general headquarters for distribution
$505
85.4
100.0
14.6
All other purposes
Average expenditure per assembly
$503
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
3 This body does not report churuh edifices, except the National Temple of the American Bah&'is. This
temple is in the course of construction and the present value is reported as $1,040,000.
s Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
76
BAHA'IS
77
The data given for 1936 represent 88 fully organized local assemblies, or com-
munities, of Bahd/is, with 2,574 voting members, having direct connection with
the National Administrative Board, and there were 10 members under 13 years
of age. With regard to this membership it may also be stated that many other
persons who retain their membership in other denominations attend the Baha"'i
meetings and are closely identified with the movement. No parsonages or
Sunday schools were reported.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 present?, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of this body for the four census
years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906. The change between 1926 and 1916 in the
character of the returns is explained by a change in the method of organization
of the local assemblies and by the adoption of a moie definite basis for voting
membership.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Assemblies (local organizations), number
88
44
57
24
Increase^ over preceding census:
Number
44
-13
33
Percent 2
Members, number _ .» -.,...„
2,584
1,247
2,884
1,280
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number . . . .
1,337
-1,637
1,604
Percent
107.2
—56.8
125.3
Average membership per assembly
29
28
51
53
TVmples, miTmbfif
1
1
1
Amount reported
3 $1, 040, 000
3 $500, 000
$1, 273
Expenditures :
Asserobhfis reporting, number
17
23
Amount reported. .
$6, 827
* $51, 000
$6, 877
Repairs and improvements
$125
$2, 134
All other current expenses, including interest . .
$2, 028
$800
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$281
$3, 943
Home missions. __ . _
$5
To general headquarters for distribution
$3, 464
All other purposes
$924
Average expenditure per assembly
$402
$299
Sunday schools :
Assemblies reporting, number ._
4
1
Officers ftTid tBRchftrs
12
7
Scholars _. --
123
32
1 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Represents the value of the National Temple of the American Bah&'is, which is in the course of con-
struction.
4 Includes only the budget of the National Spiritual Assembly. Detailed expenditures not reported by
the individual assemblies.
State tables. — Tables 3 and 4 present the statistics for the Bah&'is by States.
Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and membership of the assemblies
classified according to their location in urban or rural territory. Table 4 gives
for selected States the number and membership of the assemblies for the census
years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
78
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF ASSEMBLIES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF ASSEMBLIES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
Total
Urban
Rural
Total
Urban
Rural
United States
88
84
4
2,584
31
112
40
354
121
49
185
30
427
105
282
52
15
9
10
26
80
28
CO
15
9
2
40
38
71
40
353
2,534
50
NEW ENGLAND:
M^aine
1
4
2
10
2
7
2
9
6
4
3
1
2
1
2
1
I
4
1
1
1
2
1
3
1
12
1
4
2
10
4
2
7
2
9
6
4
3
1
2
1
1
1
1
4
1
1
1
2
1
2
1
10
31
112
40
354
121
49
185
30
427
105
282
52
IS
9
10
16
80
28
60
15
9
2
40
38
56
40
328
M! assachuset t s
C oitnect lent
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL-
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland _- _
1
10
District of Columbia
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
Colorado ... _.
Arizona - - -
PACIFIC:
Washington
1
15
Oregon .
California
2
25
TABLE 4:. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF ASSEMBLIES, BY STATES, 1906 TO 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more assemblies in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1908]
STATE
NUMBER OF ASSEMBLIES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1936
1916
1906
United States._
88
44
57
24
2,584
1,247
2,884
1,280
70
23
58
52
87
492
28
167
Massachusetts .
4
10
4
2
7
9
6
4
3
4
3
12
120
3
5
3
2
3
3
4
3
5
7
6
3
4
2
5
5
1
2
2
2
3
1
2
3
112
354
121
49
185
427
105
282
52
60
71
353
413
70
245
55
62
61
179
70
36
172
295
98
132
223
562
58
165
New York _. _, - . _ .
New Jersey ..........
Pennsylvania ..„.., „„
Ohio
Illinois . . . . .
Michigan _ . .. _ .
Wisconsin
Minnesota __ ...........
Florida
Washington
1
8
9
3
5
12
2
2
4
30
205
234
180
497
502
39
110
154
California
Other States
i Includes: Maine, 1; Connecticut, 2; Indiana, 2; Missouri, 1; Nebraska, 2; Kansas, 1; Maryland, 2;
Georgia, 1; District of Columbia, 1: Tennessee. 1: Montana. l:Idaho. 1: Colorado. 2: Arizona. 1: and OrAenn. i.
BAHA 'IS 79
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
HISTORY
For more than 80 years, the Baha'i cause has been steadfastly presented to the
world as the expression for this age of the same universal Spirit which in other
ages spoke through Zoroaster, Muhammad, the Buddha, Moses, Christ; and as
one Divine utterance and continuous purpose, giving forth one and the same
message, albeit adapted, to the conditions and human capacities of each time.
Each successive revelation renews the spirit of faith and confirms the ideals of
the previous prophets and messengers; but religion also progresses and each
cycle discloses a new aspect of truth. In Bah&Vllali, according to his explicit
text, the Message of God has been revealed to mankind in its fullness and uni-
versality, and the Baha'i cause accordingly represents the fulfillment of that
which was but partially revealed in previous dispensations.
The history and general principles of the Bahd'is, as expressed in the teachings
of the founder and his followers, are given in the following condensed statements:
The first significant Baha'i date is May 23, 1844.
At that time Western Asia was decadent. The administration of justice was
inefficient; bribery and dishonesty pervaded all ranks, while education and sani-
tation were neglected. In Persia the dominant religious party was the Shi'ih
sect of Muhammadans, who were noted for intolerance and bigotry and regarded
Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, and even Muhammadans of other sects, as people
in error, considering it a merit to insult and revile them. Yet the life of the spirit
was not extinct, and amid the prevailing worldliness and superstition could
still be found some who longed for the establishment of God's kingdom and were
eagerly awaiting the coming of the promised Messenger, confident that the time
of His advent was at hand.
On the date previously mentioned, there appeared in Shiraz a young man of
24, Mirzd 'All Muhammad, who took the title of the Bab (i. e., "Gate" or
"Door"), and who bore much the same relation to Bahd'u'llah as John the
Baptist had to Christ. He publicly announced his mission and began to teach
and train a band of disciples, heralding the dawn of a new era and proclaiming
the coming of one greater than himself, whom he referred to as "Him Whom
God Shall Manifest." From the beginning of his teaching until his martyrdom,
the Bdb exemplified in his life the pure spiritual destiny of the prophets and
messengers cf old. Through him a large portion of the Muslim population of
Persia became imbued with the new faith, but against him gathered the fanatical
hatred of the Muslim clergy and the desperate fear of the civil rulers. He was
imprisoned, scourged, haled before tribunals, dragged from one place of confine-
ment to another, and at last, after 6 years of indignities and ill-treatment, was
condemned to death as a heretic to the principles of Islam. His execution took
glace in the city of Tabriz, where, on July 9, 1850, he was publicly shot in the
arrack square together with one of his followers.
The martyrdom of the Bab fanned the flame of enthusiasm among his adherents
and they grew and multiplied despite fierce persecution. Their houses were
pillaged and destroyed, their wives and children carried off, many were beheaded,
blown from the mouths of cannon, burned, or chopped to pieces. Over 20,000
believers gave up property, families, and lives, rather than deny their faith, yet
for every one that was martyred, many joined the cause.
Among the first and foremost of the BaVs supporters was Mirzd, Husayn t Ali,
better known as Bah&Vllah (i. e., Glory of God). He was 2 years older than
the Bab, having been born in Teheran on November 12, 1817. His family was
one of the noblest and oldest in Persia and his own goodness and generosity had
gained for him the title of "Father of the poor," yet this did not prevent his
being thrown into pvrison when he espoused the cause of the Bab. When, in
1852, there arose a fresh outbreak of persecution against the Babis, as they were
called, BahaVllah bedame the target for all the bitterness engendered by failure
to extinguish the new light of faith. Confined in a filthy underground dungeon
along with murderers and other criminals, loaded with chains, bastinadoed, he
was finally exiled with his family and a handful of faithful followers to Baghdad
in Mesopotamia. A few months later, he withdrew into the wilderness, where he
spent 2 years in prayer and meditation, living the simple life of the dervish.
After his return his fame became greater than ever. People flocked to Baghdad
to hear him and the Babi movement grew rapidly despite all efforts of the Mullas
i This statement was furnished by Horace Holley, secretary, National Spiritual Assembly of the BahS'is
of the United States and Canada, Wilmette, 111.
80 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
to bring about its extinction. So he was ordered to a more distant exile, first in
Constantinople, then in Adrianople, and finally confined for life in the desolate
barracks of 'Akka1, a Turkish penal colony on the Mediterranean, south of Beirut
and facing Mount Carmel. Here he instructed a large number of disciples, some
of them coming from a long distance, while he ministered to others through his
writings.
On April 21, 1863, in the garden of Ridvan just outside Baghdad, BahaVMh
had made known to a few followers that he was the one proclaimed and promised
by the Bab. This announcement was made public in his famous Epistles in
Adrianople, previous to the journey to 'Akka1, in 1868. Bv this event the B£bi
movement was fulfilled in the cause of Bahd/u'llah and the streams of Christian
and Jewish prophecy united with the inner reality of the Muslim religion. Baha-
'u'll&h gave the glad tidings to East and West that the day of God had dawned,
that a new and universal cycle had been established — the age of brotherhood, of
peace, of the knowledge of God. This message was inscribed in Tablets, or Epistles,
written during his 40 years of exile and imprisonment, to kings and rulers, to
representatives of the several religions, to his own followers in response to ques-
tions, and in a great number of books containing the essence of universal religion,
science, and philosophy. In the annals of the world, no spiritual revelation has
been made under such conditions of personal oppression and hardship. The effect
of Band'u'lla'h upon his followers, even upon his enemies, was unique and inde-
scribable. About him emanated a majesty that glorified every suffering, an awe
that penetrated to the rudest soul, a consecrated love that pprtrayed man in his
ultimate perfection.
Bah&Vllah ascended in 1892, leaving a testament naming as his successor his
eldest surviving son, Abbots Effendi, better known as 'Abdu'l-Bah£ (Servant of
Baha1) . From early childhood he shared his father's labors, and later became the
authoritative interpreter of his teachings. By his singleness of devotion, purity
of life, tireless effort, humanitarian love, and unfailing wisdom, the Bahd'i mes-
sage slowly but surely spread to all parts of the world. His confinement at 'Akkd,
lasting 40 years, was terminated at last in 1908 by the overthrow of the old
regime by the Young Turks. From 1911 to 1913 'Abdu'1-Bahd journeyed through
Europe and America, unfolding before numerous audiences the spirit of the new
age. In these addresses the message of Bah&'u'lla'h is developed in relation to the
needs of civilization, and an organic harmony is created between religion, science,
economics, and social order. 'Abdu;l-Bah£ expanded the religion of the spirit
to include all the functions of life, destroying forever the antagonism between
"religious" and "secular" matters.
During the World War communication with friends and believers outside Syria
was almost completely cut off, and 'Abdu'1-BaM and his followers suffered great
hardships. During those dreary years the resourcefulness and sagacious philan-
thropy of 'Abdu'l-Bah£ were strikingly shown. He personally organized exten-
sive agricultural operations near Tiberias, bringing under cultivation land which
had been untilled for centuries; thus he secured a great supply of wheat by means
of which famine was averted, not only for the Bah&'is, but for many of the poor
of all religions, whose wants he liberally supplied. After the cessation of hos-
tilities, a knighthood of the British Empire was conferred upon him in recog-
nition of these services. His manifold activities continued with little abatement
until within a day or two of his passing peacefully to the life beyond, on November
28, 1921, at the age of 77. His funeral was attended by thousands of all ranks,
from the Administrator-General of Palestine and the Governor of Jerusalem to
the poorest beggars of Haifa. Prominent representatives of the Muslim, Christian,
and Jewish communities bore eloquent testimony to the love and admiration for
his life and work, a fitting tribute for one who had labored all his days for unity
of religions, of races, of tongues.
'Abdu'1-Bahd, has been succeeded in the leadership of the movement by his
eldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi, who is now known as "Guardian of the Cause."
DOCTRINE
The Bah&'i religion stresses the principle otf the Oneness of Mankind. It is in
the light of this principle that all its writings are to be viewed and the purpose of
the movement considered. That a spiritual power has been breathed into the
soul of humanity in this age, which shall remove all causes of difference, mis-
understanding, discord, and disagreement — causes resident in customs and insti-
tutions as well as in personal opinions and emotions — and establish the means
and methods as well as the desire for unity, is the essence of the Baha'i teaching
BAHl'lS 81
and faith. This principle of oneness involves so many readjustments, mental,
social, and spiritual, that the wars and strifes of these latter times have been
inevitable. ( Abdu'1-Baha gave to Bah&'u'llah's message an interpretation
directly and immediately applying to the nature of these readjustments, and
setting forth the following principles:
"Unfettered search after truth and the abandonment of all superstition and
prejudice; the oneness of mankind — all are 'leaves of one tree, flowers in one
garden7; religion must be a cause of love and harmony, else it is no religion; all
religions are one in their fundamental principles; religion must conform with
science, bringing faith and reason into full accord; and recognition of the unity
of God and obedience to His commands as revealed through His Divine Mani-
festations.
"There should be no idle rich and no idle poor; every one should have an occupa-
tion, for 'work in the spirit of service is worship/ Compulsory education is
advocated, especially for girls who will be the mothers and the first educators of
the next generation. In all walks of life, both sexes should have equal oppor-
tunities for development and equal rights and privileges.
"An auxiliary international language should be adopted and taught in all the
schools in order to bring men into closer fellowship and better understanding.
In the interest of universal peace, there should be established a universal league
of nations, in which all nations and peoples should be included, and an Inter-
national Parliament to arbitrate all international disputes."
Thus the mission of Baha''u'lla*h is the spiritual unity of mankind. While he
came to the East, his mission is to the West as well, and his teachings are suited
to all classes and conditions of men. At present there are Bah^is located not only
in Muhammadan countries, but also throughout Europe, the United States, and
Canada; and this phenomenal spread of the movement, the Baha'is believe, is
due to the fact that Bahd/u'llah fulfilled the prophecies of all religious beliefs,
both past and present; and through the power of the Baha'i movement, there
is being created a new religious unity in the world.
ORGANIZATION
The Bahd/i movement has no ecclesiastical organization. It holds that an offi-
cial clergy tends to become a substitute for religion rather than an instrument for
carrying spiritual influence into the world. Propaganda is carried on by means
of the local Baha"'i communities or groups in which believers and inquirers meet
at stated intervals for study of the "Revealed Words." The local Bah&'i com-
munity is given official recognition only after its number of adult declared believers
exceeds nine. Up to this point, the community exists as a voluntary group of
workers and students. This local group, involving as it does men and women in
all the normal activities and relations of life, is the democratic foundation upon
which rests the entire evolution of the cause.
The responsibility for and supervision of local BaM'i affairs is vested in a body
known as the Spiritual Assembly. This body is limited to nine 2 members and is
elected annually on April 21, the first day of Ridv^n (the festival commemorating
the declaration of Bah^Vlldh). The local Spiritual Assemblies of a country are
linked together and coordinated through another elected body of nine members,
the National Spiritual Assembly. 'Abdu'l-Bahd's instructions provide for further
development of Baha"7i organization through an International Spiritual Assembly
(Baytu'l-'Adl, i. e., House of Justice) elected by the members of the various
National Spiritual Assemblies, but this international body has not yet come into
existence.
To assist the Guardian (now Shoghi Effendi) in his manifold responsibilities
and duties and particularly in the promotion of the teaching work, 'Abdu'1-Baha*
provided for the appointment of a group of coworkers to be known as "The Hands
of the Cause of God." The selection of this body is a function of the Guardian,
and these from their own number are to elect nine persons who will be closely
associated with the Guardian in the discharge of his duties ; It is the function of
the Guardian also to appoint his own successor, this appointment to be ratified
by nine Hands of the Cause.
The Bahd/is have inaugurated a new calendar, dating their era from the year
of the B£b's declaration, 1844; the New Year falls at the spring equinox (March 21) ;
and the year consists of 19 months of 19 days each, with four intercalary days.
2 In BaM'i symbology, 9 is the number of perfection.
82 CJENStJS OF RELIGIOXJ'S BODIES, 1936
The Baha'i teachings explicitly forbid the appointment of a professional clergy.
They hold that spiritual instruction should not be sold, and their teachers have no
authority over the conscience of any member of the cause. The greatest privilege
of a believer, after securing his own financial independence, is to serve voluntarily
and without pay as a teacher under the supervision of a local or National Spiritual
Assembly.
WORK
The Baha'i faith works for the betterment of mankind and the establishment
of a world civilization. The objects of the Baha'i cause are identical with the
true objects of all revealed religion; to raise man from the earthly to the heavenly
condition; to substitute spiritual laws and realities for natural laws and realities
operating in the darkness of unfaith; to initiate a new age and era of progress and
attainment in the world of mind; and to transform civilization into the glory of
the kingdom. To this end it patiently endeavors to remold the world.
The Baha'is in America have established a national center, a temple of worship,
called the Mashriqu'l-Adhk^r (Dawning Place of God's Praise). This is now in
process of completion at Wilmette, a suburb of Chicago. The temple proper or
sanctuary for prayer and praise will be surrounded by accessory buildings of
humanitarian intent, including schools, hospitals, homes for orphans and the
aged, and a university for the study of the higher sciences and arts. The relation
of all these buildings one with another and with the central edifice discloses the
relation of the organic functions of society with the spirit of religion. The
Mashriqu'l-Adhkar perfectly symbolizes the twofold nature of religion — one
aspect the turning to God, the other aspect service to man.
In addition to the house of worship, the American Baha'is operate summer
schools at Green Acre, Eliot, Maine; Geyserville, Calif.; and Davison, Mich.
About 20 of the 88 local assemblies are now incorporated under their respective
State statutes.
BAPTIST BODIES
GENERAL STATEMENT
It is a distinct principle with Baptists that they acknowledge no human founder,
recognize no human authority, and subscribe to no human creed. For all these
things, Baptists of every name and order go back to the New Testament. And
while no competent Baptist historian assumes to be able to trace a succession of
Baptist churches through the ages, most of them are of one accord in believing
that, if we could secure the records, there would be found heroic groups of be-
lievers in every age who upheld with their testimonies and, in many cases, with
their lives, the great outstanding and distinctive principles of the Baptist churches
of today.
As soon^as the Reformation gave men opportunity to interpret the teachings
of the Scriptures for themselves, and to embody their convictions in speech and
act, persons holding Baptist doctrines immediately began to appear. In the
first quarter of the sixteenth century, they were found in Germany and Switzer-
land, and were called Anabaptists (Re-baptizers) , because they insisted that
persons baptized in infancy must, upon profession of conversion, and in order to
gain admission into church fellowship, be baptized again, although they do not
appear to have insisted always on immersion. These early Anabaptists were in
the main of high character, though in some instances they held doctrines which
led to fanatical outbreaks which aroused no little prejudice against them.
Gradually, in spite of severe persecution, the Anabaptists grew in numbers.
Some of them, driven from Germany, found refuge in the Low Countries and
these were gathered, under the lead of Menno Simons, into the groups of Men-
nonites who passed over into England, and doubtless played an important part
in giving currency to Baptist principles. To their influence, in all probability,
the English Baptists owe their first churches, established in Amsterdam in 1608
and in London in 1611. Glimpses of them appear in the days preceding the
Commonwealth, and during the Cromwellian period they became more prominent.
It was due to this Mennonite influence that the early Baptist churches in England
were Arminian rather than Calvinistic in type, and were termed General Baptists,
indicating belief in a universal atonement, in distinction from Particular Baptists,
indicating a limited atonement. The first Calvinistic or Particular Baptist
church was formed in London in 1638, its members seceding peaceably from an
older Separatist congregation. In 1641 a further secession from the same Sepa-
ratist church occurred, and the new group became convinced from study of the
New Testament that the apostolic baptism was immersion. They sent one of
their number to Holland, where he was immersed by a minister of the Collegiate
Church at Rhynsberg, where the practice of immersion had been introduced, and
on his return the rest of the church were immersed. Gradually this practice was
adopted by all the. Baptist churches and became in the popular mind their dis-
tinguishing feature. The General and Particular Baptists were united in 1891.
The first Baptist Church in America was probably established by Roger Wil-
liams, the "Apostle of Religious Liberty," in Providence, R. L, in 1639, although
this honor is disputed by the First Baptist Church of Newport, R. I., organized,
it is claimed, by Dr. John Clarke as pastor, in 1638. Roger Williams was a Sepa-
ratist minister who came to the Massachusetts Colony in 1631, and was banished
from that colony because "he broached and divulged new and dangerous opinions
against the authority of magistrates." Having established himself at Providence,
he adopted essentially Baptist views and soon gathered a number of converts to
this faith. As there was no Baptist church in existence in America at that time, he
baptized Ezekiel Holliman, who thereupon baptized him. Williams then baptized
10 others, and this company of Baptist believers organized themselves into a
church. John Clarke came from New Hampshire to Newport about the same
time, and, apparently without any connection with the work of Williams, estab-
lished a Baptist church in that town.
83
275318—41 7
84 CENSUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
These early American Baptist churches belonged to the Particular, or Cal-
vinistic, branch. Later, Arminian views became widely spread for a time, but
ultimately the Calvinistic view of the atonement was generally accepted by the
main body of Baptists in the Colonies. The divisions which now exist began to
make their appearance at a relatively early date. In 1652 the church at Provi-
dence divided, one party organizing a church which marked the beginning of the
General Six Principle Baptists. The Seventh Day Baptist body organized its
first church at Newport in 1671. Arminianism practically disappeared from the
Baptist churches of New England about the middle of the eighteenth century,
but General Baptists were found in Virginia before 17J.4, and this branch gained
a permanent foothold in the South. As a result of the revival movement, gen-
erally known as the New Light movement, which followed George Whitefield's
visit to New England in 1740, the Separate Baptists came into existence and at
one time were very numerous. The Free Baptists,1 in 1779, once more gave a
general and widely accepted expression in New England to the Arminian view of
the atonement.
Soon after the Revolutionary War, the question of the evangelization of the
Negro race assumed importance, and a Colored Baptist church was organized in
1788. With the general revival movement at the close of the eighteenth and the
beginning of the nineteenth centuries, to which the Free Baptists owed no small
part of their growth, there developed, especially in the mountain sections of the
Middle West and in the Southern States, a reaction toward a sterner Calvinism,
which, combined with the natural Baptist emphasis upon individualism, pro-
duced a number of associations strictly, even rigidly, Calvinistic, some of them
going to the extent of dualism, as in the doctrine of the Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit
Predestinarian Baptists.
About the same time, as missionary work became organized into societies,
many of these associations opposed, not so much mission work itself, as its or-
ganization, through fear of a developing ecclesiasticism. These were variously
termed "Old School/' "Antimission," "Hard Shell," and "Primitive" Baptists;
but gradually the term "Primitive" became the most widely known and adopted.
In contradistinction to these, the associations, or churches, which approved of
missionary societies, came to be designated Missionary Baptists, though there
was no definite denominational organization under that name.
The denominations mentioned, however, do not represent all who hold Baptist
views, for during the revival period just referred to, the Disciples of Christ and
the Churches of Christ arose, and they have many things in common with Baptists,
although they differ from the other bodies in some interpretations. With them
also may be classed the Adventists, the Brethren (Dunker, Plymouth, and River),
Mennonites, and certain other bodies. The Armenian and Eastern Orthodox
churches practice baptism by immersion, but do not limit it to those of mature
years.
It thus appears that a survey of Baptist bodies should include not only those
which make the term an integral part of their title, but some which are not
ordinarily classed with them. It is also evident that among those who accept
the name Baptists there are many differences, some of great importance. Sev-
enth Day Baptists agree with other Baptist bodies except in regard to the Sab-
bath, but the distinction between Primitive Baptists and Free Will Baptists is
much more marked than between Baptists and Disciples. Any presentation of
the strength of Baptist denominations must take into account these divergencies.
By far the largest body of Baptists, not only in the United States but in the
world, is that popularly known as "Baptist," though frequently referred to, and
listed in the census of 1890, as "Regular Baptists." Other Baptist bodies prefix
some descriptive adjective, such as "Primitive," "United," "General," "Free
Will," etc., but this, which is virtually the parent body, commonly has no such
qualification. Its churches, however, are ordinarily spoken of as "Northern,"
"Southern," and "Colored." This does not imply any divergence in doctrine or
ecclesiastical order. All are one in these respects. It is rather a distinction
adopted for administrative purposes, and based upon certain local or racial charac-
teristics and conditions, the recognition of which implies no lack of fellowship or
of unanimity of purpose. Should these distinctions cease to exist, there is nothing
whatever to prevent the same unity in matters of administration which now exists
in belief, fellowship, and ecclesiastical practice.
* In 1926 the Free Baptist churches were included with those of the Northern Baptist Convention.
BAPTISE BODIES'
85
STATISTICS
The denominations grouped as Baptists in 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906 are listed
in the table following, with the principal statistics as reported for the four periods.
In 1926 certain changes were noted: Under Negro Baptists were included the
former National Baptist Convention, later the National Baptist Convention,
U. S. A.; the National Baptist Convention of America; the Lott-Carey Missionary
Baptists; and those colored Baptist churches that were formerly reported with the
Northern Baptist Convention. The Free Baptists of the 1916 report became a
part of the Northern Convention. A new body was organized, under the name
Independent Baptist Church of America; and a new denomination came out of
the Southern Baptist Convention, called the American Baptist Association.
In 1936 it will be noted that the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches
in the United States of America, composed of churches which withdrew from
fellowship with the Northern Baptist Convention, appears for the first time*
The National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Saving Assembly of the United
States of America, composed of churches which withdrew from the National
Baptist Convention, U. S. A., is reported for the first time. The Seventh Day
Baptists (German, 1728), which appeared in previous census reports with the
German Baptist Brethren (Bunkers), is now shown with the Baptist bodies.
The Free Will Baptists (Bullockites) did not report as they no longer hold meet-
ings. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau
by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate to these
churches only.
SUMMAKY OF STATISTICS FOR BAPTIST BODIES, 1936, 1926, 1916, AND 1906
DENOMINATION AND CENSUS YEAR
Total number of
churches
§
"S
fc
VALUE" OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
ra
(•*
M
o
DQ
1936
Total
49, 478
8, 362, 287
44,251
$389, 661, 696
47, 517
$55,779,246
19, 577, 463
19,630,844
14,978,506
2,548
85,027
192, 620
79,712
103,799
10, 553
24,023
15,448
5,333
157, 530
207,352
660
1,189
352,529
451
42, 876
4,382,097
Baptist bodies:
Northern Baptist Cbnventjon..
Southern Baptist Convention..
Negro Baptists __ __ ..
6,284
1 13,815
23, 093
4
66
920
226
422
69
266
277
91
1,726
1,009
16
8
1,064
7
1,329,044
2,700,155
3,782,464
294
6,698
76, 643
19, 616
36, 573
5,287
17,186
27,000
7,951
69,157
43,897
201
129
115, 022
188
5,922
12,370
21, 045
4
57
692
207
297
52
173
161
68
1,365
876
13
4
848
4
167, 576, 463
117, 766, 295
93,798,181
15, 500
727, 285
1,090,779
468,883
555, 309
66, 670
234,595
179,215
49, 615
2,180,047
1,643,804
6,600
9,300
1,507,798
1,450
6,168
13,521
22,652
4
64
843
226
406
59
186
188
58
1,054
935
10
7
1,020
5
5,904
12, 161
21,976
3
52
699
200
301
55
54
73
20
41
422
892,872
1, 664, 105
1, 656, 638
205
3,306
42,455
8,317
17, 562
2,932
3,358
4,929
992
2,631
13^ 572
General S/x Principle Baptists -
Seventh Day Baptists
Free Will Baptists
United American Free Will
Baptist Church (Colored)
General Baptists *
Separate Baptists
Regular Baptists
United B aptists _
Duck River and Kindred As-
sociations of Baptists (Bap-
tist Church of Christ) .
Primitive Baptists
Colored Primitive Baptists
Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predes-
tinarian Baptists
Independent Baptist Church of
America
3
798
3
27
50,008
112
American Baptist Association —
Christian Unity Baptist Asso-
ciation ,.
i Exclusive of statistics for 30 churches belonging to the Columbia Association — 24 in the District of
Columbia and 6 in the State of Maryland — which are reported with the Northern Baptist Convention.
86
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR BAPTIST BODIES, 1936, 1926, 1916, AND 1906 —
Continued
DENOMINATION AND CENSUS TEAE
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches re-
porting
+a
<!
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
%
£
ta
1936— Continued
Baptist bodies— Continued.
General Association of Regular
Baptist Churches in the
United States of America
Seventh Day Baptists (Ger-
man, 1728) a
84
3
28
60,192
22,345
137
2,300
8,440,922
71
2
20
52, 281
$1,694,448
5,000
84, 459
469, 827, 795
185, 370, 576
173, 456, 965
103, 465, 759
20,500
668, 200
1, 156, 743
308, 425
1,500
706, 325
63,650
647, 550
144, 665
51, 175
1, 730, 348
171, 518
19, 350
12, 000
1, 832, 546
198, 364, 747
83
2
26
54, 145
$340,376
382
12, 901
98, 045, 096
34, 318, 486
42, 904, 563
19, 475, 981
3,046
132, 068
252, 613
67, 773
100
113, 825
9,292
55, 610
15, 094
5,362
166, 847
39, 419
473
2,499
482, 045
40, 027, 119
16, 082, 462
15, 063, 743
8, 361, 919
2,483
67, 695
123, 363
75, 835
36, 647
275
64, 698
9,468
11,855
4,837
2,518
96, 270
22, 881
170
83
2
26
47, 889
17, 021
105
950
4, 654, 241
National Baptist Evangelical
Life and Soul Saving As-
sembly of the United States
of America _ __ _
1936
Total
Baptist bodies:
Northern Baptist Convention..
Southern Baptist Convention..
Negro Baptists
7,611
23, 374
22,081
67
1,024
166
2
465
65
349
221
98
2,267
925
27
13
1,431
57, 828
1,289,966
3,524,378
3,196,623
293
7,264
79, 592
13, 396
36
31, 501
4,803
23,091
18, 903
7,340
81, 374
43, 978
304
222
117, 858
7, 153, 313
7,297
21, 128
19, 833
6
58
765
142
1
353
43
233
139
75
1,037
87
24
6
1,054
50, 716
7,380
22, 338
20, 209
5
65
872
158
1
440
41
223
147
46
776
111
20
10
1»303
51, 797
6,999
19,882
18, 755
5
57
643
144
1
295
37
65
39
14
5
24
1,052,794
2, 345, 630
1, 121, 362
229
4,033
38, 199
5,077
15
18, 797
1,782
4,690
2,005
795
181
2,278
General Six Principle Baptists-
Seventh Day Baptists ._
Free Will Baptists
United American Free Will
Baptist Church (Colored)
Free Will Baptists (Bullock-
i'tes) _ .
General Baptists
Separate Baptists
Regular Baptists
United Baptists
Duck River and Kindred As-
sociations of Baptists (Bap-
tist Church of Christ)
Primitive Baptists
Colored Primit ive Baptists
Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predes-
tinarian Baptists
Independent Baptist Church
of America ._
6
918
46, 1G8
7,517
17, 555
19,909
6
66
141
390
87
1
305
30
50
16
8
146
56, 228
3, 946, 888
1, 028, 952
1, 666, 996
1, 181, 270
276
5,005
11, 642
22,421
4,168
12
18, 545
1,711
2,587
701
399
American Baptist Association. .
1916
Total
Baptist bodies:
Northern Baptist Convention. _
Southern Baptist Convention. _
National Baptist Convention ...
General Six Principle Baptists,
Seventh Day Baptists
8,148
23,580
21, 071
10
68
171
750
169
12
517
46
401
254
105
2,142
336
48
1,232,135
2,708,870
2, 938, 579
456
7,980
12, 570
54,833
13, 362
184
33,466
4,254
21, 521
22,097
6,872
80,311
15, 144
679
7,748
19, 268
20, 117
10
59
159
656
164
6
390
40
189
82
49
1,580
164
35
94, 644, 133
58, 348, 373
41,184,920
25, 850
307, 600
670, 720
517, 240
178, 385
3,450
421, 837
47, 565
141. 480
52, 147
40, 600
1,601,807
154, 690
23, 950
7,848
21, 078
19, 988
6
64
153
612
168
3
424
33
143
69
67
964
170
7
Free Baptists __ _ ._
Free Will Baptists
Colored Free Will Baptists
Free Will Baptists (Bulloek-
ites)
General Baptists
Separate Baptists
Regular Baptists
United Baptists
Duck River and Kindred As-
sociations of Baptists (Bap-
tist Church of Christ)
Primitive Baptists
Colored Primitive Baptists
Two-Seed-in-the-Spint Predes-
tinarian Baptists
87
3,201
included with Brethren Bodies in 1926, 1916, and 1906.
BAPTIST BODIES'
87
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR BAPTIST BODIES, 1936, 1926, 1916, AND 1906 —
Continued
DENOMINATION AND CENSUS YEAE
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICE3
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
1
Churches re-
porting
§
1
1906
Total
54,707
5,662,234
49, 329
$139, 842, 656
74, 620, 025
34, 723, 882
24, 437, 272
19, 450
292, 250
2, 974, 130
296, 585
6,900
252, 019
66, 980
36, 715
44, 321
1, 674, 810
296, 539
21, 500
79, 278
41, 165
2,898,914
Baptist bodies:
Northern Baptist Convention—
Southern Baptist Convention. .
National Baptist Convention.-
General Six Principle Baptists.
Seventh Day Baptists
8,247
21,075
18,492
16
76
1,338
608
15
518
73
190
92
2,878
787
55
247
1, 052, 105
2, 009, 471
2, 261, 607
685
8,381
81, 359
40,280
298
30,097
5,180
13, 698
6,416
102, 311
35,076
781
14, 489
7,795
18, 672
17, 890
13
68
1,092
554
8
380
59
75
86
1,953
501
32
151
7,346
14, 371
17, 478
9
67
1,059
263
1
230
45
21
9
851,269
1, 014, 690
924, 665
414
5,117
65, 101
12, 720
25
11, 658
1,962
1,360
402
Free Baptists .
Free Will Baptists _
Free Will Baptists (Bullock-
ites)
General Baptists
Separate Baptists
United Baptists
Duck River and Kindred As-
sociations of Baptists (Bap-
tist Church of Christ)
Primitive Baptists
Colored Primitive Baptists in
America
166
6,224
Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predes-
tinarian Baptists
United American Free Will
Baptists (Colored)
100
3,307
BAPTISTS
HISTORY
The history of the early Baptist churches in New England is one of constant
struggle for existence. The Puritan government of Massachusetts was so bitter
in its opposition that nearly a century after Roger Williams there were but eight
Baptist churches in that colony. Conditions elsewhere were similar, although
farther south there was less persecution. Down to the middle of the eighteenth
century it seemed probable that the General, or Arminian, wing would be domi-
nant in New England at least, although in Philadelphia the controversy had re-
sulted in a victory for the Calvinists. With the Great Awakening in 1740, and
the labors of Whitefield, two significant changes appeared in Baptist church
life. Calvinistic views began to predominate in the New England churches, and
the bitter opposition to the Baptists disappeared. By 1784 the 8 churches ^in
Massachusetts had increased to 73, and extension into the neighboring colonies
had begun. With this growth, however, there developed a conflict similar to
that found in the history of other denominations. The "New Lights," later
known as "Separates," were heart and soul with Whitefield in his demands for
a regenerated church membership; the "Old Lights," or "Regulars," earnestly
opposed the introduction of hitherto unrecognized qualifications for the ministry
or, indeed, for church membership. From New England the movement spread,
becoming for a time especially strong in several Southern States. In the South
the two parties eventually united in fellowship, and reorganized as United Bap-
tists. In New England the conflict wore itself out, the Baptist churches being
modified by both influences.
88 CENSUS1 OF EELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
With the general emancipation from ecclesiastical rule that followed the Revo-
lutionary War, all disabilities were removed from the Baptists in the different
States, and the new Federal Constitution effaced the last vestige of religious
inequality. Under the influence of the later preaching of Whitefield, the close
of the eighteenth century was marked by a renewal of revival interest, and a
new development of the Arminian type of Baptist churches. For some time the
Free Baptists, or Free Will Baptists, as they were variously called, drew consid-
erable strength from the Regular Baptists, but the latter soon became as strong
as ever.
The next significant movement in the Baptist churches was that connected
with the development of foreign missions. In 1792 the Baptists of England had
organized a missionary society to send William Carey to India, and many of
the Baptist churches in the United States had become interested in the move-
ment and contributed toward its support. The first foreign missionary society in
America was the American Board, organized in 1810, in which Congregational,
Presbyterian, Reformed, and other churches united, and among its first mis-
sionaries were Adoniram Judson, his wife, and Luther Rice. Knowing that in
India they were to meet Baptists, they made special study of Baptist doctrine,
and before landing came to the conclusion that believers7 baptism by immersion
was the true method. Judson immediately sent word of their change of view,
and Rice soon after returned to America to present the cause of Baptist mis-
sions, and succeeded in arousing much interest in the churches. To meet the
new conditions it became evident that some organization was essential, and in
1814 the General Missionary Convention of the Baptist Denomination in the
United States of America for Foreign Missions was formed.
The missionary work of this organization, however, represented only a part of
its scope or achievement. It was, indeed, the first step toward bringing the
various local churches together and overcoming the disintegrating tendencies of
extreme independence. Heretofore the Baptists alone had had no form of
ecclesiastical organization. Now, through the necessities of administration,
there was furnished just what was needed to combine the different units into a
whole, and arouse what has come to be known as "denominational consciousness."
For a time this convention undertook to care also for home missions, which had
already been carried on in a somewhat desultory manner through a Domestic
Missionary Society in Massachusetts and a similar one in New York. With the
increasing migration westward and the rapid development of the States, both
North and South, the tax upon the convention, in addition to its foreign mission-
ary interests, became too great, and it was deemed advisable to organize a home
missionary society, which was done in 1832. With the development of interest
in publication, a tract society had been formed in 1824, which in 1840 was renamed
the American Baptist Publication Society.
As the discussion in regard to slavery became acute, there arose the differences
which resulted in three conventions — northern, southern, and national. "The
northern churches, Baptist as well as others, were strongly antislavery; the
southern churches, Baptist as well as others, were, if not always proslavery,'
certainly not antislavery. A crisis was reached when the question was raised
whether the General Missionary Convention (called also the Triennial Convention
because it met once in 3 years) would appoint as a missionary a person who
owned slaves. To this a very decided negative was returned, and since that
involved a denial of what were considered constitutional rights, the southern
churches withdrew in 1845 and formed the Southern Baptist Convention,1
whose purpose was to do for the southern Baptist churches just what the general
convention had hitherto done for the entire Baptist denomination. It was not
a new denomination; simply a new organization for the direction of the missionary
an'd general evangelistic work of the churches of the Southern States.
The development of the National Baptist Convention, representing the Negro
churches, was naturally slower, and when the census of Baptists for 1926 was
taken numerous divisions made it necessary to use the new term, "Negro
Baptists/' which for statistical purposes includes all the various organizations
known as the "National Baptist Convention, U. S. A.," the "National Baptist
Convention of America," the "Lott-Carey Missionary Baptists/' and the colored
Baptist churches, that were formerly included in the Northern Baptist Convention.
» See p. 140.
BAPTISE BODIES! 89
DOCTRINE
Baptists agree with other evangelical bodies on many points of doctrine.
Their cardinal principle is implicit obedience to the plain teachings of the Word
of God. Under this principle, while maintaining with other evangelical bodies
the great truths of the Christian religion, they hold: (1) That the churches are
independent in their local affairs; (2) that there should be an entire separation of
church and state; (3) that religious liberty or freedom in matters of religion is
an inherent right of the human soul; (4) that a church is a body of regenerated
people who have been baptized on profession of personal faith in Christ, and
have associated themselves in the fellowship of the gospel; (5) that infant baptism
is not only not taught in the Scriptures, but is fatal to the spirituality of the
church; (6) that from the meaning of the word used in the Greek text of the
Scriptures, the symbolism of the ordinance, and the practice of the early church,
immersion in water only constitutes baptism; (7) that the scriptural officers of a
church are pastors and deacons; and (8) that the Lord's Supper is an ordinance
within the church observed in commemoration of the sufferings and death of Christ.
The beliefs of Baptists have been incorporated in confessions of faith. Of
these, the Philadelphia Confession, originally issued by the London Baptist
churches in 1689 and adopted with some enlargements by the Philadelphia Asso-
ciation in 1742, and the New Hampshire Confession, adopted by the New Hamp-
shire State Convention in 1832, are recognized as the most important. The
Philadelphia Confession is strongly Calvinistic. The New Hampshire Confession
modifies some of the statements of the earlier documents, and may be character-
ized as moderately Calvinistic. But while these confessions are recognized as
fair expressions of the faith of Baptists, there is nothing binding in them, and they
are not regarded as having any special authority. The final court of appeal for
Baptists is the Word of God. Within limits, considerable differences in doctrine
are allowed, and thus opportunity is given to modify beliefs as new light may
break from or upon the Word. Among Baptists heresy trials are rare.
ORGANIZATION
Baptist Church polity is congregational, or independent. Each church is
sovereign so far as its own discipline and worship are concerned, calls or dismisses
its own pastor, elects its own deacons or other officers, and attends to its own
affairs. Admission to church membership is by vote of the church, usually after
examination of the candidate by the church committee. There is no specific age
limit, but each applicant must have heard the Gospel and believed for himself on
the Lord Jesus Christ. All members have equal voting rights in church matters,
except that in some churches they are restricted to those over a certain age. The
officers are the pastor and deacons, who, with such other persons as the church
may elect, constitute a church committee, usually called the standing committee,
and have general care of the affairs of the church, but no authority, except as it
is specifically delegated to them by the church. Church property is held some-
times by a board of trustees, sometimes by the entire society, and sometimes by
a special committee of the church.
For missionary and educational or other purposes, Baptist churches usually
group themselves into associations and State conventions. The oldest is the
Philadelphia Association, organized in 1707, which stood alone until 1751, when
the Charleston Association was formed in South Carolina. These associations
and conventions meet annually and are composed of messengers sent by the
churches. They elect their own officers, receive reports from the churches, and
make recommendations with regard to work or other matters in which the churches
are interested. They have, however, no authority to legislate for the churches,
and no power to enforce any action they may take. Many of them conduct
missionary or educational work in the fields covered by them.
Applicants for the ministry are licensed to preach by the church in which
they hold membership. If, after a period of service as licentiate, ordination is
desired, a council of sister churches is called by the church in which membership
is held, and on the recommendation of this council, the church arranges for ordi-
nation. In both cases the right to license and the right to ordain are held by th<j
individual church. Previous to ordination there is always an examination of the
candidate on matters of religious experience, call to the ministry, and views on
scriptural doctrine. During his ministry, a pastor is usually a member of the
church which he serves, and is amenable to its discipline. When a question of
dismissal from the ministry arises, the individual church calls a council of sister
churches for the examination of charges, and on the recommendation of this
council, the church usually bases its decision.
90 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Besides local associations and State conventions, the Baptists have general, or
national conventions, with home mission societies, foreign mission societies,
educational societies, etc. These larger bodies attend to missionary or educational
work in the various States or districts, and are supported by the churches. Like
the local associations, none of these larger organizations has any authority over the
individual churches.
WORK
The organized activities of the Baptist churches are, for the most part, con-
ducted by societies whose membership includes individuals and delegates from
churches or associations, membership in most cases being based on contributions.
Until the separation of the northern and southern churches, the home missionary
work was carried on chiefly by The American Baptist Publication Society, or-
ganized in 1824, and The American Baptist Home Mission Society, organized
in 1832; and the foreign missionary work, by the General Missionary Convention
of the Baptist Denomination in the United States of America for Foreign Missions,
organized in Philadelphia in 1814. Since the organization of the Southern Bap-
tist Convention the publication society has continued its work throughout the
different States, and has retained its distinctly national character. The American
Baptist Home Mission Society, however, subsequently represented the northern
churches only, as did also the foreign missionary society, which in 1846 changed
its name to the American Baptist Missionary Union, and again in 1910, to the
American Baptist Foreign Missionary Society.
A general movement, manifest throughout the country, in church life as well
as in business and public matters, is that for centralization of administration, in
the interest of both economy and efficiency. The Baptist churches felt this, as
did every other denomination, and began to consider whether their benevolent
societies, hitherto in some respects distinct from each other, might not be brought
into some form of general organization which, by removing possibilities of fric-
tion and securing cooperation, would make for greater efficiency. After con-
siderable discussion a move in this direction was made in 1907, which has been
carried out quite successfully and, it is expected, will work great good both to
the activities of the churches and their general denominational life.
Educational work among the Baptists in the United States has made great
strides in recent years, but the same general independence of ecclesiastical con-
trol is manifest in this department as in the government of the local churches,
and is illustrated in the University of Chicago. The same is true of the manage-
ment of Baptist philanthropic institutions. ,In most cases, however, the mem-
bership of the boards is limited to persons connected with Baptist churches.
In addition to the work done by the denominational societies, a large amount
of missionary and educational work is carried on by individual churches, which is
not included in any denominational statement.
NORTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with, urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Northern Baptist Convention for the year 1936
is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have
been received into the local church upon profession of faith and baptism by
immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
6,284
1,329,044
211
493,998
740, 293
94, 753
66.7
60, 691
1, 114, 460
153, 893
5.2
6,085
5,922
$167, 576, 463
$164,911,178
$2, 665, 285
$28, 297
1,694
$20,063,272
3,067
3,149
3,004
$11,930,664
6,168
$19, 577, 463
$6,400,783
$2, 266, 558
$1, 478, 671
$1,364,921
$4,347,318
$436,207
$281, 492
$321, 153
$2,026,258
$654, 102
$3,174
5,904
112, 565
892, 872
2,625
964, 322
367
352, 404
533, 934
77, 984
66.0
47, 891
798, 635
117, 796
5 7
2,561
2,492
$142,430,489
$140, 291, 030
$2, 139, 459
$57, 155
1,239
$19, 041, 188
901
1,391
1,311
$7, 384, 625
2,613
$15, 656, 768
$4,483,215
$2,046,867
$1, 088, 599
$1, 196, 974
$3,712,690
$368, 398
$232, 991
$267, 091
$1, 698, 919
$561, 024
$5,992
2,572
69,845
620, 483
3,659
364, 722
100
141, 594
206,359
16, 769
68.6
12, 800
315,825
36, 097
3.9
3,524
3,430
$25, 145, 974
$24, 620, 148
$525,826
$7, 331
455
$1,022,084
2,166
1,758
1,693
$4, 546, 039
3,555
$3,920,695
$1,917,568
$219, 691
$390,072
$167, 947
$634,628
$67,809
$48, 501
$54,062
$327,339
$93, 078
$1, 103
3,332
42,720
272, 389
41.8
72.6
58.2
27.4
Members, number . .
Average Tnefnl^rship per c1hnr<^h
Membership by sex:
Male
71.3
72.1
82.3
28.7
27.9
17.7
Female
Sex not reported _
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years —
78.9
71.7
76.5
21.1
28.3
23.5
13 years and over _ -
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years *
Church edifices, number
42.1
42.1
85.0
85.1
80 3
57.9
57.9
15.0
14.9
19.7
Value — number reporting
Amount reported ""
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part,
in 1936
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
73.1
94.9
29.4
44.2
43.6
61.9
42.4
80.0
70.0
90.3
73.6
87.7
85.4
84.5
82.8
83.2
83.8
85.8
26.9
5.1
70.6
55.8
56.4
38.1
57.6
20.0
30.0
9.7
26.4
12.3
14.6
15.5
17.2
16.8
16.2
14.2
Amount reported
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages number -
Value~~number reporting
Amount reported-
Expenditures ;
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding
All other current expenses, including
interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross,
etc
TTo"m$ Tni<5<?irms _ _ _
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribu-
tion
All other purposes- _
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting number - - - -
43.6
62.0
69.5
56.4
38.0
30.5
Officers and teachers
Scholars
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
91
92
CENSUS1 OF KELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 1* — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number ., --
1,653
16, 623
129, 349
311
1,751
19, 659
42
736
4,805
829
10, 025
82, 852
210
1,291
14,747
24
574
4,072
824
6,598
46,497
101
460
4,912
18
162
733
50.2
60.3
64.1
67.5
73.7
75.0
0)
78.0
84.7
49.8
39.7
35.9
32.5
26.3
25.0
00
22.0
15.3
Officers and teachers _. _
Scholars -- - -
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers - --
Scholars -. -
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
Scholars - --
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Northern Baptist Convention
for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906. Statistics for 1916 and 1906
include those of the Free Baptist churches, that body having united with the
Northern Baptist Convention since 1916. The Colored Baptist churches in
Northern States, because of their membership in colored associations, are included
under the Negro Baptists at the censuses of 1936 and 1926.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916i
1906i
Churches (local organizations), number ._
6,284
7,611
8,319
9,585
Increase 2 over preceding census:
TsTirrnhei* u , , -, . ._ . _
— 1, 327
-708
— 1, 266
Percent
—17.4
-8.5
—13.2
Members, number _._.__
1,329,044
1 289,966
1, 244, 705
1 133 464
Increase over preceding census:
Number - - -
39, 078
45, 261
111, 241
Percent
3.0
3.6
9 8
Average membership per church
211
169
150
118
Church. edifices, number
6 085
7 722
8 264
9 355
Value— number reporting
5,922
7 297
7 907
8 887
Amount reported -
$167, 576, 463
$185, 370, 576
$95, 314, 853
$77 594 155
Average value per church
$28, 297
$25, 404
$12, 054
$8 731
Debt — number reporting
1,694
1,603
1,797
1 679
Amount reported
$20, 063, 272
$16 004 041
$7, 322, 615
$5 287 911
Parsonages, number _
3,149
Vatoft — number reporting.
3,004
3 716
3 233
2 899
Amount reported
$11, 930 664
$18 279 770
$8 432 072
$5 989 838
Expenditures :
Ohiirohes report] ng, num ber ..
6,168
7,380
8,001
Amount reported
$19, 577, 463
$34, 318, 486
$16,205 825
Pastors' salaries
$6 400 783
All other salaries
$2 266 558
Eepairs and improvements
$1, 478, 671
Payment on church debt, excluding
$27, 647, 658
$12, 972, 200
interest
$1, 364, 921
All other current expenses, including
interest ._
$4, 347, 318
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc_.
Home missions
$436, 207
$281, 492
[Foreign missions, .
$321, 153
$6,656 755
$3 194 411
To general headquarters for distribution.
All other purposes
$2,026,258
$654, 102
Not classified
$14 073
$39 214
Average expenditure per church
$3, 174
$4, 650
$2' 025
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number _
5,904
6 999
7,658
8 405
Officers and teachers
112, 565
114, 237
114 433
111 676
Scholars
892, 872
1,052 794
1 040 594
916* 370
1 Statistics for 1916 and 1906 include those of the Free Baptists, a body which has united since 1916 with this
denomination; they also include colored churches in the Northern States, tabulated in 1926 and 1936 under
Negro Baptists. 2 A. minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
NORTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
93
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Northern Bap-
tist Convention by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table
4 gives the number and membership of the churches for the four census years
1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years
of age" and ' 13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of churches and
parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents,
for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improve-
ments, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of
any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those
States in which three or more churches reported value and expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each association in the Northern
Baptist Convention, the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by States
in the preceding tables, including number of churches, membership, value and debt
on church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
TABLE 3. — NUMBEE AND MEMBEESHIP OF CHTTECHES IN URBAN AND RUEAL
TEEEITOEY, MEMBEESHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
NUMB
ER OF CHUI
ICHES
NUMB!
3R OF MEMI
JERS
Total
Urban
Rural
Total
Urban
Rural
United States
6 284
2 625
3 659
1 329 044
984 822
364 722
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
278
35
243
30, 637
12 035
18 602
New Hampshire
116
19
97
12 220
6 248
5 972
Vermont
73
11
62
9 997
4 089
5 908
Massachusetts
272
186
86
90 366
79 932
10 434
Rhode Island
89
43
46
18^ 749
14 132
4,617
Connecticut - -
126
73
53
26 521
21 294
5 227
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
694
299
395
181 918
142 251
39 667
New Jersey
223
144
79
55 986
45 493
10 493
Pennsylvania
578
314
264
143, 432
115, 302
28, 130
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
385
180
205
87, 260
67, 051
20, 209
Indiana
408
110
298
80, 498
43,029
37, 469
Illinois
397
213
184
97, 373
74, 408
22,965
Michigan _ ~
265
128
137
49, 275
38, 217
11, 058
"Wisconsin .
143
60
83
19, 627
12, 829
6,798
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
190
74
116
32, 039
22, 856
9,183
Iowa
204
73
131
36, 900
24, 124
12, 776
Missouri
2t
2
561
561
North Dakota _- . _ _ >
63
7
56
6,198
1,536
4,662
South Dakota
65
14
51
8,521
3,621
4,900
Nebraska
111
37
74
19, 119
10, 926
8,193
Kansas
260
84
176
55,906
36, 695
19, 211
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware -
14
13
1
5,178
5,088
90
Maryland --
7
1
6
829
414
415
District of f olnfHbfa
24
24
17, 823
17,823
"West Virginia
565
59
506
77, 848
28, 742
49, 106
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
ICentucky
3
3
185
185
Alabama
1
1
80
80
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma
9
1
8
1,657
70
1,587
Texas
1
1
17
17
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
38
17
21
5,336
3,983
1,353
Idaho - -
46
14
32
6,612
3,728
2,884
"Wyoming
25
6
19
4,017
2,193
1,824
Colorado
99
43
56
20, 496
15,538
4,958
Arizona
37
21
16
6,451
5,124
1,327
Utah
8
7
1
1,376
1,329
47
Nevada
7
4
3
1,193
995
198
PACIFIC:
Washington
113
64
49
19, 726
15, 551
4,175
Oregon
79
40
39
16, 546
13, 219
3,327
California -
266
205
61
80, 571
73,896
6,675
94
CENSUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — KUMBBE AND MBMBBKSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES,
1936 — Continued
MEMBERS!
SIP BY SEX
SU1
TDAY SCHO(
3L8
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Male
Female
Sex not
reported
Males
per 100
females
Churches
report-
ing
Officers
and
teachers
Scholars
United States,
493, 998
740, 293
94, 753
88 7
5,904
113, 565
892, 872
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine - - --
10, 366
19, 282
989
53 8
242
3,285
22, 633
New Hampshire
4,189
7,859
172
53.3
97
1,270
8 651
Vermont - -
3,912
5,502
583
71.1
65
810
4,792
Massachusetts - - --
33, 036
51, 019
6,311
64.8
264
6,822
67, 335
Rhode Island
6,479
10, 384
1,886
62 4
82
1,640
11 654
Connecticut -
10, 361
15, 487
673
66 9
121
2,106
13 855
MIDDLE ATLANTIC-
New York
66, 472
102, 345
13, 101
64 9
652
12, 622
89 314
New Jersey ~
20, 231
31, 578
4,177
64.1
213
5,246
38 702
Pennsylvania - ..
49, 366
71, 989
22, 077
68.6
553
12, 309
97, 388
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
34, 829
50 320
2 111
69 2
364
7,373
63 679
Indiana
30, 280
42, 228
7,990
71.7
390
6,650
54, 684
Illinois
36 168
53 476
7 729
67 6
390
8 094
69 746
Michigan.
18, 501
28,904
1,870
64.0
255
5,154
45', 099
Wisconsin
7,560
11, 284
783
67.0
135
2,074
13, 570
WEST NORTH CENTRAL-
Minnesota - -- -
11, 490
16 712
3,837
68.8
171
3 172
22 636
Iowa
14 257
20 838
1 805
68 4
190
3 337
23 404
Missouri .- -- --
318
243
130 9
2
52
568
North Dakota
2 407
3,452
339
69.7
53
749
6 116
South Dakota - --
3,519
4,916
86
71 6
62
876
7 059
Nebraska .. -
7 409
11, 248
462
65.9
106
1 899
12 477
Kansas - ._ -.
21,751
31, 356
2,799
69.4
253
4 788
36 742
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
1,652
3,429
97
48.2
14
448
2 854
Maryland
270
437
122
61 8
g
122
1 111
District of Coliunbfa , . , . ,
6,258
8,055
3,510
77.7
24
1,240
14* 72S
West Virginia
31, 449
45, 492
907
69.1
505
6 439
54 219
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
83
102
81 4
3
22
109
Alabama . -„
45
35
(i)
1
14
66
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma ._. - _
676
981
68 9
9
102
738
Texas
5
12
(i)
1
g
41
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
2 167
3 169
68 4
32
479
3 637
Idaho
2 462
4 150
59 3
42
656
6 275
Wyoming
1 617
2 400
67 4
23
451
2 983
Colorado
7 866
11 895
735
66 1
90
1 781
14 263
Arizona
2 630
3 821
68 8
35
501
4 589
Utah
509
867
58 7
8
120
'947
Nevada
446
644
103
69 3
7
89
1 046
PACIFIC:
Washington -
7,685
11, 826
315
64 1
108
1 908
15 860
Oregon -~
6,234
9,758
554
63 9
75
1*521
11 127
California .. _
29, 143
42 798
8 630
68 1
261
6 336
59 181
i Eatio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
NORTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
95
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
GEOGRAPHIC
DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
19161
1906^
1936
1936
19161
19001
Under 13
years
CO Jg
3
*!
ft
o, I Percent
*K> 1 under 13*
United States...
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
6,284
7,611
8,319
9,585
1,329,044
1,289,966
1,244,705
1,133,464
60,691
1414,460
153,893
278
116
73
272
89
126
694
223
578
385
408
397
265
143
190
204
2
347
129
87
321
100
130
857
266
690
476
468
460
355
170
211
297
455
181
119
357
105
152
942
270
753
473
494
472
400
208
239
357
436
170
126
352
102
143
1,028
287
780
553
520
1,062
512
242
268
412
121
72
91
229
457
16
14
20
7
619
14
30,637
12,220
9,997
90,366
18,749
26, 521
181,918
55,986
143,432
87,260
80,498
97,373
49,275
19, 627
32,039
36,900
561
6,198
8,521
19,119
55,906
5,178
829
17,823
32,031
13,820
9,626
89,635
18,830
22,873
161, 142
62, 539
124, 949
89,328
82,394
95,589
56,878
20, 096
30,897
45,775
35, 492
17, 335
10,010
88,016
19,285
26, 243
183,330
62, 769
154, 105
78,258
75,374
85, 649
49,835
20,425
28,145
44,939
32, 511
15, 931
9,951
75, 611
17,556
25, 616
171,857
54, 404
120, 628
70, 188
62, 134
126, 639
49, 350
20, 701
24, 102
40, 956
5,640
4,596
6,193
17, 386
35,801
2,694
1,494
10, 777
425
50, 149
776
2,165
1,840
1,200
2,804
337
1,382
751
258
293
2,651
305
1,008
6,775
1,874
6,785
4,828
4,584
4,148
3,529
620
1,101
1,827
27,944
9,869
8,569
79, 050
16, 554
24, 498
158, 752
45, 488
105, 386
76,331
66,336
82, 641
43,462
17,330
25, 687
32,095
37
5,727
7,374
17,365
48,055
4,596
659
12,959
1,942
2,093
1,135
8,665
1,890
1,015
16, 391
8,624
31, 261
6,101
9,578
10, 584
2,284
1,677
5,251
2,978
524
330
831
1,022
3,460
270
122
4,295
2.6
2.5
3.3
3.2
1.8
4.0
4.1
4.0
6 0
5.9
6.5
4.S
7.5
3.5
4.1
5.4
~2.~4
4.1
4.0
8.4
6.4
6.8
4.2
New Hampshire..
Vermont
Massachusetts _--
Rhode Island
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York.
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
E. N. OENTEAL:
Ohio .. .
Indiana
Illinois. .
Michigan
Wisconsin
W. N. CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa . _
Missouri
North Dakota....
South Dakota
Nebraska
63
65
111
260
14
7
24
79
93
130
359
10
5
23
90
102
188
400
15
6
17
5
637
7,289
9,284
19, 145
54,740
2,164
422
11,930
6,268
8,852
19,643
46,966
3,651
610
9,667
268
62, 547
141
316
732
4,391
312
48
569
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland. .
Dist. of Columbia.
Virginia
West Virginia.
Georgia
565
696
77,848
76,934
3,346
66,864
7,638
4.8
E. S. CENTRAL:
Kentucky
3
1
39
30
185
22
2
169
14
1.2
Alabama
1
21
47
80
80
W. S. CENTRAL:
8
Louisiana
31
Oklahoma
Texas
9
1
11
4
19
44
61
35
109
~""l9
26
45
19
87
57
1,657
17
5,336
6,612
4,017
20,496
1,683
75
1,271
4,073
5,682
1,841
16,528
73
1,584
17
4,274
5,983
2,734
18,185
4.4
630
2,029
2,331
838
12,917
2,331
1,034
987
316
12,440
11,099
22,718
MOUNTAIN:
Montana. ..
38
46
25
99
54
58
36
122
4,481
6,573
3,459
24,166
289
415
301
1,270
773
214
982
1,041
6.3
6.5
9.9
6,5
Idaho.
Wyoming
Colorado . ._
Arizona. _.
37
8
7
113
79
266
38
11
8
145
105
264
44
14
7
173
127
244
15
10
4
154
128
192
6,451
1,376
1,193
19, 726
16,546
80,571
5,922
1,121
674
21,499
18,945
63, 133
2,927
1,305
356
17,738
15,635
39,570
378
128
76
987
872
4,708
5,418
1,248
1,014
17,357
13, 593
59, 176
655
6.5
9.3
7.0
5.4
6.0
7.4
Utah
Nevada
103
1,382
2,081
16, 687
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon.
California
i Includes figures for the Free Baptist Church.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
96
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total number of
churches
Number of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Churches
reporting
|
Churches
reporting
I
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States _ —
6,284
6,085
5,922
$187, 576, 483
1,694
$20, 063, 272
3,004
$11, 930, 664
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
278
116
73
272
89
126
694
223
578
385
408
397
265
143
190
204
63
65
111
260
14
7
24
565
3
9
38
46
25
99
37
8
7
113
79
266
4
273
114
71
266
84
122
678
217
562
374
396
389
261
141
189
200
58
64
110
250
13
7
24
509
3
9
37
44
25
92
34
8
7
111
76
264
3
268
109
67
258
79
118
672
216
542
355
383
375
257
139
186
198
58
63
105
248
13
4
23
496
3
9
35
43
25
90
32
8
6
109
74
253
23
3, 298, 757
1, 425, 500
1, 104, 525
13, 971, 754
2, 753, 185
5, 154, 399
36, 474, 680
11, 188, 428
19, 134, 854
9, 937, 390
5, 724, 201
11, 220, 208
6, 280, 560
2, 350, 707
3. 754, 169
3, 082, 625
412, 550
878, 750
1, 729, 730
3, 626, 305
699, 500
69, 000
2. 877, 500
3, 871, 600
2,800
63, 050
529, 421
329, 100
284, 200
2,182, 525
529, 475
350, 000
86, 450
2, 073, 524
1, 326, 354
8, 669, 687
129, 000
41
7
10
85
21
35
190
100
216
91
74
114
96
59
50
44
10
17
30
70
7
2
16
43
162, 065
13, 598
45, 836
850, 637
175, 082
416, 151
6, 473, 630
1, 215, 671
2, 323, 684
1, 087, 511
530, 753
1, 657, 454
817, 111
264, 105
338, 267
225, 461
33, 890
53, 925
130, 464
415, 709
35, 855
28, 865
413, 209
206, 088
155
83
54
125
38
77
437
156
277
135
102
182
154
88
94
127
34
41
73
132
7
1
5
80
471, 850
265, 050
202, 000
683, 750
210, 200
439, 712
1, 948, 796
974, 310
1, 333, 014
522, 050
302, 000
776, 610
547, 416
356, 300
308, 400
434, 550
99, 050
134, 550
193, 200
332, 440
43, 500
53, 000
341, 983
New Hampshire - _
Vermont. _ _
Massachusetts _..
Rhode Island
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania, ......
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio _ -____.
Indiana _. __
Illinois
Michigan
"Wisconsin -
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota ~-
lowa
North Dakota -
South Dakota
Nebraska __
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
District of Columbia
West Virginia ,
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Olrlq.Ti(mia
2
9
11
11
30
10
4
2
43
20
123
1
7,600
27, 050
13, 000
27, 052
82, 643
185, 414
16, 515
1,700
263, 578
95, 122
1, 393, 577
35, 000
5
18
31
10
45
18
2
5
58
35
118
2
11, 200
54,350
64, 900
25, 300
121, 175
39, 300
0)
16, 000
144, 783
92, 200
369, 125
18, 600
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho ._ __ __
Wyoming
Colorado
Arizona-
Utah..- _
Nevada
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon -
California
Other States
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
* Includes: Missouri, 1; Alabama, 1; and Texas, 1.
NORTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
97
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation Is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
report-
ing
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
United States 8,284
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine _ 278
New Hampshire 116
Vermont.- 73
Massachusetts _ 272
Rhode Island 89
Connecticut 126
MIDDLE ATLANTIC.
New York 694
New Jersey. 223
Pennsylvania __ ___ 578
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio 385
Indiana. _ 408
Illinois 397
Michigan 265
Wisconsin 143
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota 190
Iowa _ 204
North Dakota 63
South Dakota 65
Nebraska 111
Kansas 260
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware 14
Maryland _ 7
District of Columbia 24
West Virginia 565
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Kentucky 3
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma 9
MOUNTAIN:
Montana 38
Idaho-- 46
Wyoming 25
Colorado 99
Arizona 37
Utah 8
Nevada.. _ 7
PACIFIC-
Washington.... 113
Oregon „ 79
California. _ 266
Other States 4
,168
260
107
72
272
87
126
684
223
379
404
394
263
142
186
196
60
65
109
257
13
7
24
546
113
78
265
14
$19, 577, 463
452, 741
212, 479
135, 350
1, 646, 584
376, 450
571, 890
3, 038, 809
1, 136, 515
2, 023, 780
1, 259, 910
680, 009
1, 449, 531
809,457
331, 098
556, 208
384, 485
82, 879
108, 010
214, 762
546, 203
51, 581
13, 624
343, 704
509, 405
753
10, 142
80, 786
86, 340
45, 070
245,295
115, 747
20,545
18, 777
283, 051
225, 049
1, 500, 356
10, 088
$6, 400, 783
196, 635
99, 449
63, 266
478, 467
123, 145
164, 820
904, 881
364, 863
652, 127
378, 903
271, 351
459, 202
275, 152
136, 163
177, 976
159, 686
34, 743
47, 251
90, 631
190, 668
16, 716
6,134
59, 468
202, 101
403
5,301
35, 981
35,922
21, 220
33, 719
8,478
10,589
113,409
91, 227
401, 037
3,473
$2, 266, 558
27, 273
18, 274
11, 109
230, 593
50, 212
511, 327
145, 835
226, 372
132, 400
61, 486
169, 798
90, 226
24, 460
59, 525
29, 630
3,620
5,682
17, 666
44, 649
722
48, 591
40, 456
56
227
5,840
5,186
1,944
20, 329
5,810
1,820
950
19, 363
16, 305
165, 287
785
81,478,671
52, 798
17, 923
9,207
113, 932
37, 699
50, 900
179, 757
80,215
179, 587
89, 730
69, 387
120, 601
62, 271
33, 530
38, 457
35,448
3,440
4,796
16,139
38, 375
2,142
469
18, 309
50, 268
198
601
12, 016
5,058
3,277
11, 847
6,664
1,499
1,110
36, 116
23, 019
71, 692
194
1 Includes: Missouri, 2; Alabama, 1; and Texas, 1.
98
CENSUS OF EE'LIGIOTJS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHUBCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on church
debt,
excluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To general
head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States.. _
81, 364, 921
S4, 347, 318
$436, 207
$281, 492
2,497
1,004
35
22, 116
1,032
2,745
48, 241
19, 859
21, 429
19, 249
6,283
26,800
19, 270
4,177
10, 929
2,148
2,018
1,141
1,264
9,175
702
41
6,413
3,686
$321, 153
$2,026,258
$854, 102
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
15.292
2,343
3,167
71, 691
6,258
47, 116
159, 145
71, 574
158,277
149, 163
44,782
102, 672
75, 167
18, 200
33, 424
23, 540
15, 054
15, 909
10, 247
41, 480
10, 115
530
43, 658
51, 846
93, 353
41,410
24, 524
441, 314
93, 362
128, 537
700, 225
245, 551
445, 807
302, 538
132, 004
338, 164
159, 419
65, 136
138, 953
74,008
12, 355
16, 256
43, 767
111, 020
10, 005
3,687
70,441
82, 748
28
1,328
13, 394
15, 727
7,429
49, 531
39,866
4,571
2,730
56,539
42, 130
336, 880
2,581
9,025
4,339
1,747
44,147
10, 215
10, 523
81, 910
24, 746
48, 952
18, 938
11, 248
35, 757
17, 816
5,138
13, 479
6,008
2,489
1,148
2,879
9,110
588
131
20, 064
8,761
6,148
1,570
332
33, 620
1,418
3,509
68, 385
27,889
28, 024
16, 211
9,698
26, 570
26, 625
3,329
10, 907
6,375
1,235
921
1,932
3,762
538
20
3,623
2,935
39, 335
22, 794
17, 131
161,002
48,246
83, 982
267,427
124, 397
199,414
125, 250
55,941
135, 481
63, 713
30,930
56,400
36, 782
6,218
12, 003
22, 502
71, 695
3,886
822
45, 539
51, 226
3
8
6,418
11, 549
2,712
33, 021
13,082
1,334
1,579
26, 559
27, 253
220, 547
77
10, 385
3,373
4,832
49, 702
4,863
13, 076
117, 511
31, 586
63, 791
27, 528
17, 829
34, 486
19, 798
10, 035
16, 158
10, 860
1,707
2,903
7,735
26, 269
821
1,068
27, 598
15, 378
65
517
721
1,225
1,549
8,175
3,517
720
278
5,895
6,692
104, 990
466
New Hampshire., _„
Vermont __ „
Massachusetts ..
Rhode Island
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana.
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska _ _
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware ..
Maryland
District of Columbia
West Virginia
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma _» .
1,000
3,754
9,685
4,992
21, 835
8,373
1,115
800
14, 008
8,941
118, 768
1,000
246
1,183
1,500
550
4,656
2,999
154
741
5,799
4,123
25,083
15
455
838
132
635
3,922
1,543
359
459
641
356
762
5,753
174
495
MOUNTAIN:
Montana - -. ---
Idaho
Wyoming ..
Colorado"
Arizona
Utah
Nevada ...
PACIFIC:
Washington
2,114
3,162
35, 300
778
3,249
2,197
20,772
719
Oregon . .
California
Other States
NORTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
99
TABLE 1. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON:
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS, 1936
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
1
"3 2
fe^
JD
£
VALUE OP
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHUECH EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
I
CQ
Total.
6,284
1, 329, 044
80
6,451
2,105
832
1,186
280
839
2,104
„ 1, 413
6,412
6.092
2,638
847
516
6,469
5,158
621
1,800
21, 591
3,311
2,467
5,673
7.777
440
477
16
437
709
1,776
116
8,171
701
7/58
5,386
619
1,320
1,545
4,310
6,892
7,621
3,854
2,192
107
5,178
17,823
1,562
956
3,042
569
510
5,922
$167, 576, 463
I,fl94
$20,063,272
—
6,168
$19, 577, 463
5,904
892, 872
Alabama:
Swedish
1
37
8
6
12
3
6
11
9
22
27
16
3
3
14
13
3
8
49
9
11
17
15
1
8
1
4
6
8
3
22
8
17
8
9
15
20
21
34
18
16
2
14
24
10
8
17
8
4
1
32
7
6
12
3
6
10
9
19
26
15
3
3
14
11
3
8
45
9
11
17
15
1
7
1
4
5
8
2
20
5
7
17
6
8
12
19
IS
34
18
15
13
23
8
17
8
3
(l)
529, 475
145, 000
59,500
155, 050
29, 000
149, 500
265, 750
160, 000
746, 180
369, 815
197, 150
142, 700
24, 695
1, 017, 200
277, 000
45, 380
206, 569
2, 855, 429
254, 000
324, 470
523, 399
714, 900
0)
29,400
23,500
115, 000
85, 800
0
1, 404, 500
65, 000
26, 900
350, 725
23, 700
48,600
- 153, 954
847, 000
2, 025, 600
1, 319, 445
506,200
272,200
CO
699, 500
2, 877, 500
65,000
46,200
147, 100
30,800
43,000
1
37
8
6
12
3
6
11
9
22
27
16
2
3
14
13
3
8
49
9
11
17
15
1
8
1
4
6
8
3
21
4
8
16
8
9
15
20
21
34
18
16
2
13
24
0)
115, 747
27, 565
14, 727
18, 136
5,952
17, 345
34, 595
28, 909
137, 491
89, 511
60, 690
(i)
14, 653
133, 613
81, 866
9,470
37, 742
482, 193
52, 146
44,163
84, 033
105, 604
(i)
3,570
0)
5,210
10, 908
13, 300
649
123, 337
7,945
3,723
59, 585
4,865
12, 108
21, 589
86, 367
187, 544
142, 179
93, 323
37, 220
0)
51, 581
343, 704
25,222
16, 612
32,288
6,998
1
35
8
6
11
3
6
10
9
22
27
16
3
3
14
13
3
8
48
9
11
16
14
1
8
1
4
6
8
3
19
4
7
15
6
9
14
18
20
34
17
16
e
14
24
9
•
1'
l
66
4,589
1,420
614
527
326
701
1,729
1,036
5,308
4887
2,261
587
542
4,880
4,210
470
1,371
14,949
2,689
1,885
3,394
5,039
356
411
35
424
670
1,006
150
6,044
451
420
3,062
511
1,079
933
2,044
3,518
3,801
2,259
1,268
32
2,854
14, 722
1,438
680
2,208
462
527
Arizona:
Arizona
10
1
3
5
185, 414
270
2,554
19, 275
California, Northern:
Central
Clear Lake
General
Nevada-Sierra
Pacific
4
3
3
14
10
4
1
24, 380
57,805
2,700
125, 932
35, 699
10, 589
8,795
Pact&TYjp-Tito
Sacramento River..
San Francisco Bay,
San Joaquin.
San Jose..
Swedish _
Unassociated
California. Southern:
Foot HilL
6
7
2
4
26
6
6
8
9
1
5
196, 500
126, 928
11, 900
34, 900
568, 595
15, 485
26, 145
45, 655
79, 090
0)
1,585
Harbor
Imperial Valley
Kern River
Los Angeles
Santa Ana Valley, .
Santa Barbara
Southwestern
University
Unassociated
Colorado:
Eastern _
Gunmson Valley- —
M!cxic£in
Northeastern
1
2
1,200
1,475
Northern. .
Northwestern
Rocky Mountain...
San Luis Valley
Southeastern— _
9
31, 948
2
7
1
3
2
8
10
7
4
3
1
7
16
fl
1
n
]
1
2,150
42,155
200
1,935
13, 400
124, 500
ISO, 000
48, 201
17, 750
29.800
0)
35, 855
413,209
3,875
250
8.400
400
75
Southern
Southwestern _
Western
Connecticut:
Ashford--
Fairfield-
Hartford
Nw TRTftv^Ti
New London
Stonington Union..
Swedish.
Delaware:
Delaware
District of Columbia:
Columbia
Idaho:
Central
10
Y,
t
4
East
First
North Idaho
Spokane (Wash.)
5,851
i Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
275318—41 8
100
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIEiS, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHUECH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1 936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
f
fc
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches !
reporting
Amount
{Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
Illinois:
Alton
24
12
22
12
26
84
7,933
3,063
4,691
1,659
4; 786
30, 500
1,840
2,504
806
2,499
5,060
2,439
2,686
4,382
1,882
4,808
9,413
5,022
812
588
3,293
2,217
1,702
2,272
2,082
3,819
2,528
1,316
651
2,641
3, 662
2,156
2,361
3,124
11, 418
1,540
3,493
1,836
1,887
3,257
1,992
2,064
968
599
768
2,117
1,578
479
4,143
1.629
37
1,417
2,997
2,380
75
3,651
21
11
22
11
25
75
10
11
5
15
18
14
17
17
12
28
31
22
6
4
15
10
10
6
17
18
9
5
7
10
15
18
15
13
28
8
17
12
12
14
14
13
7
6
8
8
9
3
10
10
1
12
15
1
19
1 9
$445, 500
518, 500
3S9, 200
48,487
523, 000
5, 557, 371
216, 000
146, 400
26, 000
282, 100
491,450
155, 000
175, 600
477, 450
125,800
187,350
744, 500
527, 700
139, 500
42, 300
141, 950
121, 100
116, 700
234,834
27, 925
191, 250
145,600
87, 500
25, 700
149, 500
383,400
62, 550
60,450
176, 700
1, 398, 500
156, 900
218, 850
92, 500
81, 700
357, 200
52, 700
84, 800
33, 000
8,450
46, 600
288, 500
66, 700
4,000
527, 500
52, 100
113, 550
117, 000
85,492
(l)
327.400
90, 100
8
4
2
$49, 029
106, 000
12, 075
24
12
22
12
26
83
10
12
5
15
18
14
17
18
13
29
30
24
6
4
16
12
11
6
17
18
9
5
7
10
15
20
16
14
$91, 205
41, 433
45, 513
6,844
49, 108
655, 240
41, 761
12, 819
3,811
37, 100
65, 741
16, 614
34, 345
66, 707
12, 658
32, 585
100, 083
118, 541
8,854
8,569
23, 938
19, 221
15, 102
31, 339
6,470
29, 041
14, 877
13, 035
* 5,290
19, 481
49, 232
11, 787
8,519
27, 151
134, 913
13, 723
31, 998
18, 212
8,230
26, 030
7,945
12, 798
6,144
1,127
6,438
28, 751
9,169
2,919
39, 845
8,352
C1)
10,350
24, 944
24
12
21
12
26
82
10
12
5
13
18
14
17
18
13
29
31
23
6
4
16
10
11
6
17
18
9
5
7
10
15
20
15
13
32
8
16
13
11
16
13
12
7
6
8
8
£
3
11
9
1
6
13
15
1
19
8
5,724
2,449
2,959
946
3,243
19, 743
1,547
1,276
525
1,885
3,821
1,897
2,378
2,610
1,181
3,355
8,204
4,688
869
446
2,337
1, 855
1,623
1, 826
1,248
2,338
1,490
850
418
1,597
2,381
1,356
1,082
2,348
9,736
826
2,372
1, 357
1,234
2,255
813
1,289
624
389
603
1,463
821
218
2,610
1,011
40
735
2 239
1,200
100
2,209
542
Aurora,--
Bloomington
Champai gn-Urb ana
Chicago -
5
53
g
1
42, 640
I. 212, 850
11, 870
4,000
German
10
12
r
15
IS
14
17
18
13
30
31
24
e
16
12
11
6
18
18
9
10
15
20
16
14
Greene-Jersey - - -
Ottawa
1
1
1
<3
4
3,300
6,600
6,000
11,260
23, 050
Peoria
Quincy
Rock Island
Rock River
Salem
Southern
3
7
15
2
1
5
4
2
4
24, 549
74, 588
46, 743
5,900
17, 000
20, 700
34,475
15, 250
16, 351
Springfield
Swedish
Wabash Valley
Unassociated
Indiana:
Bedford
Bethel-
Brownstown
Calumet --
C off 6e Creek
Curry's Prairie
4
1
4
3
r
6
16, 885
600
27,950
8,800
1,500
57,985
Decatur County
East Central
Evansville
Flat Rock
Fort "Wayne
Frsedom.
Friendship
1
1
10
o
4
1
58
3,000
91, 919
12,000
22,400
130
Harmony
Indianapolis
32
8
17
13
12
16
16
1J
8
8
1(
11
32
8
17
13
12
16
15
IS
8
9
10
4
11
10
1
6
13
15
19
8
Johnson County —
Judson,.
Laughery
Linton
Logansport ..
4
7,185
Lonff Run
Madison _
1
600
IVIount Zion
Noble-Lagrange
Northern
r
c
1
1
3
11, 272
9,700
800
170
157, 673
Orleans
Perry County
SaJa/monie
Sand Creek
10
Swedish
1
0)
Tlppecanoe
13
IS
Union
<
<
2,800
9,700
White Lick
10, 986
0)
42, 919
7,005
Unassociated
Iowa-
Cedar Valley
2(
43,447
Creston__
1,036
i Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
NORTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
101
TABLE 7,— -NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS.
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
*0
Is
I!
a*
§
Number of mem-
bers
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
Iowa— C ontinued .
Danish
7
2
7
7
8
10
16
8
16
9
22
12
17
16
9
7
2
25
5
10
11
11
2
6
18
18
27
13
10
9
5
5
31
12
3
5
25
8
2
1
2
12
12
18
14
15
26
26
12
14
21
14
27
9
17
939
181
320
476
1,678
2,102
5,382
1,060
2,756
1,487
5,793
2,022
1,896
3,943
1,315
769
94
4,656
516
2,700
• 1,245
907
189
677
4,340
3,384
8,681
2,219
791
1,574
724
507
7,758
1,311
398
435
10, 946
1,240
745
164
21
2,332
1,047
3,800
680
895
1,126
1,611
1,866
3,054
1,746
1,167
3,129
1,258
2,073
7
2
5
7
7
10
15
8
16
9
21
12
17
16
9
7
2
23
5
10
11
9
2
6
18
16
26
12
10
9
4
4
30
11
3
5
24
8
2
1
2
9
11
18
12
14
24
25
12
14
21
14
26
9
17
$62, 000
0)
26,800
15, 300
190, 250
138, 845
509, 800
127, 000
220, 000
77, 100
415,300
278, 500
81, 230
400, 500
62, 500
49, 300
0)
299, 465
39, 500
123, 100
61, 000
21, 450
23, 600
477, 000
181, 600
493, 100
119, 650
32, 400
120, 700
25, 765
18, 500
482, 355
65, 650
32, 000
40, 500
804, 525
83, 445
«
C1)
0)
425, 500
114, 807
667, 500
41, 100
74,000
112, 850
115, 500
83, 500
170,000
133, 050
127, 500
253,650
98, 000
124, 400
2
$4, 790
6
2
6
5
8
10
16
8
16
9
22
12
16
16
9
6
2
25
5
10
11
11
2
6
16
18
27
12
10
9
5
5
31
12
3
5
25
8
2
1
2
12
12
18
14
14
22
21
12
13
20
14
27
9
14
$12, 819
(»)
1, ,'585
1,438
28, 932
20, 754
54, 838
10,016
24, 773
8,754
59, 214
23, 751
10,305
43, 491
24, 839
7, 483
C1)
46, 208
4,297
33, 894
13, 170
4,784
0)
3,487
51, 793
24, 430
81, 897
9,592
4,904
20, 638
5,655
5,041
50, 633
34, 410
5,019
4,930
119, 859
11, 002
0)
8
43, 787
19, 421
59, 242
8,774
13, 517
16, 613
27, 028
25, 481
46, 020
19, 365
23,695
44,107
13, 270
20,752
5
r
5
8
10
16
8
14
8
22
12
16
15
9
4
2
24
5
10
11
11
2
5
17
17
27
13
9
8
5
5
31
11
3
5
25
8
2
1
2
11
10
18
12
13
21
21
11
13
17
14
26
8
12
643
80
178
223
1,632
1,477
2,739
721
1,600
1,002
3,236
1, 601
1, 300
2,271
1,326
4IJ4
WO
3,302
463
1,984
914
613
160
469
2,799
2,480
4,418
1,154
548
1,107
458
293
4,927
1,285
375
400
7,632
763
313
64
45
1,433
733
2,926
516
832
1,148
1,297
1,707
1,981
1,238
1,177
2,283
521
1,413
East Grand River. .
English River
Fox River
German
2
3
6
1
4
2
9
4
1
5
4,600
5,150
16, 715
4,375
51, 439
3,200
28, 490
14, 000
1,300
46, 555
Iowa
Mideastern..
Northeastern
Northern
Oskaloosa _
Roger Williams
Sioux Valley
Southern ___
Southwestern
Swedish
Washington
1
1,400
TJnassociated..
Kansas:
Arkansas Valley
Blue Valley
8
1
1
56, 228
200
1,250
Central _..
Chikaskia
Fort Scott
1
1
1
6
1
13
3
3
2
1
770
0)
40
64, 200
1,500
45, 483
6,290
4,400
9,000
2,650
German
Jewell
Kansas River
Miami.
Missouri River
Northeast
Northwest
Republican Valley.
Solomon Valley
South Central ..
Southeast
10
4
42, 435
1,150
Southwest—
Swedish
Upper Solomon
Walnut Valley
2
10
2
4,988
146, 275
26, 350
West Central
TJnassociated
Kentucky
Ohio Valley
Portsmouth
Maine:
Androscoggin _
3
2
4
2
2
2
6,850
2,150
32, 110
706
981
8,906
Bowdomham— .
Cumberland
Damariscotta -
Farmington
Hancock
I/incoln
North Aroostook. . _
North Kennebec
North York
4
4
1
3
3
2
3
4,118
6,086
3,862
27, 573
14, 800
7,650
11, 218
Oxford
Penobscot
Piscataquis
South Aroostook
i Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any Individual church.
102
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBEBSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPEND ITUBBS, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1 9 36 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches ||
S
<o
a
*i
fe*
rQ
£
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
1«
2|
II
fl
p
O
a
-<
S*0
-a 2
O+3
•~1 t-t
II
o
a
<i
9 M>
•fl.S
O-p
*•" fe
51
o *-*
+3
fl
3
o
a
<i
03 W3
•=» B
O±s
** fe
11
e
JS
"o
•g
CQ
Maine— Continued.
South Kennebec_-_
South York
13
12
16
6
1
10
11
26
19
20
23
13
8
17
15
2
20
9
19
13
20
26
1
13
4
40
13
4
11
8
16
13
17
15
12
10
5
6
16
16
9
17
15
5
11
9
f
14
17
14
8
83
3(
2
1,828
1,646
1,379
804
25
512
3,414
13,877
12, 423
7,669
9,627
2,824
1,311
7,043
3,759
129
6,036
1,595
5,978
3,281
5,669
5,083
136
709
677
13, 105
3,003
839
1,885
966
1,121
1,055
3,475
3,076
1,807
1,492
945
388
3,243
2,919
798
1,812
4,595
1,365
1,113
920
323
1,907
1,733
2,578
815
9,656
12-9i§
13
12
16
3
1
8
11
24
17
20
23
13
7
17
14
2
20
8
17
13
18
26
$437, 200
204, 500
111, 700
68,500
(0
89, 500
595, 850
1,955,450
1, 849, 670
1, 153, 135
2, 227, 700
283, 235
128, 500
665, 975
535, 200
0)
1,011,084
182, 000
622, 170
497, 510
1, 053, 050
1, 108, 225
2
2
2
2
$210
31, 650
3,195
28,865
13
11
14
6
1
10
11
26
19
20
23
13
8
17
15
2
20
9
19
13
20
26
1
12
4
40
13
4
11
8
15
13
17
15
12
10
5
6
16
16
9
17
15
5
10
9
2
14
17
14
8C
32
$24, 393
30, 872
16, 404
13, 594
0)
26, 265
51, 093
239, 576
231, 768
157, 648
215, 108
37, 225
23, 596
104, 219
53, 065
0)
96, 550
37, 024
112, 213
49, 818
105, 944
100, 440
0)
7,729
10, 908
259, 868
65,036
12,281
41, 151
14, 383
13, 631
18, 432
43, 012
39, 228
25, 133
20f 829
20, 951
4,562
50, 627
39, 553
10,463
32, 738
69, 723
9,219
20, 111
14, 905
0)
25, 187
24, 344
42, 639
12,304
187, 441
225, 236
0
12
9
14
6
1,264
1,209
955
1,111
Washington
Maryland:
Columbia
Monongahela (Pa.)-
Massachusetts:
9
10
24
19
19
23
13
8
17
15
2
20
8
19
13
19
25
1
11
4
39
13
4
11
8
14
13
17
15
11
10
5
5
16
16
9
16
13
5
9
8
2
12
15
14
7
73
30
462
1,826
9,197
7,453
5,243
6,028
1,471
849
3,634
2,654
155
4,438
1,083
4,713
1,923
3,289
2,849
68
643
737
14, 692
2,715
807
994
668
1,033
1,247
2,873
2,672
1,370
1,265
781
417
2,124
2,470
803
1,921
3,981
886
858
709
230
1,359
1,306
1,904
537
8,291
7,393
49
Berkshire ..
2
12
8
10
7
63, 000
244, 404
58, 510
57,012
79, 545
34, 125
Boston Eatet
Boston North
Boston South
Boston West
Framine^ham
Franklin-Millers
River
Memmac River —
Old Colony
7
6
1
8
2
4
2
8
3
38, 790
23, 850
0)
28, 677
14, 500
138, 800
13, 000
43,674
10, 750
Providence (B. I.)--
Salem __
Swedish
Taunton
Wachusett
Westfield
"Worcester
Michigan:
Alpena
13
4
39
12
4
11
8
16
12
17
15
12
8
5
6
15
16
9
17
15
3
11
9
2
14
17
14
8
81
28
55, 800
28,000
1, 049, 910
387, 800
128, 000
1, 120, 450
76, 700
79, 350
62, 200
290, 900
236, 500
169, 500
63, 500
89,500
30, 000
313, 000
409, 500
59,400
206,400
447, 650
76, 500
72, 200
69,800
0)
122, 500
143, 100
318,000
67,400
720, 110
2, 207, 559
(9
2
460
Detroit
34
4
3
4
4
4
5
3
3
1
3
c
K
4
2
6
3
2
2
531, 186
21, 448
8,200
86, 289
2,250
1,650
4,840
12, 000
6,094
10, 840
2,186
5,240
1,775
9,550
72, 000
750
9,345
23,322
7,686
650
Flint River
German
Grand River
Grand Traverse
Hillsdale
Huron
Jackson. .
Kalamazoo River...
Kent-Muskegon
X/enawee. ....
Marquette
Osceola — .
Saginaw Valley
Shiawassee --
St. Joseph River
Valley..
Swedish
Wayne
Unassociated . -
Minnesota:
Dane-Norwegian. >.
Lake Superior
Minnesota Valley-.
Northwestern
Southeastern
1
2
3
1
3
26
12
W800
17,500
5,763
3,000
35, 133
273, 621
Southwestern
Swedish .
Twin City
Unassoclatecl
* Amount Included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any Individual church.
NORTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
103
TABLE T. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
i
a
o£
is
1
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
Missouri:
Swedish
1
4
4
3
2
10
1
6
8
9
4
8
13
6
1
8
6
6
18
17
4
11
11
8
10
13
12
14
16
15
6
11
524
588
223
384
121
1,739
26
668
1,587
2,587
776
1,450
1,994
650
100
892
447
1,063
5,311
2,157
300
1,392
1,193
937
840
622
2,862
907
1,315
1, 986
1,879
564
308
10, 912
2,819
9,822
3,453
4,365
1
4
3
3
2
10
1
5
7
9
4
8
13
6
1
8
5
5
16
16
4
10
6
10
7
10
13
11
14
15
13
6
10
45
14
30
18
20
0)
$27, 500
24, 000
14, 800
0)
207, 121
101, 000
127, 000
211, 200
37,500
72,500
158, 200
80,100
73,400
18,500
39, 499
733,450
200, 790
23,000
61, 591
86, 450
163, 200
124, 000
93,850
264, 850
68,700
126, 000
279, 800
193, 300
75,500
36, 300
1, 920, 928
615, 000
2, 647, 000
755, 000
571, 650
1, 625, 600
1
3
(')
$5, 550
1
4
4
3
2
10
1
4
7
9
4
8
13
6
1
8
5
6
18
17
4
10
7
10
7
8
13
11
14
15
15
6
8
45
14
31
20
20
17
27
19
29
C1)
$9, 340
4,712
3,671
C1)
26, 784
su
21, 737
33,449
4,941
12,902
17, 436
8,776
('U
2,892
10,837
76, 161
21, 307
5,446
11, 270
18, 777
21, 821
17, 478
9,794
35, 117
15, 644
23,490
40, 197
33, 729
6,623
8,586
208, 658
53, 551
227, 815
70,923
74,844
152, 456
181, 608
79, 021
86, 568
0)
11, 857
30, Oil
60, 841
212,829
27,76
41,10
1
2
3
3
1
10
1
5
7
9
4
8
13
6
1
7
6
6
18
15
4
9
7
10
6
7
12
10
10
15
14
6
7
44
14
30
18
19
16
26
18
2'
453
381
208
262
150
995
100
577
964
1,090
428
730
1,528
516
35
612
303
755
3,729
1,448
335
968
1,046
723
658
431
1,853
801
885
1,280
1,318
389
313
11, 154
1,657
6,065
1,677
2,514
3,117
4,616
3,434
4,440
28
688
992
20
3,654
7,721
1,478
1,324
Montana:
Bitter Root
Crow Indian
Flathead
German
Rocky Mountain-
Swedish
1
4,000
Teton
3
2
5
13, 650
3,850
19, 250
Yellowstone
Nebraska:
Capitol
Ouster
I^irst Nebraska
Grand Island .. .
2
2
3
1
1
1
2
5
5
1
1,002
8,500
4,850
0)
1,864
290
800
62, 150
19, 458
900
3,400
1,700
Nebraska Confer-
ence, Swedish
New Era __ -.
Northeastern
North Platte
Northwestern „
Omaha
Southern Union
Southwestern Ger-
man
York,. .. _
Nevada:
Nevada-Sierra
New Hampshire:
Belknap
Dublin
1
1,200
Meredith-Sand-
wich
Milford
1
250
New Durham
Newport
1
<•
]
1
3,795
2,075
5,078
1,200
Portsmouth
Salisbury
White Mountains --
"Wolfeboro
New Jersey:
Camden
45
14
23
8
19
12
5
9
13
5
6
258, 192
48,878
285, 700
101, 675
11, 123
209,140
130, 113
125, 100
45, 750
Central
East .
31
20
20
Hudson
Monmouth
Morris and Essex-
North
27
19
29
6
12
6,764
4 973
5,696
30
1,011
2,101
25
18
29
1
6
12
1
22
44
"8
1, 661, 200
718, 500
675, 050
O
105, 500
288, 250
0)
574, 200
1, 960, 550
227, 525
354, 800
Trenton
West
TTnassociated
(
12
22
44
1
New York:
Allegany
725
27,321
i:
2
4
1
Black River
2
Bradford (Pa.)
Broome and Tioga—
Buffalo
' 26
4,505
13,357
2,558
2,003
22
44
11
2J
31, 250
436, 875
23, 002
16, 05C
Cattaraugus
Gavuga
i Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
104
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of 1
churches |
Number of mem-
bers
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
i
New York — Con.
Chautauqua »
23
15
15
10
20
27
20
34
10
54
3,464
3,666
1,884
23
15
15
10
19
27
19
34
10
52
12
11
34
13
20
18
22
8
13
7
8
11
17
12
42
6
23
1
9
20
12
10
2
30
9
3
3
2
8
3
$400, 400
550, 000
193, 500
237, 000
285, 200
112, 000
289, 500
548, 600
715, 700
1, 904, 350
53, 500
3, 747, 113
229, 600
268, 900
5, 218, 797
398, 900
575, 000
1, 222, 795
350, 000
236, 000
187, 000
97, 600
27, 250
217, 000
900, 200
197, 100
12, 479, 650
40, 000
324, 300
CO
131, 000
451, 500
275, 000
56,900
0)
175, 050
22, 200
16, 000
12, 700
0)
174, 700
5,400
5
i
i
I
k
6
6
14
1
28
1
3
16
F
9
6
2
2
1
$9, 550
17, 230
150
28, 950
11, 700
800
12, 915
62, 175
46, 708
137, 570
100
393, 829
1,600
4,750
2, 273, 742
27, 148
24, 424
23
15
15
10
20
27
20
34
10
54
12
12
36
13
20
18
23
8
12
7
8
11
16
12
50
7
23
1
9
19
12
8
2
32
8
3
3
3
8
2
1
8
11
10
16
10
9
4
35
16
2?,
$54, 304
53, 157
22, 853
38, 280
29, 508
12, 792
45, 731
53, 845
64, 315
185, 033
8,908
374, 708
24, 663
30, 708
249, 031
56, 630
119, 183
100, 382
40,703
18, 401
19, 555
14, 355
5,154
21, 204
72, 176
28, 930
743,414
7,799
49, 208
(0
18, 627
47, 594
27, 818
7,130
(i)
33, 532
4,087
3,118
1,676
1,377
36, 910
8
2,920
69, 933
36, 858
33, 939
8,267
3,141
3,744
256,069
21, 455
81.628
22
15
13
6
10
18
27
18
3£
54
11
11
35
13
18
17
22
8
12
7
4
11
16
10
48
7
24
1
8
18
12
5
2
30
7
2
2
2
7
2
1
8
11
10
15
10
9
4
34
13
20
2,570
2,269
1,280
1,238
733
337
1,921
2,705
1,859
4,594
327
•9,255
957
1,300
7,063
2,353
2,300
3,573
1,838
949
1,022
690
145
862
2,524
947
10, 893
368
2,445
152
502
1,532
1,374
336
244
4,245
404
219
110
54
844
225
15
360
3,966
1,744
2,398
1,055
399
406
7,969
1,352
3. 008
Chemung River
Clienanso
Cortland
1,886
1,400
756
3,173
4,029
3,866
7,8B2
* 695
16, 685
1,427
2,403
13, 349
3,581
4,653
6,100
3,092
1,785
ll476
1,154
507
1,350
5,029
1,812
46, 736
658
4,046
202
968
3,432
1,974
865
418
3,089
547
408
212
144
1,585
200
13
420
4,126
2,193
3,087
1,331
571
511
12,632
2,064
4925
Dutchess
Essex and Cham-
plain
Franklin
Genesee _
Hudson River Cen-
tral
Hudson River
North ..
Lake George
Long Island
Madison
12
12
36
13
20
18
25
8
13
7
8
11
17
12
51
7
24
1
9
20
12
11
2
32
9
3
4
3
8
3
1
8
11
10
17
10
9
4
35
16
22
Mohawk River
Monroe
Niagara.
Oneida
Onondaga
324, 350
4,154
1,350
7,250
100
Ontario-Yates
Orleans
Oswego
Otsego
Rensselaerville
St. Lawrence
1
7
735
110, 700
Saratoga
Seneca
Southern New
York
16
2, 372, 455
Stephentown
Steuben
3
51, 012
Swedish
Union
Washington-Union.
Wayne
3
1
2
5
8,200
4,000
(')
4,700
Worcester _
Unassociated.
North Dakota:
German Conference
Northwestern
Norwegian Confer-
ence ._
1
1
290
500
Red River Valley __
Russian Conference
Sheyenne River
Swedish Conference
Unassociated
Ohio:
A flams
2
1
28,100
300
8
7
10
15
10
8
4
30
16
20
36, 200
300, 000
289, 520
220, 700
75, 250
16, 300
27,000
2, 360, 300
169, 700
656, 300
Akron
6
5
4
2
103, 900
16, 019
17, 756
8,386
Ashtabula
Auglaize
Cambridge
Central
ClprmoTit.
Cleveland
17
2
4
375, 810
4,050
134. 895
Clinton
Columbus
* Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics of
any individual churcli.
NORTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
105
TABLE 7.— NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936— Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
1
a
"o j2
,Q
fc
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHUECH EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporthlg
1
02
Ohio— Con.
Coshocton _ . .. _
11
29
6
e
7
6
8
10
18
13
23
11
13
12
9
1
4
1
13
11
9
15
6
1
9
17
£
6
j
£
1C
10
13
24
6
15
8
11
3]
29
1\
18
IS
*
8
11
1,104
7,929
814
968
1,616
876
718
1,977
2,137
2,458
10, 860
1,596
1,990
1,815
1,375
40
405
175
3,733
3,344
3,753
2,829
2,374
514
1,657
4,027
267
1,403
636
767
223
928
2,700
1,401
4,194
6,944
979
3,718
1,139
1,078
55
7,503
5,588
552
1,558
2,735
2,777
162
1,588
1,167
11
28
6
5
7
6
8
10
13
13
23
10
11
11
8
1
4
1
12
10
9
13
6
1
9
16
3
6
5
6
3
5
9
10
11
23
6
15
8
11
1
31
29
3
12
17
12
2
8
8
$51, 000
766, 800
17, 350
83, ftOO
54,500
60, 500
20, 750
325, 000
79, 450
243, 300
1, 652, 345
103, 400
23, 400
123, 000
80, 700
10, 300
(0
842, 625
365, 200
324, 000
253, 700
192, 000
0)
63,050
221, 540
9,500
120, 000
34, 400
87, 100
30,500
29, 050
266, 610
160, 754
386, 900
838, 000
132,500
383,600
91,700
54,300
1, 039, 000
907, 580
45, 500
J 64, 650
366, 500
212, 170
(')
368, 000
60, 500
11
29
6
5
7
6
8
10
17
13
23
11
13
12
9
1
3
1
12
11
9
14
6
1
9
16
3
6
5
7
3
5
10
10
13
24
6
15
8
11
1
31
28
g
13
17
13
I
9
$9, 036
107, 177
1,469
10, 530
15, 720
8,417
4,271
23,006
17,003
25, 741
260, 049
15, 481
4,289
14, 782
13, 091
S'918
63, 946
36, 989
36, 716
28,294
20, 171
0)
10, 142
46, 878
3,862
34, 817
6,300
10,420
3,206
9,247
35, 551
19, 362
55, 406
88,079
13, 292
57, 564
14, 696
10,543
132, 631
91, 654
7,855
20,405
26,553
36, 138
0)
29,906
9,342
11
28
6
6
7
6
8
10
14
13
23
9
13
12
6
1
3
1
13
11
8
14
6
1
9
15
3
6
5
7
3
5
10
9
12
22
6
15
7
10
1
29
24
718
5,848
255
703
1,143
652
436
1, 504
1,246
2,274
8,465
817
1,189
1,356
959
70
205
155
3,055
2,449
2,823
2,165
1,960
575
738
2,137
302
1,193
491
639
255
517
1,745
1,198
2,650
4,247
663
3,185
791
710
20
5,642
4,458
315
1,212
2,196
1,892
146
1,256
1,148
Dayton
9
$41, 200
Gallia
Huron
1
3
2
1.000
1,100
3,475
Lawrence
Lorain
Mad River
Mansfield
2
1
2
9
1
39, 100
3,900
4,951
211, 050
950
Marietta
Marion
Miami
Mount Vernon
Ohio (Independent)
Pomeroy
2
2
600
17,000
Ports1"1"1 °nth
Providence
Rio Grande
Swedish
1
3
6
3
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
0)
32, 500
16, 470
11, 100
8,200
11, 099
0)
7,600
23, 000
5,400
3,750
Toledo
Trumbull
Wooster
Zanesville
Zoar
Unassociated
Oklahoma:
Western Oklahoma-
Indian
Oregon:
Central- Willamette
Deschutes
German
Grande Ronde
Rogue River
2
9,748
Swedish
Umatilla
TTrnprjiia
4
3
5
11
1
7
2
3
1
12
8
1
3
5
n
4
14, 184
8,770
30, 270
77,164
750
25, 772
535
2,025
101, 411
138, 433
4,084
3,595
15, 418
842
Willamette — Out-
side
Willamette— Port-
land. ..
Pennsylvania:
Abington -
Allegheny River
Beaver
Bradford . .
Bridgewater-
Broome and Tiosca
(New York)
Central Union
Centre
Chemung River
(New York)
Clarion
1J
16
1J
I
11
Clearfield
French Creek
TT&rrisbTirg
(.
37,450
3,500
Indiana
i Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
106
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
Number of mem-
bers
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
i Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
Pennsylvania— Con.
Monongahela
26
40
33
21
67
65
23
12
1
1
17
28
10
11
16
13
26
21
18
24
9
11
4
15
6
5
2
9
4
1
8
5
1
9
8
15
10
11
14
11
11
8
7
1
6
2
13
25
13
15
5,449
10, 467
6,680
4,588
38, 045
17, 782
4,316
2,711
83
179
2,385
2,494
748
2,652
2,627
4,657
2,449
5,530
3,068
7,702
919
1,488
236
2,306
701
407
166
1,783
515
17
1,376
536
60
1,023
1,331
2,736
1,004
1,358
1,949
1,413
1,725
1,083
527
60
985
S3
3,985
5,692
2,017
2.129
25
39
31
20
63
59
20
9
1
1
17
24
11
15
11
24
19
15
21
8
11
15
6
5
1
9
4
1
8
4
1
9
8
14
8
10
13
11
10
8
7
1
e
2
13
24
13
13
$419, 600
1, 667, 400
807, 500
705, 800
4, 956, 750
3, 386, 154
710, 500
425, 500
0)
0)
126, 000
147, 050
64, 000
398, 000
276, 300
289, 000
219, 000
1, 052, 285
318, 900
1, 163, 000
152, 000
150f 600
30, 100
122, 600
128, 900
39, 550
197, 000
49, 000
0)
350, 000
102, 500
78, 600
145, 500
353, 300
77, 425
129, 500
205, 700
91, 400
67, 725
90,300
34,500
0)
146,000
0)
598, 300
586, 649
145, 150
294. 000
8
21
11
13
29
36
9
3
$10, 519
212, 258
40, 780
140, 985
407, 419
753, 673
164, 245
27, 800
26
40
31
21
67
64
23
12
1
1
17
27
9
11
15
13
24
21
18
24
9
11
4
15
6
5
2
9
4
1
8
5
1
9
8
15
9
11
14
11
11
8
7
1
6
2
13
25
13
15
$43, 030
227, 819
87, 840
63,868
475, 750
284, 823
74, 002
54, 746
0)
0)
18, 458
21, 634
9,533
42,827
37,876
32, 523
39, 311
114, 244
62,193
160, 702
10, 530
14, 167
2,739
34, 409
10, 942
4,307
22, 493
6,095
0)
20, 545
10, 528
C1)
12, 535
21, 994
32, 196
13, 028
17, 564
25, 905
20,795
25, 702
13, 746
9,001
(*)
10, 042
55, 007
81,087
24; 999
39. 832
26
40
31
21
64
63
22
12
1
1
17
26
10
11
15
13
20
21
17
24
8
10
4
15
0
4
2
9
4
1
8
4
1
7
7
15
9
9
13
11
11
6
7
1
5
2
12
25
12
15
3,762
10, 296
5,067
3,463
18, 675
11,481
3,522
2,533
29
210
1,828
1,797
589
2,235
2,216
1,784
1,220
3, 658
1,993
4,783
608
966
251
2,397
758
335
145
1,134
465
41
947
222
46
468
745
1,079
525
724
983
1,369
1,482
829
541
65
608
73
2,723
4,856
1,669
1.605
North Philadelphia.
Northumberland . . .
Oil Creek, ..
Philadelphia.. ..
Pittsburgh,
Reading
Riverside
Steuben
Swedish
Ten Mile
Tioga. .__
4
3
6
3
6
4
4
3
10
3
3
7,200
5,700
47, 210
21, 609
72, 307
10, 775
20, 380
7,652
136, 275
9,300
10, 075
Wayne .
Welsh ...
Wyoming
Unassociated-
Rhode Island:
Narra^ansett
Providence.
Roger Williams
Warren _
South Dakota:
Black Hills
Central
Danish-Norwegian
German
4
2
1
1
2
1
2,125
12, 750
12,000
°U
325
Northern
Northwestern
Rosebud
Southern- _
Swedish
Texas:
Swedish
Utah:
Utah State Conven-
tion
4
1
16, 515
1,900
Vermont:
Addison
Berkshire (Massa-
chusetts) .-
Danville
Lamoille.-
2
2
2
1
2
4
3
3
1
3,751
25,870
3,390
75
10, 850
1,880
6,510
5,418
200
Shaftsburv ,
Vermont Central . . .
Windham,._
Woodstock
Washington:
Bellingham Bay
Central „_
Cowlitz
Overman
Idaho State —
Mount Pleasant-
Palouse. ..
2
23, 146
Norwegian- Danish
Conference.
Puget Sound .
8
9
6
7
118, 435
81, 195
4,325
22. 469
Seattle
Spokane
Swedish
1 Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
NORTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
107
TABLE 7, — NXJMBBR AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
1
r
J3
£
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHUKCH EDIFICES
EXPENDITtJEES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
1
J3
&
West Virginia:
Broad Run.
26
22
11
34
9
15
11
43
35
21
19
45
31
43
22
12
26
34
35
24
1
24
20
2
8
1
8
6
11
4
12
20
2
21
5
15
15
14
1
9
11
4
1
3,052
2,289
813
3,423
2,126
1,278
1,167
5,629
8,696
1,534
1,306
4,867
4,010
8,367
2,163
2,626
4,307
4,773
3,716
3,936
104
3,738
3,790
138
727
11
1,164
1,640
1,325
687
1,419
4,234
311
2,098
352
1,597
1,975
2,068
19
1,039
1,651
1,215
112
22
20
11
27
9
15
10
40
34
17
18
41
29
35
20
11
24
27
24
21
1
20
18
2
8
1
6
6
11
4
12
18
2
21
5
15
15
14
1
9
11
4
1
$131, 200
42, 280
33, 075
92, 600
94, 500
31, 900
43,800
268, 050
572, 900
50, 500
35, 700
102,015
161,450
803,450
43, 500
112, 600
377, 009
276, 121
121,800
189, 400
143, 450
134, 300
C)
79, 975
86,000
208, 500
121,800
70,000
134, 600
612,832
C1)
179, 550
66, 000
190, 950
274,000
291,000
C1)
80,300
122, 400
73, 000
G)
726, 000
1
$50
26
21
11
29
9
14
9
41
35
20
19
44
30
43
21
12
26
33
35
22
1
24
20
1
8
1
8
6
11
4
11
20
2
21
5
15
15
14
1
9
10
4
1
$17, 141
9,674
3,276
12, 626
20, 941
4,059
6,929
27, 930
85, 022
7,247
5,089
19, 380
18, 262
86, 170
4,009
20, 026
37, 087
34, 259
22, 784
24, 746
(*)
21, 383
19, 620
0)
10, 838
0)
13,099
24,646
19, 139
10, 787
20,617
92,540
C1)
33, 538
6,044
29,037
34, 703
30, 392
0)
12, 918
20,280
9,575
C1)
123, 887
26
21
10
28
8
12
8
37
35
15
18
42
29
39
18
12
25
30
25
23
1
23
18
2
7
1
7
6
9
4
11
19
2
21
4
15
15
14
2,128
1,778
485
2,689
1,079
682
622
3,239
8,145
1,021
945
3,603
2,070
6,412
956
1,954
2,944
3,482
2,534
2,787
45
2,584
1,881
154
601
22
686
847
732
524
1,006
2,874
105
1,784
278
1,552
1,517
1,042
Coal River
Eastern „_
1
2
2
3,259
1,115
3,348
Elk Valley .
Fairmont
Good Hope
Goshen
1
6
8
1,000
12, 540
69,825
Greenbrier
Guyandotte
Harmony
Harris ville
Hopewell
1
1
5
12
6,800
32, 820
Judson
Kanawha Valley..-
Mount Pisgah *
Panhandle
1
1
3
1
4
5,677
1,600
25, 650
9,000
14, 092
P arkersburg
Raleigh
Rock Castle
Teays Valley
Ten Mile (Penn-
sylvania)
Twelve Pole
1
3
1
2
1
4
1
4
2
1
10
2
10
2
9
6
5
11, 500
6,300
0
2,025
9,935
27,800
1,655
5,500
6,000
116, 726
(')
25, 645
1,665
27,240
21, 100
4, 004
Union
Unassoeiated
Wisconsin:
Central
German
Green Bay
Janesville
La Crosse.. -
Lincoln __. _
Madison „
Milwaukee
Northern
Northwestern
Southwestern
Swedish Conference
Walworth
Winnebago
Unassoeiated
Wyoming:
Big Horn -
4
6
1
5,650
19,202
2,200
9
10
3
1
812
1,311
735
125
Central
Southern
Swedish
Combinations
94,900
* Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
HISTORY AND ORGANIZATION
Northern Baptist origins. — Beginning with the oldest branches of Northern Bap-
tist activity, Baptist work before the war of the American Revolution was confined
i This statement was furnished by Dr. Clarence M. Gallup, recording secretary, Northern Baptist Con-
vention, New York, N. Y«
108 CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIEiS, 1936
to plans of individual local churches and small groups of neighboring churches,
called associations. These associational groups appeared in Virginia, Rhode
Island, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania; and gradually the associations themselves
came to stand together for the propagation of their form of faith, for the general
principle of freedom of conscience in religious concerns, and for mutual defense of
their forms of organization. The first Baptist commonwealth, founded in Rhode
Island by Roger Williams, an associate of men like Cromwell and Milton in
England and of Governor Winthrop in the New England colonies, grew into areas
of influence like that of the Philadelphia Association which, in turn, was the mother
of other associations like the Warren Association, in Rhode Island. George
Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin all acknowledged indebt-
edness to the Baptists of Virginia and Rhode Island for principles so well estab-
lished and proven valid that they embodied them in their drafts of the Declaration
of Independence and of the Constitution of the United States. These early
associations established libraries, schools, colleges, and churches in their humble
and meager way, some of which have become institutions of national prominence
and great fame*. But it was not until the nineteenth century that Baptists in
the North had grown to numbers large enough, and means of travel and communi-
cation had become sufficiently general through the railroad and the telegraph, for
the denomination, along with other denominations, to envision an organic and
organized career for the group as a whole.
Northern Baptists after separation from the South. — The Northern Baptist churches
withdrew from organic connection with the Southern Baptist churches about
1844. While it is generally supposed that this rift was caused by differences of
opinion regarding slavery, as was the case in some other denominations, the real
reason for the breach was a difference over the method of raising and distributing
missionary moneys.
After this adjustment had been made, the churches of the North and their group
organizations moved ahead with new growth and energy. The heated contro-
versies concerning theological and denominational ideologies, which had character-
ized the late eighteenth century and the early nineteenth, had been succeeded by
a spirit of realism and of need for associated effort in the new group. It was a period
of building vehicles for moving the projects mutually sponsored by the churches.
The American Baptist Missionary Union (later named the American Baptist
Foreign Mission Society), the American Baptist Home Mission Society, and the
American Baptist Publication Society all were organized in the early nineteenth
century, before the Northern and Southern Baptist separation; and they pro-
ceeded" vigorously with their work, which has been maintained with great enter-
prise ever since.
Organization of a new denomination. — A great change in the methods of the
Northern Baptists resulted from the formation of the Northern Baptist Conven-
tion, at Washington, D. C., in 1907. In this scheme of things, the convention
exists as a corporation, chartered under the laws of the State of New York, with
broad powers to conduct religious work, receive and expend funds, act as financial
trustee, and affiliate itself with other similar bodies. Previously, the churches
operated through their missionary societies. Now, they united their far-flung
interests in an inclusive corporation.
Following this arrangement, the aforesaid three societies, together with the
Woman's American Baptist Foreign Mission Society and the Woman's American
Baptist Home Mission Society, became so-called "Cooperating Organizations" of
the convention, although maintaining their own charters, powers of self-direction,
and management. The convention also instituted and caused to be incorpo-
rated the Board of Education to supervise the work of the denomination among
Baptist schools and colleges, and the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board to
collect and distribute funds for the financial relief of needy Baptist ministers and
missionaries, their widows and dependent children. In 1920 the Ministers and
Missionaries Benefit Board adopted a retiring pension plan as a means of definite
contributory pensions for ministers at the age of 65, based on salaries and terms
of service.
Later developments in organization, by which the work of this convention was
ramified, included a closer relationship of the Baptist State conventions of the
Northern convention territory and the better grade of local City Mission Societies
with the Northern Convention itself, under the classification "Affiliated Organi-
zations." The "Cooperating Organizations" and the "Affiliated Organizations"
assist the convention in raising and distributing funds under that which is known
as the "cooperative plan," with a "unified budget." Other organizations related
NOETHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION 109
to or associated with the Northern Baptist Convention are the American Baptist
Historical Society, Baptist Young People's Union of America, National Council
of Northern Baptist Men, and Ministers Council.
The constituent factor in the Northern Baptist group is the local church. Each
church is independent of every other church and of the convention itself, except
as they act together by agreement. The convention sessions are delegated
assemblies, composed of delegates from the churches, duly accredited, and ex-of-
ficio delegates from certain national and State bodies. The managing body of
the convention is the General Council, when the convention is not in session;
but the convention, when in session, has supreme authority in its own affairs.
The most continuously and widely active body among the convention councils is
the Council on Finance and Promotion, which promotes giving among individuals
and churches, and manages the collection of funds for the unified budget, except
as the various organizations secure, on their own initiative, "designated" gifts.
Other councils for special activities are the Council on Christian Education and
the Council on World Evangelization. Besides these councils, many committees,
elected or appointed annually or for longer periods, function according to their
obvious purposes as indicated by their names, such as law, finance, budget research,
resolutions, American home, Baptist bodies using foreign languages, city missions,
conference with other religious bodies, denominational calendar, historical libraries
and societies, homes and hospitals, public relations, social service, race relations,
State conventions, traffic bureau — and other committees appointed for immediate
service only. All the foregoing councils and committees are amenable to the
advice of the General Council.
Organic union of the various missionary societies of the denomination has been
broached several times, but legal and pragmatic difficulties have failed to be
surmounted at such times. Nevertheless, the present arrangement has resulted
in some elimination of expenditures and of overlapping in methods, and has
tended toward a unity and efficiency which were sadly lacking 40 years before.
Financial acquisitions. — In its financial undertakings, the Northern Baptist
Convention has had reasonably good success. Many millions of dollars have
been raised for its general business, as shown by the pledges for its united work,
received in the so-called New World Movement, amounting to approximately
$52,000,000, payable over a period of 5 years. From this income and that from
invested funds, vast advance projects were launched; educational institutions
were strengthened or endowed; churches and mission stations were built; new
fields at home and abroad were opened; more missionaries were commissioned;
great publishing enterprises were begun. Through a period of approximately a
century, from the group of a few original societies to the present seven major
denominational societies and boards, the assets of these organizations have
attained the amount of $58,981,196. In addition to these funds, the property
and endowment assets of the churches of the denomination are now $193,512,662,
and of its schools and colleges $254,738,176. These figures do not include assets
of State conventions nor city mission societies, nor of associated organizations,
which are very varied and scattered. During the fiscal year 1935-36, the churches
spent $14,262,740 for operating expenses and contributed $2,258,792 for missions.
Social service. — The general social and philanthropic attitudes of this Con-
vention are exhibited in service rendered by many city mission societies and their
sociological centers; studies of the American home; coordination of religious
bodies using foreign languages; conferences on race relations; furtherance of
historical research; establishment of Baptist homes for the aged and orphans, and
hospitals for all; promotion of social reforms; and youth-training enterprises.
Interdenominational relationships. — The denomination has reacted favorably
in some measure to the tendency toward cooperation and unity among the
Christian denominations. Not only are the donations noted in a previous
paragraph made to the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America and to
the World Council of Churches, but the Northern Baptist Convention sends
nearly a score of delegates annually to the Federal Council and sent representa-
tives to the first and preliminary meeting of the World Council. Several of the
members of the convention serve on the executive committee of the Federal
Council. Closer relations than formerly are now maintained with the General
Baptists, the Disciples of Christ, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the
National Baptist Convention. Fraternal delegates are sent as messengers ^ to
various Baptist bodies in Canada. In its wider affiliations, the denomination
shares importantly in official ranks and in forensic honors among the great eccle-
siastical councils of the world, such as those at Oxford, Edinburgh, Utrecht, and
elsewhere. About 25 years ago the Northern Baptist Convention received into
110 census1 OF BELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
full fellowship and all privileges of service the Free Will Baptists. During the
World War, the convention provided its quota in the Chaplain Corps oi the
United States Army and in the Bed Cross organizations.
Size of the denomination.— In 1936, the Northern Baptist Convention reported
7,716 churches with 1,458,811 members and with 8,300 pastors and missionaries.
There were Sunday schools to the number of 6,732, with an enrollment of 1,150,891.
Statistics concerning the missionary and philanthropic organizations are given in
other sections of this review.
DOCTRINE
The doctrinal requisites for Baptists are at an almost irreducible minimum.
Although various groups and assemblies, at various times, have endeavored to
formulate "Confessions of Faith/' such as the "New Hampshire Confes^on' ;
and although many local churches have "Articles of Faith" and "Church Cove-
nants/' these last are adopted by the individual churches, are for their own use
locally and are binding on no other churches than the ones which adopted them.
Even in the local church there is wide liberty of opinion permitted concerning these
doctrinal statements. The number and length of them tends steadily to decrease.
One reason for this light hold of creedal statement is that Baptists generally hold
to the view that the Bible itself, especially the New Testament, is the only proper
compendium for faith and practice; and the individual conscience and intelligence,
enlightened by the Divine Spirit, is the proper interpreter thereof. The second
reason is that the epoch-making and successful battle which early American Bap-
tists and others made for freedom of conscience in religion and worship was cal-
culated to reduce the amount of regimentation of thought among them%
Baptists, in general, believe in religious freedom, the validity and inspiration of
the Scriptures, the Lordship of Christ, the immortality of the soul, the brotherhood
of man, the future life, the need of redemption from sin, and the ultimate triumph
of the Kingdom of God. Various groups and individuals hold to other items of
conviction, which are not so universally accepted, and by many are regarded as
centuries, Baptists generally have stood for the validity and value of
two ordinances, baptism and the Lord's Supper, their insistence has been limited
to those two; and their views as to the vital efficacy of those ordinances have
gradually shaded into a conviction of their value as an aid to Christian witness
and comfort, rather than as a vital necessity for Christian character. This in-
creasing liberalism is especially characteristic of Northern Baptists, and has come
about more or less through the increase of scholarship and the association and
conference in the north of many more diverse groups than are found elsewhere in
So-calied fundamentalism, or reactionary and conservative bodies of thought
revolving around the Scriptures and theology, is found somewhat among Northern
Baptists,* but this phenomenon is not peculiar to them, being found also in prac-
tically all evangelical communions.
WORK
In this section are presented the operations of the Northern Baptist Conven-
tion through its agencies, as distinguished from the general scope and principles
of action treated in foregoing paragraphs. . .
Mission work in the United States and its dependencies. — The American Baptist
Publication Society was organized in 1824. Its operations have not been con-
fined to the North, but its offices and chief property are in Philadelphia, and it is
fully recognized as a unit of the Northern Baptist Convention organization, with
which it is in full cooperation. It has several departments: Publishing, mission-
ary (including Bible distribution and evangelism), religious education, vacation
schools, social education, and youth training. The missionary department em-
ploys religious education directors, State missionary pastors, chapel car mission-
aries and automobile colporteurs. It distributes Bible and other literature in
a number of different languages. In 1936 the American Baptist Publication
Society was employing 127 agents; it had organized over 7,000 Sunday schools
and over 2,000 churches during its history up to that time; churches assisted in
part numbered many thousands; young people's societies assisted numbered over
5,000; and its own religious literature was distributed, representing 118 different
publications amounting to 400,000,000 total pages for the year, not counting the
output of miscellaneous literature by many publishers, through the various book
NORTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION 111
stores maintained by the society in strategic locations throughout the United
States. The income of the society from all sources was $1,086,854, and the total
assets were $4,753,489.
The American Baptist Home Mission Society was organized in 1832. It
employs general missionaries and pastors among people of both English and
foreign tongues, in the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Cuba; it aids
city missions; builds meeting houses; maintains schools for Negroes and Indians;
and promotes evangelism and various phases of social service.
In 1936, this society employed a staff and agents in the field to the number of
502, including missionary teachers. There were 821 churches aided (including
Latin and North America) ; the churches assisted in the Church Edifice Depart-
ment from 1920-36 numbered 295 and to the extent of $1,074,350; the total
income of this society from all sources was $501,570 for the year, and the total
assets were $17,240,230.
The Woman's American Baptist Home Mission Society was organized origi-
nally in 1877, and was consolidated in 1909 with the Women's Baptist Home
Mission Society of Michigan, with headquarters in Chicago. Its object, primarily,
is the employment of women missionaries to work chiefly among peoples using
foreign languages, and among Negroes and Indians; and the maintenance of
training schools for missionary workers. This society employed 179 missionaries
and 22 native teachers and had 14 nurses in training in 1936. Of the mission-
aries, 18 were assigned, 1 each, to the same number of foreign language churches.
Christian centers were maintained in cities to the number of 38, in cooperat ion
with the American Baptist Home Mission Society, State conventions, or city
mission societies. Five Indian mission stations were maintained. The total
income was $186,828. The total assets were $3,193,202.
Mission work in foreign countries. — The American Baptist Foreign Mission
Society was organized in Philadelphia in 1814, as the "General Missionary Con-
vention of the Baptist Denomination in the United States of America for Foreign
Missions." In 1846 the name was changed to the "American Baptist Mission
Union," and again in 1910 the name was changed to "American Baptist Foreign
Mission Society."
The fields in which this society operates in the Far East are India (including
Burma and Assam), China, Japan, Africa, and the Philippines. In Europe
work is carried on in Sweden, Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, Finland, Den-
mark, and Norway (and formerly in Russia); but this work is confined almost
entirely to assistance in the training of ministers and in the meeting of the ex-
penses of local churches. American missionaries are not sent to these countries
and the work there is on an entirely different basis from that in Asia and Africa.
The statistics for this society for 1935-36 included the following: Countries in
which work was projected, 10 (not including Europe); resident missionaries, 545;
stations occupied, 122; American missionaries, 545; native workers, 10,039;
churches assisted in foreign lands, 916; schools maintained in foreign lands, 4,326
(of which 2,361 were self-supporting); hospitals and dispensaries, 95, treating
25,908 in-patients and 287,203 out-patients (a total of 313,111); total income
derived from all sources was $1,097,848. Total assets were $10,249,702.
This society cooperates with the Baptists in nine European countries. This work
is represented by 2,034 workers, ordained and unprdained; 647 organized churches,
with 110,949 members; 1,444 Sunday schools, with 58,335 members; 7 theological
seminaries, with 85 students. The amount of money raised by Baptists in these
lands was $242,127 in Europe and $274,806 in the 10 mission fields in other lands.
The society maintains training schools for native workers, and cooperates with
other Baptist national organizations, both American and European.
The Woman's American Baptist Foreign Mission Society is in close cooperation
with the general foreign society. This organization is a continuation of the two
former societies, the Woman's American Foreign Mission Society and the Woman's
Baptist Foreign Mission Society of the West. The earlier societies were organ-
ized in 1871 and their consolidation occurred in 1914.
The work of this society is a broad parallel of that of the general society, but
with special emphasis upon the work among girls and women in the foreign-
mission stations, in the schools and colleges, and in the area of medical and social
work in foreign countries. This society is highly organized in this country, every
district, State, and church being represented in or contacted by the official circle.
Large amounts of literature are distributed and many interesting devices for the
raising of money in small amounts from individuals are constantly originated.
For 1936 the society employed 199 missionaries in educational, medical (nurses
112 CENSUS OE RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
and physicians), and social work in 10 countries, at Sl^definite stations. The
income of the society from all sources was $334,345, and the total assets amounted
to $2,544,573.
Affiliated missionary organizations. — Large and influential organizations
affiliated with the Northern Baptist Convention are the State Baptist conventions
in 30 States, including special groups in the District of Columbia, Missouri,
Oklahoma, and Puerto Rico; and 16 standard city-mission societies, operating
among foreign-speaking peoples, the under-privileged, and the humbler classes of
population generally, and maintaining church services, educational and social
service centers, hospitalization, Americanization, etc.
Education work. — The general education work of the Northern Baptist Conven-
tion is under the supervision and direction of the Board of Education, a corpora-
tion organized by the convention in 1920 to succeed the American Baptist Edu-
cation Society, which had functioned since 1888. This board assists Baptist
secondary schools and colleges financially, and in some cases exercises direct
control of them. In non-Baptist institutions, and in State universities to some
extent, the board supervises Baptist religious interests as here indicated.
There are 19 colleges, 10 junior colleges, and 11 secondary schools, caring for
white pupils, in which this board has some interest or control. These institutions
have 2,585 teachers and 30,236 pupils, as of 1936. They have real property
amounting to $102,249,601 and endowments of $152,488,515. There are also seven
schools for Negroes in the Southern States maintained in whole or in part by
agencies of the Northern Baptist Convention, such as the American Baptist Home
Mission Society, in which the Board of Education has a hand. The total enroll-
ment of these schools in 1936 was 128 teachers and 2,200 students. The property
of these schools is valued at $2,579,839 and the endowments amount to $1,954,923.
The Convention maintains 1 school for Indians in the United States at Bacone,
Okla., with 18 teachers and 260 students; and a property worth $365,000, with
an endowment of $233,000. The Convention also cares for some schools among
the foreign-language peoples of the United States, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti,
Mexico, and Nicaragua. In the United States, there are 6 missionary and
religious work training schools with 46 teachers, 177 students; property valued
at §931,465 and endowments of $219,490. In addition to the foregoing, there
are 10 theological seminaries with 137 teachers, 1,512 students; property valued
at $5,594,144, and endowments aggregating $13,191,371.
The Board of Education also maintains student pastors and similar agencies in
various colleges; and it conducts work for youth of both sexes through its mission-
ary education department, which is popularly known under the names of World
Wide Guild, Royal Ambassadors, and Crusaders. The work of this department
also has a very wide scope among the adults of the churches and Sunday schools.
Closely allied with the work of the educational agencies of the Northern Baptist
Convention is the self-directed work of the Baptist Young People's Union of
America, a fraternal organization for the young people's societies of the Baptist
churches. In this organization are approximately 6,000 young people's unions,
with at least 150,000 members, and a considerable number of Christian Endeavor
Societies closely affiliated with the major Baptist Union.
Philanthropic enterprises. — While vast areas of philanthropic work are covered
by the various missionary societies of the denomination, including medical
missions and relief work, the outstanding philanthropic endeavor of the denomi-
nation is expressed in the splendid outreach of the Ministers and Missionaries
Benefit Board, which is the organization for pensions and relief among ministers,
missionaries, their widows and dependent children, of the Northern Baptist
Convention. This incorporated board was 23 years of age in 1936 and, beginning
its work with only $250,000, at its twenty-third anniversary had assets valued at
$21,000,000, representing pension, general, permanent, and annuity funds. In
this year, the board had 2,839 members in its pension plan, of whom 33 percent
were already drawing pensions amounting to approximately $350,000; and other
beneficiaries, approximately 1,400, to whom, as individuals, grants were made in
extreme need for personal or family use. This board also receives annuity gifts
and issues binding contracts for the same. During its existence the board has
distributed in pensions and relief approximately $8,000,000.
Another philanthropic enterprise of the denomination is represented by the
Association of Baptist Homes and Hospitals. The association is in its infancy,
but already promises great usefulness. Baptist independent hospitals, and homes
for the aged and for orphans, which have performed important service to a
Baptist constituency, are now leagued together for enlarged scope and increased
resources. At present there are 6 hospitals, 20 homes for the aged, and 16
NORTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION 113
orphanages, representing an average of 13,447 patients in the hospitals, and of
1,945 residents in the homes. The value of the property of these institutions is
$6,281,263, and their endowments amount to $3,846,411.
Publication agencies and projects. — The publication interests of the North-
ern Baptists are varied and extensive. The American Baptist Publication
Society publishes several score of religious books a year, besides "The Annual'5
(reports) of the Northern Baptist Convention and "The American Baptist Year-
Book" (statistics). This society also issues regularly 118 Sunday school and
other periodicals. The society maintains branches and stores in various cities of
the United States and Canada. In addition to this publication society, the Ger-
man Baptist Publication Society, of Cleveland, Ohio, and the Swedish Baptist
Publication Society, of Chicago, 111., produce a number of publications; and some
publication work is carried on by the Hungarian, Roumanian, Polish, Italian,
French, and Slovak Baptist organizations.
The various missionary societies and the Council on Finance and Promotion
print and distribute a large array of books, leaflets, and pamphlets every year,
which are distributed through the literature department of the Board of Educa-
tion and, also, directly from the societies.
The principal denominational magazines (weekly, monthly, and quarterly)
in English are The Watchman-Examiner, Missions, The Ministry, and The
Baptist Minister; and the foreign-speaking conventions also publish some 40
periodicals of their own. The State conventions publish their own State bulletins
monthly, and the Council on Finance and Promotion provides all denominational
leaders with a monthly news bulletin of leading denominational items.
Pageantry and religious drama are more and more engaging the attention of
players' guilds in the churches, with the result that denominational authorship
is on the increase. The visualization department of the Council on Finance and
Promotion, by stereopticon, motion pictures, and crayon talks has developed a
widespread influence and business. There have been years and decades when the
figures were higher or ;lower according to circumstances than in 1936. All in
all, however, the Northern Baptist Convention has had a steady growth in mem-
bers, finances, and influence.
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Southern Baptist Convention for the year
1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures
between urban and rural territory. The statistics for the Southern Baptist
Convention are incomplete, due to the failure of the pastor or clerk of the church
to furnish a report to this Bureau after repeated requests. The data presented
here represent a compilation of the reports received.*
The membership of this denomination comprises those who have been received
into the local churches upon voluntary confession of faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ and a willingness to carry out His will, and baptism by immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMAEY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
* * 13, 815
* 2, 700, 155
195
1, 071, Oil
1,437,885
191, 259
74 5
135, 152
2, 181, 625
383, 378
5.8
12, 742
12, 370
$117, 766, 295
$113, 504, 370
$4, 261, 925
$9, 520
1,740
$14, 428, 046
7,627
2,378
2,320
$7,986,539
13, 521
$19,630,844
$6, 415, 956
$1, 492, 748
$1, 667, 276
$2, 104, 500
$3,685,265
$478, 158
$314, 074
$312, 373
$2,026,624
$1, 133, 870
$1,452
12, 161
192,770
1,664,105
1,843
1, 023, 971
556
382, 558
537, 207
104,206
71.2
68, 826
; 798,440
156, 705
: 7.9
1,742
1,702
$76, 707, 132
$74, 139, 022
$2, 568, 110
$45, 069
815
$12, 373, 270
658
750
744
$4,321,833
1,832
$11, 858, 578
$2,964,524
$1,078,800
$873, 203
$1, 585, 611
$2, 651, 721
$226, 187
$182, 536
$199, 848
$1, 415, 699
$680,449
$6,473
1,753
73, 822
720. 271
11,972
1, 676, 184
140
688,453
900, 678
87, 053
76 4
66, 326
1, 383, 185
226, 673
4.6
„ 11,000
10, 668
$41, 059, 163
339, 365, 348
$1, 693, 815
$3, 849
925
$2, 054, 776
6,969
1,628
1,576
$3, 664, 706
11, 689
$7, 772, 266
$3; 451, 432
. $413,948
$794,073
$518,889
$1, 033, 544
$251, 971
$131, 538
$112, 525
$610, 925
$453, 421
$665
10, 408
118, 948
943. 834
13.3
37.9
86.7
62.1
Members, number
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
35.7
37 4
54.5
64.3
62.6
44.5
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years _.
50.9
36 6
40.9
49.1
63.4
59.1
13 years and over. .
Age not reported _
Percent under 13 years 2
Clmrch edifices, number
13.7
13.8
65.1
65.3
60.3
86 3
86 2
34.9
34.7
39.7
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936 „ _
Constructed, wholly or in part, in
1936-
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
46.8
85 8
8.6
31.5
32.1
54.1
13.5
60.4
46.2
72.3
52.4
75.3
72.0
47.3
58.1
64.0
69.9
60.0
63.2
14 2
91.4
68.5
67.9
45.9
86.5
39.6
53.8
27.7
47.6
24.7
28 0
52.7
41.9
36.0
30.1
40.0
Amount reported.
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number ._
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries _
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest
All other current expenses, including
interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc..
Home missions ...
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution.
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
14.4
38.3
43.3
85.6
61.7
56.7
Officers and teachers,.
Scholars.. _ ....
* The Southern Baptist Handbook for 1937 shows 24,671 churches and 4,482,315 members for 1936.
i Exclusive of statistics for 30 churches belonging to the Columbia Association— 24 in the District of Colum-
bia and 6 in the State of Maryland—which are reported with the Northern Baptist Convention.
* Based on membership with age classification reported,
114
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
115
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Eural
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
1,288
16, 194
122, 893
297
1,909
15, 606
80
872
8,924
457
9,074
69, 121
54
513
5,356
16
422
5,312
831
7,120
53, 772
243
1,396
10,250
64
450
3,612
35 5
56.0
56.2
18.2
26.9
34.3
a*
59.5
64.5
44.0
43.8
81.8
73.1
65.7
(?)
51.6
40.5
Officers and teachers
Scholars
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number „_ ...
Officers and teachers
Scholars _ -
3 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Southern Baptist Convention
for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE STJMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
19161
19061
Churches (local organizations) , nnmT)6r
a 13, 815
23, 374
23, 580
21, 075
Increase 3 over preceding census:
Number
-9,559
—206
2,505
11 Q
Percent
—40.9
2, 700, 155
3, 524, 378
2, 708, 870
2, 009, 471
Increase 3 over preceding census:
Number —
-824,223
815, 508
699, 399
0/4 O
Percent —
Average membership ptir church
—23.4
195
151
115
95
Church edifices, number
12, 742
21, 401
19, 770
18, 878
"Value TvujtVfopr r^po^ti^g - -
12,370
21, 128
19, 268
18, 672
Amount reported
$117, 766, 295
$173, 456, 965
$58,348,373
$34, 723, 882
Average value per church
$9,520
$8,210
$3,028
$1, 860
1,740
2,730
1,638
1,215
Amount reported -
$14,428,046
$22,986,982
$3, 153, 158
$1, 239, 022
2 378
Value— number reporting - -
2,320
3,429
1,820
1,271
$7, 986, 539
$15, 185, 725
$4,471,683
$2, 493, 091
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
13, 521
22,338
21, 078
<C"i K f)cq 743
Amount reported -
$19, 630, 844
$6,415,956
$1, 492, 748
Repairs and improvements
$1, 667, 276
Payment on churcli debt, excluding in-
$2,104,500
$32, 886, 565
All other current expenses, including
$3,685,265
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc.
Home missions.. -
$478, 158
$314, 074
1 d>n 7R1 fil K
$3 968 970
Foreign missions r—
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes
$2, 026, 624
$1,133,870
$256,383
$125, 704
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting number - -
$1,452
12, 161
$1,921
19,882
$715
17,555
14,371
Officers and teachers -
192, 770
229,848
160, 171
Scholars
1, 664, 105
2, 345, 630
1, 665, 996
~" • ^*T^P>1
Qlfinnrlftr the]
name of Amer-
i Statistics for lyio ana lyuo inciuae ngures iur mo i^ua.vuw vi&u,^*.*^ »~~~ —
s A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
275318 — 41 9
116
CEN'S'IJS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Southern
Baptist Convention by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table
4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the
four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified
as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the
value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for
1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing
the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables
5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each association in the Southern
Baptist Convention, the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by States
in the preceding tables, including number of churches, membership, value and
debt on church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
TABLE 3. — NTJMBBK AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHXJECHES INT URBAN* AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
Total
Urban
Eural
Total
Urban
Rural
United States
113,815
1,843
11,972
2,700,155
1,023,971
1,876,184
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
1
2
3
371
1
1,024
6
64
783
12
1,479
673
1,255
440
1,225
1,194
1,267
860
479
444
542
1,606
1
75
8
1
1
2
302
50
214
373
49, 730
256
165,419
933
11,890
177, 196
3,072
289, 746
159, 887
265,630
87, 006
229, 216
226, 896
212, 855
150, 000
78,825
87,926
132,407
360,421
42
8,687
1,478
50
140
157
30, 561
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
1
1
69
1
121
3
31
95
5
160
79
172
100
117
157
123
81
61
65
104
278
1
14
4
74
216
19, 169
256
63, 163
605
9,033
68, 127
2,585
78,050
46, 915
102, 248
47, 287
70, 017
83,303
65,491
40, 214
33, 829
31,913
78, 511
178, 089
42
3,955
879
Indiana,.,
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri .- .
903
3
33
688
7
1,319
594
1,083
340
1,108
1,037
1,144
779
418
379
438
1,328
102, 256
328
2,857
109,069
487
211, 696
112, 972
163, 382
39, 719
159, 199
143, 593
147, 364
109, 786
44, 996
56, 013
53, 896
182, 332
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Virginia- ....
West Virginia-.
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee ., ..
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana ...
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado _
New Mexico
61
4
4,732
599
Arizona
i Exclusive of statistics for 30 churches belonging to the Columbia Association— 24 in the District of
Columbia and 6 in the State of Maryland—which are reported with the Northern Baptist Convention,
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
117
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936 —
Continued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Male
Female
Sex not
reported
Males
per 100
females 2
Cnurches
reporting
Officers
and
teachers
Scholars
United States
, 071, Oil
,4S7,885
191,259
- .-—
74.5
12, 161
192,770
1,684,105
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
20
91
163
17, 966
105
62, 592
350
4,083
74, 411
1,185
116, 780
68, 452
104, 187
33, 134
88,490
91, 153
82, 864
62, 237
31, 732
35, 432
48,549
142, 970
17
3,470
578
30
123
210
25,546
151
86, 579
583
6,044
95, 651
1,887
155, 199
86,237
139, 277
46, 127
122, 419
123, 140
112, 585
77, 741
43, 710
45, 576
69, 270
193, 709
25
5,166
900
1
2
3
341
1
907
5
62
746
9
1,399
637
1,003
377
1,023
1,094
1,067
667
425
393
497
1,428
1
61
7
11
30
27
4,558
29
14,191
82
1,441
13,749
223
22, 430
10,706
14,994
6,974
14,099
15, 012
14,020
7,942
6,438
5,475
10,947
28,282
11
960
139
68
343
399
32,979
190
105,461
585
9,524
124, 386
2,540
217,339
109, 746
132,923
58,864
128,131
133,021
112,736
64,434
49,810
46, 117
89,199
237,970
73
6,373
894
EAST NOBTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
74 0
77.6
70.3
69 5
72.3
60.0
67.6
77.8
62.8
75.2
79.4
74.8
71.8
72.3
74.0
73 6
80.1
72.6
77.7
70.1
73.8
Indi&na
Illinois -
6,218
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
16, 248
TCan^?^
SOUTH ATLANTIC.
Maryland
1,763
7,134
Virginia
"YVost Virsinia
17, 767
5,198
22, 166
7,745
18,307
12, 603
17,406
10,022
3,383
6,918
14, 588
23, 742
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky _„ » -
Tennessee
Alabama _
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana -
Oklahoma -
Texas
MOtTNTAIN:
Colorado
New Mexico
51
• 67.2
64.2
a Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
118
GENS-US' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, or 1916]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER'OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
1936
1936
19161
19061
1936
1936
United States _.
EAST NOETH CENTRAL;
Indiana
2 13, 815
a
371
1,024
6
64
23, 374
6
546
1,764
5
95
2
1,139
13
2,321
1,170
2,468
719
1,919
1,845
2,083
1,515
860
766
961
3,038
127
10
2
23,580
21, 075
2, 700, 155
8, 524, 378
373
49, 730
165, 419
933
11, 890
473
59, 382
221, 690
532
17, 911
1,981
223, 270
3,563
385, 940
217, 104
400, 560
103, 135
305, 582
271, 921
271, 992
211,370
103, 346
117, 220
131, 139
465,274
9,570
1,301
122
Illinois
604
1,905
WEST NOETH CENTRAL:
Missouri ...
1,894
1
71
[Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
84
5
1,055
11
2,137
1,093
2,408
683
1,835
1,718
1,993
1,436
1,409
602
1,108
3,358
135
District of Columbia
Virginia
783
12
1,479
673
1,255
440
1,225
1,194
1,267
860
479
444
542
1,606
75
8
35
1,028
11
1,837
979
2,157
548
1,701
1,615
1,907
1,346
1,415
609
854
3,098
4
177, 196
3,072
289, 746
159, 887
265, 630
87,006
229,216
226,896
212,855
150, 000
78, 825
87, 926
132,407
360,421
8,687
1,478
562
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee ..
Alabama..
Mississippi ..
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana _ ,. , . ,,_,„.
Oklahoma.
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
New Mexico
Arizona
Other States
1
1 Statistics for 1916 and 1906 include figures for the churches organized since 191 6 under the name of American
Baptist Association.
2 Exclusive of statistics for 30 churches belonging to the Columbia Association— -24 in the District of Co
lumbia and 6 in the State ol Maryland — which are reported with the Northern Baptist Convention.
s Includes: Pennsylvania, 1; Ohio, 2; Michigan, 1; and Colorado, 1.
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
119
. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES — Continued
TABLE
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, or 1916]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF MEMBERS—
continued
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
19161
1906 ^
Under 13
years
13 years
and over
Age not
reported
Percent
under 13 *
United States
2, 708, 870
2, 009, 471
135, 152
2, 181, 625
367
38, 855
136, 843
889
9,744
383, 378
5.8
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Indiana
6
1,300
6,926
44
423
1.6
3.2
4.8
4.7
4.2
Illinois
62, 822
210, 889
9,575
21,650
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri __ _
176,208
17
11,232
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland .- .-
14, 650
2,767
170, 151
2,449
279, 112
158, 151
305, 055
57, 732
252, 554
202, 867
207, 603
153, 497
113, 192
66,298
87,028
355, 251
6,721
1,723
District of Columbia
Virginia..
136,062
1,672
202, 798
118, 360
232, 688
34, 646
211, 552
159, 838
162, 445
123, 357
91, 631
49, 620
49, 978
247, 306
61
8,187
173
13. 189
7,063
9,218
4,872
8,135
9,284
8,414
7,027
4,422
5,710
12, 303
27,468
887
90
11
141, 494
2,274
236, 958
134, 579
212, 750
72, 605
186, 417
183,281
174, 201
115,890
65, 738
71, 801
98, 367
289,216
7,539
1,316
501
27, 515
625
39, 599
18,245
43, 662
9,529
34,664
34,331
30,240
27,083
8,665
10, 415
21, 737
43, 737
261
72
50
5.5
7.1
5.3
5 0
4.2
6.3
4.2
4.8
4.6
5.7
6.3
7.4
11.1
8.7
10.5
6.4
2.1
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas. _ -
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas ~
MOUNTAIN:
New Mexico
Arizona
Other States
81
i Statistics for 1916 and 1906 include figures for the churches organized since 1916 under the name of
American Baptist Association.
4 Based on membership with age classification reported.
120
OF' RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OP CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total number of
churches
Number of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
U3,815
3
371
1,024
6
64
783
12
1,479
673
1,255
440
1,225
1,194
1,267
860
479
444
542
1.606
75
8
5
12,742
3
356
960
6
63
764
11
1,394
638
1,188
416
1,139
1,071
1,157
801
407
418
459
1,434
47
6
4
12,370
$117,766,285
1,740
$14, 428, 046
2,320
$7, 986, 539
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Indiana..-
3
348
923
6
62
744
11
1,359
617
1,168
406
1,135
1,041
1,121
771
399
399
445
1,375
47
6
34
5,700
1, 695, 480
8, 615, 303
42, 900
1, 648, 875
11,231,395
256, 500
12, 790, 370
6, 263, 642
11, 281, 731
4,988,974
9, 547, 685
8,619,208
7, 435, 569
4,831,228
3, 120, 759
2,572,170
5, 251, 573
17, 097, 453
376,480
78,500
14,800
1
41
109
2
29
133
2
186
65
101
104
123
136
114
64
68
52
123
269
14
4
2,100
152, 913
832, 273
150
213, 499
1,632,468
21, 939
1, 500, 843
545, 575
945, 461
899, 685
992, 340
1, 212, 335
859, 359
639, 784
344,058
193,745
764, 809
2, 603, 857
45, 453
25,400
IlMnois
39
119
100, 100
342, 928
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri. . ...
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland-
29
287
4
222
136
126
94
120
115
131
130
74
78
173
419
23
3
124, 000
1, 126, 526
30, 000
923,908
564,450
516, 550
417, 493
664, 250
426, 450
499,000
414, 950
201,941
212,463
347, 990
1, 134, 240
\ 239,300
Virginia
West Virrinia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georsia- .. _
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky __
Tennessee
AJahflma
Mississippi . .
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana.
Oklahoma. _.
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
New Mexico
Arizona. .
Other States
1 Exclusive of statistics for 30 churches belonging to the Columbia Association— 24 in the District of Colum-
bia and 6 in the State of Maryland— which are reported with the Northern Baptist Convention.
2 Amount for Arizona combined with figures for New Mexico, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any
individual church.
3 Includes: Pennsylvania, 1; Ohio, 2; and Michigan, 1.
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
121
TABLE 6. — CHUKCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting
rnA4.Q'j
E]
STENDITURE
S
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
number
of
churches
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Eepairs
and
improve-
ments
United States
1 13 815
13 521
$19 630 844
$6 415 956
$1 492 748
$1 867 276
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Indiana
3
3
3 291
1 150
203
203
Illinois . . -_ _ - --•
371
357
286 534
110 973
18 207
20 960
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri _- -
1,024
996
1, 200, 811
445 409
113 179
82 279
Kansas
6
5
8 780
3 680
761
204
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland TT „
64
6)2
185, 008
64, 402
11, 379
9 484
Virginia
783
777
1, 783, 7S1
514, 471
130 263
120 448
West Virginia
12
11
48, 591
12,443
3,509
836
North Carolina
1,479
1,465
1, 995, 991
640 765
129, 914
191 113
South Carolina
673
669
1, 127, 821
393, 487
66, 256
129, 882
Georgia
1,255
1,218
1, 580, 553
493, 898
115, 650
218 213
Florida
440
435
877 235
286, 662
60 464
88 491
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky _
1,225
1,190
1, 471, 564
494, 667
115, 473
134, 676
Tennessee
1,194
1,161
1, 590, 819
468, 753
122, 192
106 923
Alabama _
1,267
1,24S
1, 019, 099
365, 493
72,535
85,507
Mississippi
860
845
804,428
299,345
52, 430
64 597
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
479
464
578, 450
198, 100
43, 443
38, 596
Louisiana
444
439
596, 791
206, 286
49, 909
39, 486
Oklahoma - ._ __
542
522
1, 137, 364
353, 193
94, 318
121, 876
Texas
1,606
1,578
3, 203, 622
1, 008, 366
286, 695
203, 963
MOUNTAIN:
New Mexico
75
68
107, 252
43, 773
4,575
8,654
Arizona - - ~.
8
8
17, 318
7,007
1,113
505
Other States
5
*5
5,791
3,633
280
380
* Exclusive of statistics for 30 churches belonging to the Columbia Association— 24 in the District of Colum-
bia and 6 in the State of Maryland— which are reported with the Northern Baptist Convention.
2 Includes: Pennsylvania, 1; Ohio, 2; Michigan, 1; and Colorado, 1.
122
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIEiS, 1936
TABLE €. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
EXPEND]
TURES— CO
ntinued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Payment
on church
debt,
excluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To general
head-
quarters
AM other
purposes
TTaited States
$2 104 500
$8, 685, 285
$478, 158
S314, 074
S812, 373
82, 026, 624
$1, 133, 870
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Indiana
433
934
5
26
19
196
122
Illinois
36, 628
46, 440
8,711
4,397
3,001
20, 842
16, 375
WEST NOETH CENTRAL:
Missouri - -
71, 039
284, 072
19, 014
24, 869
17, 475
77, 338
66, 137
Kansas . -
1,320
1,697
99
4
786
229
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
13 300
45, 337
3,280
1,184
2,479
19, 232
14, 931
Virginia
271 411
331 491
39 453
17, 975
21, 333
276, 123
60 763
West Virginia
6,996
9,900
556
50
206
6,998
7,197
North. Carolina
199 260
360 842
69 441
26, 090
37, 211
205 983
135, 372
South Carolina
105, 396
168, 448
30, 944
9,056
11, 259
161, 025
52, 068
Georgia « -
126, 904
288, 807
52, 060
30, 547
35, 599
132, 718
86, 157
Florida
101 486
143, 297
17, 958
8,713
8,274
104, 443
57, 447
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
191 413
235 685
35 370
19, 829
21, 056
166, 961
56, 434
Tennessee
187 538
337, 151
36, 980
26, 183
23, 901
203, 380
77, 818
Alabam a „ , m m ,
84, 084
184, 400
32, 863
16, 054
12, 740
90, 713
74, 710
Mississippi
81, 928
135, 753
24, 968
12, 231
10, 892
77, 065
45, 219
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
61, 540
110, 176
11, 995
8,428
19, 849
49, 306
37, 017
[Louisiana
48, 475
114, 121
10, 835
9,957
8,273
73, 090
36, 359
OVIahnmn
113 495
217, 309
19, 777
24, 116
15, 184
101, 063
77, 033
Texas
395, 339
642, 038
62, 060
70, 247
62, 045
248, 060
224, 809
MOUNTAIN:
New Mexico
4,450
23, 884
1,159
3,839
1,328
9,370
6,220
Arizona
2 065
2,925
435
189
152
1,781
1,146
Other States
558
195
90
97
251
307
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
1
"3
1
a
d
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
f DEBT ON
' f CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
Total
1 13, 815
12
14
4
13
14
20
7
62
29
9
2, 700, 155
12, 370
$117,766,295
1,740
814,428,046
18, 521
$19,630,844
12, 161
1, 664, 105
Alabama:
Alabama - Cren-
shaw
1,403
1,629
551
1,673
1,608
3,087
701
25,284
3,789
951
12
9
4
13
12
17
6
54
21
9
34,950
45,700
4,900
30, 125
25,200
44,496
25,900
2,056,669
61,775
50.250
1
2
55
3,590
12
14
4
13
13
19
7
62
28
8
4,859
10, 347
2,477
5,914
4,201
8,612
5,232
186, 518
10, 481
4.852
8
13
3
12
12
18
5
60
22
4
483
1,056
237
76S
651
1,233
574
16,627
1,894
324
Baldwin
Barbour
Bethel
2
1
2
1
16
1
1,575
2,000
1,123
160
255, 790
14, 000
Bethlehem
Bibb
Bigbee
Birmingham
Blount
Bullock • Centen-
nial
i Exclusive of statistics forjSO churches belonging to the Columbia Association— 24 in the District of
Columbia and 6 in the State of Maryland— which are reported with the Northern Baptist Convention.
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
123
TABLE 7. — NUMBEB AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
1
&
1
*8
1
fc
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
!
Churches
reporting
Scholars
Alabama — Con.
Butler
29
18
36
18
9
18
23
11
18
7
16
20
20
14
26
12
22
22
52
17
35
16
16
11
23
21
8
16
1
8
13
13
12
19
11
27
5
20
15
27
12
14
20
10
8
15
12
32
17
15
12
6
6
24
B
3,458
2,160
6,349
2,712
921
1,819
3,791
805
2,450
571
1,809
3,118
3,166
2,446
5,893
1,582
4,828
5,063
7,553
2,464
4,858
3,753
2,676
1,822
6,008
2,425
959
2,457
153
1,229
1,189
1,615
984
3,454
1,459
4,448
334
6,668
8,649
5,036
1,504
1,585
2,135
903
553
2,704
1,957
3,814
3,337
1,649
1,470
743
723
2,981
352
27
17
32
15
8
18
23
9
15
6
14
17
18
14
24
11
20
18
44
16
30
12
14
8
20
18
6
14
1
8
11
11
12
15
9
22
5
19
15
27
9
12
20
9
6
14
12
32
16
13
11
6
6
19
5
$96, 500
109,099
177, 150
60, 575
15, 700
31, 400
39, 760
9,150
34, 785
3,800
17, 700
26,400
94,450
137,450
224, 250
62, 550
145, 800
185, 650
123, 255
18, 615
90,250
89,700
103, 158
95, 000
323, 540
78, 650
10,400
34, 025
(2>
22,700
53, 600
23, 660
13, 000
102,950
22,000
87,000
3,800
366, 169
466, 055
233,700
12, 300
12, 790
33,120
18,450
6,000
67, 637
83,800
54, 710
91,050
18,500
10,650
24,300
5,560
46, 785
5,050
2
3
1
$27, 500
14, 841
650
29
18
34
18
9
17
23
11
16
7
16
20
20
14
26
12
22
22
52
17
34
16
16
11
23
21
8
16
1
8
13
12
12
19
10
26
5
20
13
27
12
14
19
10
8
15
12
30
16
14
12
6
6
23
r
$14, 529
11, 739
26, 579
6,838
2,232
7,393
7,329
2,013
5,046
807
2,392
4,710
8,371
19, 652
31,286
5,158
38, 516
26, 980
25, 812
3,823
14, 726
16, 591
14,932
11,483
42, 332
8,694
4,617
6,822
(2)
2,169
5,222
5,750
1,687
13, 186
5,203
12, 175
437
55, 403
64, 290
40, 766
1,906
1,752
7,464
5,344
1,860
9,062
11, 339
9,792
23, 522
4,094
23
14
34
17
8
16
22
9
11
5
13
15
16
10
24
7
20
19
45
14
30
13
15
9
22
19
7
11
1
8
10
in
11
18
10
25
4
19
10
27
10
10
17
6
6
14
10
26
9
14
1,823
1,349
3,758
963
410
1,083
1,822
363
821
186
722
1,160
1,232
1,935
3,068
551
2,644
1,924
4,059
777
2,682
1,873
1,726
799
3,988
1,269
477
892
130
420
638
991
734
1,911
1,186
2,170
214
4,732
4,390
2,897
566
597
999
389
268
1,246
911
1,912
1,610
1,025
204
683
353
1,489
143
Cahaba
Calhoun
Carey
Central
Cherokee
Chilton
2
1,029
Choctaw
Clarke
1
480
Clay
Clear Creek
2
1
3
5
1
1
4
1
1
2
2
1
235
400
468
34, 680
70,000
50
8,935
17, 000
17
191
2,590
14,000
Cleburne
Coffee
Colbert - Lauder-
dale
Columbia
Conecuh
Coosa River. _.
Covington
Cullman
Dale .
DeKalb
East Liberty
Elmore
Escambia
2
5
2
1
3
20, 040
68,892
8,500
300
546
Etowah _
Fayette
Franklin
Geneva
Indian Creek
Judson
1
2
1
260
12,000
93
Lamar
Limestone
Lookout Moun-
tain
Madison - Liber-
ty
2
2
2
4,550
2,500
145
Marion.,
Marshall
*!Mjneral Springs
Mobile
7
1
4
1
1
94, 405
23, 375
60,190
110
300
Montgomery
Morgan
Mud Creek
Muscle Shoals
Pickens
Pine Barren
Pleasant Grove—
Randolph
1
17
Russell
1
2
1
8,000
1,243
238
St. Clair .
Salem-Troy
Sand Mountain..
Sardis
1,341
9,817
739
12, 170
415
^
Selma
6
6
H
Shady Grove
Shelby
1
700
Sfosey
2 Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
124
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
1
"8
1
%
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
Alabama— Con.
Sulphur Springs..
Tallapoosa
15
13
22
26
10
17
32
15
1
8
9
23
11
7
10
28
10
11
15
4
15
16
23
8
7
16
4
8
7
6
21
13
14
7
14
5
13
20
1
29
15
14
12
9
9
12
10
12
7
4
1
1,723
2,160
2,519
7,056
1,225
3,592
3,656
1,117
20
1,478
1,112
4,164
1,542
554
1,513
2,322
631
1,613
2,280
482
3,019
1,496
9,624
918
1,043
1,933
338
1,049
748
984
3,352
4,539
3,670
662
4,160
565
2,337
3,763
226
4,193
1,195
4,489
1,231
485
617
2,081
1,672
1,496
454
241
50
13
9
17
25
10
17
27
13
1
6
8
20
10
6
8
21
8
9
13
4
13
11
21
4
7
14
3
8
7
6
20
11
13
7
11
3
9
15
1
24
11
13
12
6
4
12
8
9
5
3
1
$14,400
47, 650
35, 900
431, 201
47, 300
93,500
49, 155
14, 050
(2)
78,500
64,600
84, 775
56, 030
3,000
80, 000
45, 000
16, 650
55, 350
65, 650
26, 800
82,900
40, 150
520, 700
43, 100
16,600
74, 300
43, 000
17,460
12, 000
37,400
133, 750
238, 100
220, 900
9,250
255, 244
3,700
90, 950
136, 200
(2)
201, 800
33, 650
137,880
12, 920
4,200
6,250
106, 500
66,150
37, 600
5,650
4,300
(a)
i
$21
15
13
21
26
10
17
31
14
1
8
9
23
11
6
10
26
10
11
15
4
15
16
22
8
7
16
4
8
6
5
21
13
14
7
14
4
13
19
1
28
14
14
12
9
9
12
10
11
5
2
1
$2,078
12. 627
8,184
41,419
7,125
12,429
11,081
2,143
(3)
17, 318
10, 266
16, 146
7,085
1,010
10, 471
12, 189
2,507
9,892
11, 935
4,261
19,898
10, 804
61,451
8,489
6,818
11,075
6,241
4,496
2,193
7,060
17,563
54, 596
38, 051
6,335
46,544
1,134
15, 939
32,425
(2)
34,347
8,807
37, 326
3,600
1,096
2,132
24,891
11,268
8,031
2,950
8
14
19
25
10
17
29
8
1
7
7
21
10
7
9
25
7
11
13
4
15
14
22
7
7
15
4
8
7
0
18
12
13
6
13
2
13
19
1
25
12
12
11
4
7
12
9
11
5
2
1
770
874
1,550
3.855
636
1,682
2,251
348
28
894
819
2,034
1,164
384
903
1, 555
440
990
1,384
345
2,541
975
5,752
740
730
1,398
270
575
436
713
2,251
2,353
2,204
425
1, 702
160
1,399
2,555
215
2,873
1,035
3, 346
762
194
428
1,476
988
841
279
186
50
Tennessee River..
Tuscaloosa
2
6
1,575
74, 875
Tuskegee
Unity
Walker
3
5,125
Washington
Unassociated
Arizona:
General Conven-
tion .
4
3
4
25,400
4,448
"""3,116
Arkansas:
Arkansas Valley..
Bartholomew
Benton
Big Creek
Black River
Buckner __ ..
2
1,700
Caddo River
Carey -
3
1
9,278
88
Caroline
Carroll
Central
2
4
9
1
4,750
818
95,627
13, 000
Clear Creek
Concord
Crooked Creek...
Current River
Dardanelle-Rus-
sellville
1
2
1
1
2
2
4
1
600
12,025
113
1,000
375
14, 290
74,441
6,000
Delta ._
Faulkner
Fourche Valley. „
Gainesville
Greene ..
Harmony
Hope
Independence
Liberty
Little Red River.
Little River
3
1
1
3
3
6
1
1
11, 550
14, 500
(2)
10, 565
1,450
41,055
600
100
Mississippi
Monroe
Mount £ion
Ouachlta
Pulaski ...
Red River
Rocky Bayou
Stone Van Buren
Tri-County
2
3
1
9,000
3,275
6,300
Washington
White — -
White River
Woodruff
Unassociated
2 Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statis-
tics of any individual church*
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
125
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
M
1
O
1
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Jj?
pts
sa
gg
1
|
11
*•* o
sJ a
•3 £
O
"fl
11
(I 5
3 a,
A g
o
a
D
o
a
<!
1!
H
OM
<w
,0?
'o
Florida:
Alachua -
8
9
8
14
8
7
16
8
21
22
10
9
18
35
23
13
7
7
14
7
14
12
12
17
4
19
28
11
13
15
16
10
5
15
40
10
12
16
10
16
9
12
14
6
21
16
9
13
18
12
9
17
7
17
13
12
4
5
955
1,505
433
3,797
784
970
1, 503
2,115
4,205
4,913
937
1,460
2,734
11,513
3,040
1,261
1,227
540
2,674
455
2,615
3,713
3,389
2,115
439
4,32/3
8,791
1,992
1,760
1,674
6,078
2,296
803
2,576
33, 734
976
1,929
2,720
1,759
2,750
1,413
2,679
1,187
756
6,958
2,319
767
1,638
3,615
2,271
1,538
3,587
657
2,119
2,111
1,292
464
355
8
9
7
12
4
7
15
8
21
22
8
9
18
31
22
12
6
5
13
6
11
11
11
17
4
18
25
11
13
13
15
9
5
15
37
10
12
16
9
15
9
12
13
4
19
15
7
13
17
11
8
16
5
17
13
12
3
3
$40, 250
100, 800
6,200
235, 124
5,720
39, 300
20, 725
106, 300
227, 900
146, 595
13,360
209,000
155,000
962, 026
106, 750
15, 100
97, 600
3,710
78,300
30, 700
161,450
190, 560
385, 000
81, 000
4,050
314,343
276, 636
137,000
157. 150
43; 325
356,450
260, 500
21,050
79, 300
2,475,042
15,800
87, 366
75,400
67,000
34,750
14,050
108, 938
29,950
5,133
283,150
42, 155
2,885
14,208
523,450
22,400
11,600
71, 059
2,400
34, 200
50,800
43,000
1,550
3,600
1
1
$2,500
7,500
8
9
7
13
8
7
16
8
20
21
10
9
19
35
23
13
7
7
14
7
14
12
12
17
3
19
28
11
13
15
16
9
5
15
39
10
12
16
10
16
9
11
14
6
20
16
5
13
18
12
9
17
6
17
13
12
3
4
$5, 552
11, 363
1,419
35, 657
787
2,940
3,605
27, 365
25, 518
45, 951
3,254
23, 190
29, 723
164, 8S9
17, 770
7,127
21,837
1,324
17, 807
3,562
17, 862
35, 703
98, 572
14, 512
563
36,443
66,232
21,922
25, 496
6,954
64, 992
32, 733
4,761
14,563
418,951
2,197
8,269
14,024
7,717
3,834
5,769
15, 755
5,375
745
41, 217
9,158
306
3,658
46, 510
4,692
2,746
20,938
445
6,283
6,311
6,203
94
1,489
8
7
5
13
e
14
15
20
g
9
17
34
17
7
6
6
12
6
13
12
11
15
3
17
27
10
12
11
16
10
3
13
40
3
9
12
8
16
9
9
11
3
19
16
7
12
13
12
8
17
3
13
7
7
518
607
197
2,783
297
337
886
2,016
2,849
3,644
219
1,231
1,691
10,064
1,377
659
1,078
254
1,669
416
1,445
3,076
2,673
1,276
180
3,214
4,973
1,386
1,216
685
4,171
1,382
395
1,210
24,963
110
1,161
1,254
1,064
884
987
1,528
987
120
3,460
1,651
250
725
2,770
965
631
2,244
115
862
727
501
Beulah
Black Creek
Florida
5
1
1
3
4
2
10
1
4
2
16
1
2
2
1
1
1
2
3
4
2
1
5
8
4
5
29, 250
25
50
142
26, 350
100
14, 074
4,000
33, 519
1,330
172, 850
17, 400
179
30, 745
18
200
6,000
31,390
21, 305
75, 900
7,800
400
14,970
43, 275
22,690
49, 650
Graves
Harmony
Holmes "
Indian River
Jackson ,
Jacksonville
Lafayette
Lake
Marion -.
Miami
Middle Florida, ..
New River
Northwest Coast,
Okaloosa
Orange Blossom..
Pasco . .
Peace River
Pensacola Bay
Pinellas
Santa Fe River— .
Santa Rosa
Southern Florida.
Southwest Florida.
St. Johns River...
Suwannee
Tampa Bay
6
4
1
257, 973
26,200
1,800
Wekiwa
West Florida
Georgia:
Appalachee
Atlanta -
20
2
487, 555
80
Baptist Union
BenHUl-Irwin...
Bethel .
1
2,500
Carroll ton
Catoosa
1
100
Central
Central Western,
Chattahoochee...
Chattooga
2
1
19,000
886
Chestatee
Colquitt
1
4
13
12, 370
Columbus , ... ,
Concord
Consolation
Coosa
1
1
1
1
475
5
2,400
500
Coosawattee
Daniel
Dodge
Ebenezer
Ellijay
2
83
126
CENSUS1 OE RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936— Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHUECH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHUECH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
11
*•* o
6
11
25
18
17
32
5
8
8
9
10
9
22
24
7
23
13
11
16
9
14
11
8
10
6
12
11
11
17
12
2
8
15
6
8
12
8
11
4
14
24
11
12
31
9
13
8
10
8
10
24
9
32
14
7
12
12
|
<
®fl
A ^
o *
I
If
»
1
11
S S
S p,
-ag
0M
1
CQ
Georgia—Con.
Enon
6
13
28
21
18
33
5
9
9
9
12
10
23
25
7
24
13
16
16
10
14
13
10
10
6
13
11
11
18
13
2
9
15
7
8
14
11
11
4
14
26
12
13
32
9
15
9
11
8
11
27
9
33
15
7
15
13
876
2,776
5,839
5,093
3,076
5,674
573
1,018
1,642
1,682
2,245
1,524
5,831
9,482
1,020
5,215
1,495
2,752
2,845
1,721
3,065
2,328
1,573
1,472
439
3,111
1,582
1,358
3,037
3,212
372
1,253
2,557
814
1,121
2,655
1,503
4,600
486
4,883
5,099
1,288
2,216
4,332
1,106
2,484
1,470
1,880
1,081
1,411
10,602
1,254
8,793
1,973
1,346
2,540
1,725
$5,200
77, 750
241, 800
196, 145
135, 050
217, 150
4,400
9,050
72, 810
66, 500
47, 400
9,700
112, 418
1, 398, 240
6,600
36, 900
37, 900
14, 950
64, 200
65, 100
55, 800
40, 500
12, 100
18, 375
9,550
187,975
16,200
44,300
117, 700
84,400
64, 000
59, 020
18, 400
46, 700
13, 650
7,625
673,000
2,000
253, 750
82, 800
6,600
73, 020
222, 285
38, 800
18, 200
6,500
40,700
34,850
36,500
530,082
13,400
456,300
26,800
13,400
57,450
47.350
1
$15
6
13
28
21
18
33
4
7
9
9
11
10
23
25
6
23
12
16
16
10
14
13
9
10
5
13
10
11
18
13
2
9
14
6
8
14
10
11
4
13
25
11
13
32
9
13
5
10
8
10
27
9
33
15
6
15
12
$848
7,764
37, 077
30, 499
18, 942
26, 060
312
1,237
8,400
6,673
6,643
3,367
14, 922
69, 900
1,030
5,045
5,156
1,706
15, 044
7,245
10, 858
7,346
3,745
2,799
5,137
20,027
2,464
9,808
16,029
7,638
6,575
8,068
2,257
4,863
2,335
1,434
59, 723
178
46, 716
13, 330
811
13, 103
29,350
5,428
3,293
399
5,573
6,243
3,538
84,463
2,565
46,453
6,153
1,914
11, 334
7.690
5
13
24
18
13
32
2
4
8
5
12
4
21
23
5
15
11
3
15
8
13
13
9
7
5
11
5
6
16
13
1
8
11
5
7
9
4
9
4
13
24
10
12
26
9
13
318
1,504
2,743
2,359
1,223
2,990
180
180
786
713
1,400
305
2,071
5,730
360
1,164
601
160
1,151
690
1,375
1,153
508
526
236
1,761
368
574
1,441
1,221
85
611
1,218
390
575
557
210
2,791
309
2,623
2,353
537
1,160
2,759
689
979
Fairburn
Flint River
1
3
1
1
4,000
9,500
2,500
5,000
Floyd
Friendship
Georgia
Gflmer-Fannin- . .
Good Samaritan..
Gordon
Grady
Habersham
2
1,235
Haralson
Hebron
1
5
3,500
95, 360
Hephzibah
Hiawassee
Hightower
1
75
Houston
Jasper
Kflpatriek
Kimbell
1
2
1,000
12, 150
Laurens
Lawrence ville
Liberty
1
166
Little River
Lookout Valley—
Mallary
1
2
2,000
29,500
Mell
Mercer
1
85
Middle
Middle Cherokee.
Miller
1
21
Morgan
Morganton
2
1
2
6,403
2,900
2,485
Mountaintown, . _
Mount Vernon.__
Mulberry
New Hope.-
1
1
70
72,000
New Sunbury
New Union
Noonday
2
2
4,200
470
North Georgia
Notla River
Ogeechee River.. _
Piedmont
1
8
18,000
29,972
Pine Mountain....
Pleasant Grove-
Pleasant Valley. .
Polk .
1
450
10
6
9
25
9
30
11
6
10
8
975
519
625
5,412
592
3,899
732
500
1,525
731
Pulaski-Bleckley.
Rabun.^ ..„
Rehoboth
5
31,050
Roswell
Sarepta
3
1
47,000
7,000
Smyrna. .
South River
Stone Mountain..
Summerhill
2
222
'Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
127
TABLE 7.— NUMBER AND MEMBEESHIP OP CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1 936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
i
rQ
|
*0
1
£
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
I
Georgia— Con.
Tallapoosa.
1C
<
2(
15
18
30
1,844
1,518
951
9
{
8
U
13
17
29
4
$20, 000
49,000
12, 300
58, 100
46,650
98, 150
6,300
188, 150
73,450
365,400
3,700
10, 100
5,500
11,200
(2)
144,055
228, 500
85, 400
136,950
58,050
19,700
67,029
17, 000
247, 450
9,600
33,000
61,250
48,946
244,350
55, 100
GO
77,300
34,000
93,500
(3)
25,700
41, 550
36,000
69,060
168, 350
94, 300
11,900
177,000
119,700
18,000
195, 750
58,000
130,300
373, 500
118,800
149, 900
;
$73
7,600
10
i
9
2(
15
18
28
4
4
6
1
31
16
18
31
12
9
20
14
25
5
9
30
21
24
24
2
18
10
20
1
2
15
5
29
30
9
13
26
10
13
18
9
19
16
8
18
$3, 154
7,167
2,135
21, 495
6,406
34, 254
1,270
41 604
8
t
5
5
2(
12
17
21
/
6
4
4
1
30
16
18
28
12
8
20
14
24
4
7
28
21
24
23
2
17
10
20
1
2
10
5
17
29
8
10
24
9
10
18
8
19
16
7
15
552
694
400
1,188
619
2,591
90
2,101
1,365
4,673
155
309
108
148
70
2,524
5,780
1,673
3,078
1,154
469
1,277
605
3,200
213
50J
1,277
1,481
3,421
937
68
1,412
837
2,437
35
315
871
716
1,235
3,194
913
535
2,661
1,401
913
1,354
568
2,222
4,290
1,018
2,328
Tattnall-Evans
Telfair
Thomas
2,417
1,802
5,032
857
3,436
2,719
7,861
464
".
10, 000
Tucker
Tugalo.
*
2,500
Turner
Valdosta
1
11,000
Washington
13 701
Western _„
]
50
25
191
72, 470
796
2,386
539
1,051
23,220
55, 108
12, 070
24, 475
9,024
3,915
13,848
4,865
31, 924
2,437
4,318
7,263
14, 105
24,438
5,413
(*)
13,310
7,436
25,003
(2)
(2)
6,609
6,928
9,916
23, 459
12, 648
2,872
26, 922
14, 282
4,667
22, 761
7,743
24, 161
57, 810
16, 271
31, 568
White
Illinois:
Antioch _
{
1
32
16
21
31
12
9
22
14
27
5
9
30
21
24
25
2
19
10
21
1
3
15
5
29
31
9
14
26
10
15
19
9
19
16
8
18
330
146
666
101
4,741
5,515
3,434
5,193
1,319
812
1,999
1,145
3,991
602
717
2,303
2,458
4,477
2,754
111
2,272
1,137
3,507
41
613
2,255
1,449
4,999
4,624
1,709
1,672
4,326
1,954
1,689
2,251
1,338
3,604
4,762
2,377
4.168
Bay Creek
Big Saline. .
8
1
28
14
20
29
12
9
20
13
25
4
8
30
20
24
24
2
17
10
19
1
3
14
4
26
15
8
14
25
10
15
18
9
19
16
8
17
1
400
Central Illinois. _.
Clear Creek
9
1
*i
13,454
58, 805
700
1,600
5,025
East St. Louis
Fairfield _.
Franklin
Kaskaskia...
Louisville
Macoupin
2
4,175
Mount Erie
Nine Mile
4
50, 304
Olney __
Palestine
1
3
c
I
I
62
1,375
5,300
1,200
684
Rehoboth
Salem South
Saline
Sandy Creek.
Shelby
Union.
2
6,242
Westfield
Williamson,
3
3,396
Indiana:
Palestine
Kansas:
Spring River
Kentucky:
Allen
Baptist
1
3
2
1
2,100
2,289
40, 450
3,500
Barren River
Bell
Bethel
Blackford
Blood River
Boone's Creek
Booneville
1
2
2
2
1
2
5
1
2
6,945
2,250
900
3,323
10,000
14,406
61, 530
11,500
4,032
Bracken
Breckenridge
Caldwell
Campbell..
Central . .
Christian
2 Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
128
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — HTJMBEB AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHTJRCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
Kentucky—Con.
Crittenden -.
11
36
18
e
14
13
1C
3
15
11
9
20
17
26
i
1,658
8,087
1,097
2,784
820
422
6,738
1,376
3,784
489
1,126
2,781
797
1,086
4,452
1,365
2,813
373
1,735
634
1,356
3,404
4,730
2,032
4,094
2,419
2,224
27,949
4,397
2,283
439
5,190
4,719
3,426
5,937
944
4,770
2,620
3,131
211
2,334
3,385
594
1,048
2,233
1,185
2,604
3,918
2,015
1,094
3,390
603
1,791
1,987
2,569
10
35
6
16
6
2
14
13
10
7
2
15
c
9
18
7
23
6
7
4
10
27
24
14
23
14
15
49
19
19
3
21
28
13
16
6
28
26
22
3
11
25
3
14
18
11
14
12
7
5
14
5
13
10
12
$58,500
434, 065
12,500
35, 750
10,000
(2)
461,890
71,600
144, 575
7,975
(2)
36, 750
3,100
46, 500
271,200
7,500
177, 282
16, 190
94, 500
3,700
9,600
77,915
83, 850
44,950
130,700
37, 100
32, 500
2, 198, 395
48, 300
28,500
2,000
387,800
73, 300
116,350
486,000
9,500
99, 000
44,413
89, 650
23, 250
58,600
83,950
3,200
20,036
26, 100
20, 200
111, 100
85, 525
48,975
3,900
135, 100
10,100
9,774
97, 800
101,800
1
4
1
1
$5,000
11, 250
600
100
11
36
7
17
6
2
14
13
10
6
3
15
11
8
20
14
22
5
7
4
13
28
24
15
23
16
15
49
20
20
3
22
29
17
17
9
30
24
22
2
12
26
4
15
19
12
14
13
7
6
13
5
11
11
13
$9, 093
67, 743
3,367
5,342
882
(2)
66, 656
11, 690
27,164
835
10, 954
3,868
506
4,710
26, 297
915
32, 678
336
10, 405
566
2,414
10,416
20,522
8,960
22, 440
8,387
4, 564
370,015
9,967
3,495
173
34,940
8,372
18, 112
58,663
456
17,003
7,195
15, 445
(2)
10, 062
10, 694
458
3,882
3,832
3,554
13, 250
20, 606
9,482
575
24, 071
2,301
650
9,949
10, 945
10
36
7
15
4
2
14
13
8
5
3
12
3
8
19
3
21
2
6
4
5
22
18
15
18
13
13
48
16
15
3
20
28
17
15
2
24
19
20
1
11
26
3
15
15
9
13
13
7
6
14
4
9
10
13
917
5,134
472
1,676
220
215
4,204
1,032
2,512
255
769
855
138
637
2,192
166
2,690
145
774
188
190
1,661
1,757
1,474
2,289
797
823
20,271
1,528
1,021
125
3,277
2,230
1,733
4,185
226
1,936
1,117
1,704
34
879
2,387
200
1,027
782
517
1,470
1,699
895
280
1,822
272
595
964
1,740
Daviess-McLean-
3Sast Lynn , -
East Union
Edmonson
Elkhora No. 1
Elkhora No. 2,__.
Enterprise
3
1
1
15,103
750
23,000
Franklin
Freedom
Friendship
Gasper River
Goose Creek
Goshen -
Graves - ~.
2
1
106, 782
82
21, 780
Green River
Greenup--
Greenville
Henry - _.
1
3,650
Irvine
Jackson
13
28
25
15
23
16
15
49
20
20
2?
29
17
17
9
31
27
23
3
12
26
4
15
20
12
14
13
7
7
14
5
16
11
13
Laurel Kiver
Liberty
3
2
1,758
1,775
Lincoln
Little Bethel
Little River
6
1
12,864
115
Logan
Long Run
25
1
1
455, 554
75
24
Lynn
Lynn Camp
McCreary
Mount ZJion
4
1
37,725
5,300
Muhlenburg -
Nelson
North Bend _~ ,_
B
58, 751
North Concord. .-
Ohio
i
1
2
150
500
2,208
Ohio River ,
Ohio Valley . .
Old Bethel
Owen
Pulaski
2
13, 625
Rockcastle
Hussell
Russell Creek, .„_
Salem. -_ ._
1
100
Severns Valley—-
Shelby
1
10, 500
Simpson
South Concord,.-
South District
South Kentucky.
South Union
Sulphur Fork
Tates Creek
1
13
1
12, 666
1 Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations,'
tics of any individual church.
to avoid disclosing the statis-
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
129
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHUECH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
ta „«
sf
|
II
P ft
g£
1
I
If
t-4 O
sa
& S
O
I
|
II
I»
I
o
Kentucky— Con.
Ten Mile -
8
15
11
18
21
18
24
28
9
16
12
6
11
18
4
13
14
6
15
6
7
16
21
11
14
15
13
7
10
11
3
19
15
16
10
19
18
8
19
6
10
11
18
8
13
5
20
12
7
7
6
12
1
1,336
1,331
1,212
3,906
4,583
2,998
3,493
5,532
1,414
2,046
1,416
856
2,056
2,540
691
2,760
3,601
1,628
9,972
1,216
649
3,808
2,990
2,983
1,534
1,483
1,626
2,030
1,510
2,857
586
6,053
2,500
1,729
3,355
2,781
2,366
2,083
2,146
525
1,075
2,258
2,181
2,890
3,246
1,900
5,945
962
1,022
1,155
442
2,364
256
7
8
10
13
21
18
22
27
9
14
11
6
9
16
4
13
14
6
14
6
7
16
16
10
13
14
11
6
8
fi
15
13
16
9
19
16
6
16
4
10
11
16
8
10
20
11
7
6
11
1
$27,000
25, 900
39, 200
243, 550
321, 400
47,640
88, 575
180, 900
21, 300
110, 175
13, 200
12, 715
25,625
50, 630
7,700
59,850
85,864
26, 700
494, 930
31, 650
38, 300
51,700
46, 350
19, 620
27,975
29,800
9,250
76,000
37,000
199, 100
4,000
279, 155
57, 900
18,875
241,050
40,926
41,290
7,300
15,750
2,850
15,030
66, 750
13, 760
64,200
160, 500
88,700
1,082,500
87, 750
82, 500
166,425
21, 700
208, 000
1
3
1
3
2
$575
2,360
78
1,900
5,382
8
15
11
18
21
18
24
28
9
16
12
6
11
17
4
13
14
6
15
6
7
16
19
11
14
15
13
7
10
11
3
19
15
16
10
19
18
8
18
5
10
11
18
8
13
5
20
13
6
11
$4,053
8,825
8,378
51, 983
30, 783
5,185
16,481
41, 337
6,234
21, 105
3,883
5,489
11,369
12, 552
856
18,449
25,008
12,664
119,619
8,656
7,107
18, 393
10, 796
9,907
3,416
7,541
11,057
22,426
5,519
27,475
938
56, 754
15, 118
4,665
45,902
11, 952
11,534
4,481
5,842
689
3,567
12,932
4,894
21, 962
22, 831
9,443
110,338
10, 473
8,688
17, 202
7,714
30, 593
(*)
8
15
10
16
17
13
22
27
9
14
9
6
10
15
4
13
14
6
13
6
5
16
15
10
9
14
9
7
9
11
3
16
15
15
10
19
13
8
18
4
10
11
12
8
12
4
20
11
5
12
617
1,799
578
3,281
2,139
1,166
1,985
3,781
783
1,404
611
563
1,199
1,092
362
1,751
2,085
1,264
5,211
660
516
1,809
1,283
1,372
528
721
857
1,530
649
1,254
127
3,378
1,416
796
2,103
1,441
1,175
696
1,027
207
634
1,339
596
1,746
1,899
816
4,437
980
846
899
531
1,831
190
Three Porks
Union __ _
Upper Cumber-
Warren... .
Wayne
West Kentucky. .
West Union
3
3
1
1
1
1
3
72
19, 594
120
4,800
800
110
6,850
Whites Run
Louisiana:
Acadia
Amite River
Ascension
Bayou Macon
B eanregs rd
Bienville
1
3
1
5
2
1
2
3
50
1,199
500
53, 600
3,564
700
9,100
1,181
Big Creek
Bossier .. _
Caddo
C aid well
Carey
Concord
Deer Creek
Eastern Louisiana
Everett
1
84
Grand Cane
Jackson
1
3
145
4,140
Judson
Liberty
Louisiana
2
13, 450
Miagee's Creek
Morehouse-
Ouachita __ _
4
2
36, 591
1,810
Mount Olive
New Orleans
8
43, 801
North Sabine
Ouachita
Red River
Sabine
1
24
Shady Grove
St. Tammany
Tangipahoa
1
4
100
9,619
"Vernon
Washington
1
1,527
Webster
"Winn
Maryland:
Baltimore
13
2
S
4
2
6
114,323
12,447
7,650
53, 738
6,400
18, 941
Eastern. _
Northern
Seneca
Southern
Western
Michigan:
Franklin
* Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
any individual church.
130
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936— Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
chinches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
II
P
!*
|
^
|I
5a
g£
-s
I
•<
11
^ S
3 ft
gg
o
a
•«
I!
J-i o
i*
l
'o
ft
s
Mississippi*
Alcorn
9
6
7
24
10
8
14
11
5
4
6
21
8
10
18
1
9
10
17
10
14
8
14
10
19
8
17
9
22
9
14
22
22
2
6
15
4
12
11
9
10
11
12
17
3
11
3
8
11
11
22
7
9
13
lin figi
1 churcl
1,000
651
1,154
3,377
1,418
1,787
1,740
1,237
686
505
1,154
5,055
1,750
1,511
2,785
251
1,381
969
2,675
9,561
1,511
842
944
1,448
1,900
4,698
926
2,432
1,096
6,309
1,788
1,551
7,858
4,642
476
679
2,647
950
2,728
1,255
1,550
1,597
1,641
1,026
2,283
109
2,334
165
942
2,070
1,227
3,723
539
816
4,957
ires on th
i.
8
6
5
22
7
7
10
10
4
3
5
19
8
9
17
$23, 850
18, 485
35, 500
41, 385
11, 400
62, 750
30, 457
28,100
3,300
8,000
15,800
174, 989
12, 195
89, 600
115, 475
2
2
1
$1, 100
2,865
1,000
8
6
5
23
10
8
14
11
4
6
21
8
10
18
1
9
5
10
17
9
12
8
14
10
19
7
17
9
22
9
14
22
22
2
6
15
4
12
11
9
10
10
12
17
3
11
2
7
11
11
22
7
9
13
' to a
$1, 780
1,874
9,242
7,919
1,666
11, 590
5,642
4,541
2,032
5,407
4,253
30, 271
3,365
15, 215
17, 677
(3)
6,108
12, 120
19, 376
98, 861
14, 462
1,282
7,051
7,765
4,425
27, 371
4,044
10, 147
2,062
46, 924
7,905
7,007
65, 009
32,583
(2)
828
5,568
8,942
13, 593
3,699
6,756
7,781
2,450
1,460
17,412
390
11, 617
(2)
1,233
12, 467
4,797
16,455
716
2,341
31,407
7oid disclc
7
S
6
15
6
12
8
2
6
18
6
9
16
1
9
2
10
15
8
8
8
12
7
17
12
6
19
9
9
21
IS
2
4
14
4
10
5
9
8
4
6
13
3
8
1
3
8
9
21
1
6
13
sing t
293
75
709
1,124
359
649
759
494
129
262
457
1,933
550
798
1,232
70
589
84
1,854
5,318
609
312
620
615
420
2,284
292
882
348
3,550
950
686
4,479
2,348
264
122
1,021
452
1,597
259
684
821
199
232
1,199
38
1,114
96
141
913
437
2,111
71
253
2,220
he s tat Is-
Benton
Bolivar
Calhoun
Carroll
Chickasaw
1
55
Ottoctaw
Clarke
Clay
Coldwater
1
1
3
500
5,000
27, 613
Columbus _
Copiah
Covington
Deer Creek
1
2
3,500
24,630
Franklin
George
Greene
9
5
10
15
10
13
8
10
10
19
6
14
8
21
9
13
21
21
2
6
13
4
11
9
8
9
10
10
16
1
9
3
6
10
9
21
6
8
13
e line
19, 200
53, 300
183, 900
905, 300
87, 950
10, 306
19, 100
22, 300
18, 000
158, 650
17, 300
55, 955
10, 600
368, 226
17, 600
34, 675
275, 325
215, 100
(2)
6,450
34, 650
51, 000
54, 200
20, 500
14, 375
72, 700
34, 750
7,800
48, 700
(3)
74, 700
11, 100
7,100
87,900
20,550
89, 050
5,700
7,600
188, 450
designated
1
700
Grenada
Gulf Coast
3
4
1
1
1
47, 180
224, 500
7,500
108
900
Hinds- Warren
Holmes
Itawarnba...
Jackson. _ _
Jasper
Jefferson Davis—
Jones _
2
20, 680
Kemper
Koscmsko
Lafayette
Lauderdale
3
46,000
Lawrence
Leake ...
1
3
3
1
8,500
23, 233
6, 915
(*)
Lebanon
Lee
Leflore
Liberty
Lincoln
1
1
3,000
3,500
Madison
Marion
Marshall
Mississippi
Monroe
Montgomery
Mount Pisgah
Neshoba
1
7,000
New Choctaw
Newton
2
18, 050
Noxubee-Choc-
taw
Oktibbeha
Oktibbena Coun-
ty
1
2
1
4,000
760
12, 500
Panola
Pearl River .
Pearl Valley
Perry
Pike
2
'Con
63, 656
ibinations,
2 Amount includec
tics of any individua
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
131
TABLE 7* — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
o
o
fll
1
VA
CHT7RC
JLTTE OP
H EDIFICES
DI
ca
an
5BT ON
BEUECH
DIFICES
EZPE]
STDITUEES
str
SCI
NDAY
IOOL3
ASSOCIATION
P) H
-1
c3
0
^
Number of
^Churches
reporting
4-S
!
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
*o
Mississippi — Con.
Pontotoc
15
3,147
13
$15, 800
1
$8
15
$6, 050
12
1,043
Prentiss
8
1,677
7
41, 750
8
6,166
8
639
Rankin
16
2,124
14
21 350
16
6,489
15
994
Riverside
9
1,900
8
178, 175
3
28, 000
8
24, 505
6
419
Scott
13
1 798
13
29, 650
13
8,627
11
886
Simpson __..
27
4,972
27
72,400
2
5,025
27
17, 170
21
1,665
Smith
20
3,062
20
39, 300
19
5,872
13
849
Sunflower _ _ _
9
1,452
7
89, 190
2
5,887
9
14, 467
9
884
Tallahatchie
5
470
5
5,655
5
1,148
4
203
Tate
9
736
8
19, 450
1
350
9
3,210
8
361
Tippah
17
2,923
14
53, 465
?,
85
17
10, 928
13
1,250
Tishrvmingn
15
1,122
15
15, 110
15
1,567
11
443
Union
4
377
4
28,500
1
1,500
4
1,896
4
222
Union County
Walthall
17
2,710
859
14
4
25, 400
10,500
1
1,000
17
4
4,487
1,873
13
3
633
359
Wayne
13
1,169
9
19, 425
13
4,217
11
596
Winston
12
2,041
9
47, 050
11
9,388
9
696
Yalobusha
13
1,784
10
25, 300
1
50
12
8,011
9
880
Yazoo
8
1,313
7
81, 850
1
28, 000
8
8,535
6
444
Zion
19
2,102
19
25, 610
19
4,554
12
743
Missouri:
Audrain
10
1,433
10
63,300
10
7,076
8
757
Barry
17
1,793
13
15, 600
17
4,540
9
602
Barton
4
227
4
8,000
1
800
4
751
4
146
Bear Creek
7
746
7
30, 300
1
850
7
6,951
4
277
Benton
8
585
7
22, 800
8
4,222
7
397
Bethel
19
3,803
19
232, 078
3
15, 370
19
31, 102
17
3,190
Black River
12
1,110
11
38, 600
2
3,919
12
7,030
10
894
Blue River
23
5,059
23
271, 336
5
11, 736
22
48, 640
23
3,742
"Riir}?ois0
5
557
4
11, 200
5
1,209
5
218
Butler
15
1,999
13
84, 150
3
9,130
15
14, 065
15
1,324
Caldwell-Ray
Callaway
10
11
1,797
1,831
10
11
52, 000
81, 600
2
1,190
10
10
6,391
10,828
10
11
1,128
1,007
namcifvn
15
1,614
11
19, 314
1
65
14
2,611
8
539
Cane Creek
14
2,110
12
56,225
2
935
12
10, 718
12
1,583
Cape Girardeau...
Cedar
8
6
2,176
475
8
6
169, 300
6,150
3
80, 392
8
6
21, 466
785
8
6
1,382
183
Charleston
11
1,575
8
78,500
2
2,525
11
14, 939
13
1,177
Cherokee
1
15
1
09
1
C2)
1
10
Christian
11
1,146
8
20,750
11
2,838
10
596
Clay
14
2,688
12
176, 200
2
600
14
20, 584
13
1,604
Clinton
282
2
(a)
2
(3)
2
252
Concord
26
5,115
25
234,000
2
6,750
26-
29,767
24
3,037
Cuivre
11
1,26C
11
36,800
1
750
11
6,536
8
560
Dade
e
692
5
10,200
3,035
5
300
Dallas
4
1,004
2
(2)
4
3,22C
5
378
K
718
5
30, 800
5
3,743
g
396
Dent
7
1,074
4
43, 500
1,121
6
482
Dixon
7
955
16,025
7
3, 36$
t
429
Eleven Points
River
380
K
7,800
5
2,317
±
218
Franklin
21
4,110
17
143, 150
3
15, 450
20
21, 485
20
2,773
Franklin County.
15
1
J.HB
13
40, 012
3
8,300
14
1
12, 193
(3)
1:
1,344
40
/T.p i_v
11
1,830
11
55, 750
10
7,689
i:
887
Greene
28
4,987
27
156, 100
j
12,290
26
27,366
26
3,105
TTarTnn-ny
10
2,174
10
108, 800
2
19,940
10
17, 511
9
1,018
2 Amount included m figures on the line designated "Combinations/* to avoid disclosing the statis-
tics of any individual church.
275318—41-
-10
132
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBEK AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936— Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
sl
gs
"d
d
II
P
d a
"2
o
o
a
If
fl
|
la
i!
0*
(5
Missouri— Con.
Howell
5
11
11
24
10
10
14
15
9
11
11
14
10
12
14
7
6
17
7
15
16
19
10
14
6
7
13
9
4
14
24
14
8
12
10
23
27
12
15
7
21
23
5
8
14
14
12
15
4
15
17
442
1,514
1,408
11, 767
1,446
1,866
2,017
2,695
1,314
2,251
1,077
2,449
746
1,811
2,196
574
864
3,449
339
1,686
1,872
2,982
685
1,722
507
942
1,332
1,074
659
1,179
3,602
1,927
683
1,300
1,363
4,126
15, 416
1,874
2,103
534
2,087
4,084
731
446
3,109
1,437
693
1,841
153
1,592
2,545
5
11
11
22
9
9
12
14
9
9
11
13
7
12
12
R
e
14
7
14
16
15
8
, 14
6
13
6
n
11
23
13
6
10
10
22
25
10
15
6
21
19
5
5
12
11
8
14
4
15
17
$15, 700
47, 060
56, 500
1, 060, 568
46, 900
83, 250
89, 900
50, 550
79, 000
228. 950
25, 250
109, 100
27, 150
53, 100
103, 600
14, 000
13, 650
122, 900
13, 100
84, 300
84, 700
75, 640
16, 500
48, 800
14, 500
50, 200
14, 150
38. 300
28, 850
78, 800
31, 550
7,800
36, 450
21, 925
211, 250
2, 374, 000
39, 100
124, 350
6,000
54,900
159, 000
48, 500
6,750
111, 100
20, 100
9,300
49, 550
4,550
49, 700
118, 170
4
11
11
24
10
10
14
14
9
11
11
12
10
12
14
7
5
15
6
15
16
19
9
14
6
7
13
9
4
12
24
14
7
11
10
23
27
12
15
7
21
23
5
8
14
13
10
15
4
15
17
$3, 151
11, 993
7,213
176, 145
7,185
13, 579
10, 360
15, 073
6,963
25, 976
3,235
17, 860
3,495
9,119
12, 285
1,741
2,566
20, 782
976
10, 698
15, 294
18, 796
2,008
5,125
1,165
5,472
2,738
9,192
3,255
4,114
11, 775
7,389
2,738
3,601
4,076
33, 485
230, 530
13,995
12, 869
1,936
9,006
22,744
7,134
1,878
19,402
5,008
1,242
6,240
528
8,003
11, 228
3
9
9
24
8
10
13
14
9
9
11
12
8
12
14
6
5
13
6
12
15
19
8
11
5
7
11
7
2
12
20
13
6
10
10
21
26
11
14
6
20
21
4
7
14
11
7
15
4
13
16
294
1,030
. 687
13, 996
695
1,410
1,257
1,618
1,094
973
652
1,313
516
890
1,506
194
379
1,805
201
785
922
1,991
372
652
235
845
422
870
267
676
1,409
1,122
390
656
797
2,491
10, 218
1,083
1,162
367
1,494
2,972
548
311
1,636
817
290
881
101
857
1,337
Jefferson
1
$5, 400
Johnson
Kansas City
17
1
308, 701
4,004
Laclede .
Lafayette
Lamine
1
4,110
I/awrence
Linn
Little Bonne
1
41, 500
Livingston
Macon
1
3,200
]V£eramec
MiUer
1
1
500
2,950
Missouri Valley. .
Monroe
Mount Moriah. . _
Mount Pleasant-
Mount Salem
Mount Zion
1
900
Nevada
4
4
1,765
3,367
New Madrid
North Central
North Grand
River
1
550
North Missouri...
Northwest Mis-
souri
1
1,271
Old Path
Phelps
Platte
Pleasant Grove...
Polk.
2
1
1
1
9,230
572
25
300
Pulaski .
Reynolds
St. Glair
St Francois
St. Joseph __
5
16
17, 575
215, 594
St. Louis
Saline
Salt River
Shannon
Shoal Creek
Spring River
Stoddard
1
1
347
4,500
Stone
Tebo
1
1,270
Texas
Wayne
Webster.. .
1
7,500
West Fork
Wright
1
2
4,250
1,900
Wyaconda i
3 Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any Individual church.
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
133
TABLE 7. — NUMBEK AND MEMBEKSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936— Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
3gj>
•§!
^ o
sg
o^
1
1
$9
l!
o M
1
o
a
-4
la
sl
g =
8
7
14
6
18
5
7
4
17
9
4
29
20
16
12
15
19
16
13
15
27
13
10
27
26
30
15
2
17
4
22
7
23
6
16
25
26
22
20
24
28
19
18
19
17
14
17
34
9
11
33
9
18
cd
53
O
1
II
fl
53 ft
-a ®
0
"o
1
New Mexico:
Central
11
7
14
6
20
5
7
6
17
9
4
30
20
16
12
15
19
16
13
17
27
14
10
28
26
30
15
2
17
4
22
7
23
6
16
25
26
22
20
24
28
19
18
19
17
14
17
34
9
12
33
10
18
1,126
630
1,476
987
2,570
568
743
629
2,941
436
439
2,498
2,794
1,633
2,463
1,751
2,523
3,222
1,723
3,073
8,056
1,247
3,398
5, 382
4,342
5,428
2,783
430
4,621
147
6,661
659
3,325
993
4,203
3,896
8,254
3,887
3,007
3,752
9,886
4,965
5,269
2,837
5,276
2,421
1,833
11, 461
1,535
1,411
6,165
725
3,826
8
4
9
5
10
3
5
3
16
9
3
28
19
15
10
15
19
16
13
17
27
12
10
26
24
25
14
2
16
3
21
7
22
6
16
21
23
21
18
21
28
17
15
14
16
12
16
33
9
10
32
9
16
$66, 500
19, 500
96, 150
51,800
65, 675
7,875
29,280
39, 700
35, 600
21, 600
3,830
38, 000
136, 200
24,990
49, 700
27, 100
47, 700
40, 900
22,450
115, 200
564, 607
20, 500
195, 600
321, 672
108, 150
147, 575
102, 027
(»>
131, 350
1,920
346, 300
5,900
63, 750
13, 150
88,300
65, 700
384,400
113, 625
122,900
167, 900
516, 136
228, 125
222, 800
38,448
534, 225
34,000
37, 300
863, 977
28, 457
15, 800
223,650
32,500
245, 308
4
1
4
$21, 127
4,100
14, 420
$13,779
11, 319
18, 222
8,901
26, 109
7,866
11, 091
11, 095
5,656
1,456
1,853
3,083
25,445
3,598
17, 031
7,512
12, 996
3,454
6,079
14, 164
69, 183
2,498
33, 443
43, 284
21, 279
26, 239
22, 078
(2)
20,061
774
46,094
1,829
14, 300
2,331
13,624
15, 174
90,697
15,422
17,209
30,222
74, 579
43,892
30,023
4,793
80,223
8,578
7,711
138, 576
10,890
2,423
36,297
3,952
35,584
8
6
12
5
17
5
6
3
16
8
3
23
17
15
11
12
18
14
13
16
27
13
10
28
25
28
15
2
16
4
22
7
22
6
15
22
26
22
20
23
28
19
18
17
16
10
16
34
8
10
31
18
863
463
1,228
725
1,616
388
595
568
1,525
367
180
1,367
1,898
1,288
1,805
1,097
2,206
1,456
1,217
1,954
5,933
972
3,472
4,764
3,577
3,821
2,892
132
2,493
176
4,003
592
2,399
964
1,859
2,629
8,127
2,324
2,985
2,939
7,329
4,502
3,932
1,595
4,767
1,151
1,316
9,448
1,082
640
4,398
410
2,843
Lincoln
Northeastern
Pecos Valley
Portales
2
1,556
Southeastern
Southwestern
Tucumcari
1
2
950
3,300
North Carolina:
Alexander
Alleghany
Anson
Ashe
1
2
48
4,111
Atlantic
Avery
Beulah
1
1
1
300
700
520
Bladen
Blue Ridge
Brier Creek
Brunswick ._
1
3
4
2
3
11
3
2
2
15
1,574
327, 550
150
7,637
42, 479
1,870
3,200
1,050
Brushy Mountain-
Buncombe
Burnt Swamp
(Indian)
Cabarrus
C aid well
Cape Fear-Co-
lumbus
Carolina ._
Catawba River-
Cedar Grove
Central
1
2
2
1
2
1
1
1
11
3
4
1
5
3
2
500
21
50, 000
84
1,150
490
1,000
45
55, 475
8,656
5,310
1.150
43, 085
1,533
1,075
Cherokee Indian.
C ho wan
Dock
Eastern _ .
Elkin
Flat River
French Broad
Gaston
Green River
Hay wood
Johnston
Kings Mountain .
Liberty
Little River
!M!acon
Mecklenburg
Mitchell
5
128, 800
Montgomery
Mount Zion _
Neuse
1
6
1
1
1
1
124
101, 384
1,161
60
800
300
5,670
New Found
New South River.
Pamlico
Pee Dee _
a Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church*
134
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHTTBCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
1
"o
•8
03
7,214
10, 924
5,726
1,693
6,256
6,608
4,200
3,196
6,664
5,300
942
3,137
3,138
877
739
3,124
4,449
2,374
3,521
1,471
2,439
3,157
5,615
720
1,741
2,650
2,095
843
60
60
285
3,469
1, 105
2,385
1,147
2,566
427
3,359
71
48
2,594
2,598
2,982
2,842
1,857
703
982
2,874
731
2 i4n
North Carolina-
Continued.
Piedmont -
24
53
22
19
36
41
16
34
33
32
9
19
24
14
9
23
34
26
28
14
25
23
35
15
22
23
17
11
1
1
6
16
10
25
7
12
14
19
E
6
18
17
16
20
23
7
15
17
12
23
6,801
14, 383
7,129
1,953
7,328
8,002
4,099
4,697
9,389
6,018
1,243
4,199
3,922
1,320
996
3,892
7,728
2,809
4,487
2,261
3,120
4,501
9,418
1,427
2,962
4,095
3,148
1,356
104
140
321
6,107
2,559
4,076
1,503
3.580
1,155
5,046
143
60
4,516
4,380
3,975
4,133
2,450
962
1,433
4,253
716
2.782
23
50
21
17
36
34
16
33
32
32
8
17
21
12
7
21
28
18
26
12
18
22
34
14
19
22
16
11
1
1
3
14
10
18
6
10
12
14
4
3
14
15
12
17
14
6
12
16
6
20
$253, 700
1, 447, 261
426, 727
48, 010
360, 750
258, 443
239, 100
199, 250
321,840
418. 906
17, 150
124,851
122, 248
17, 375
9,700
149, 750
324, 980
30, 607
168, 800
66,500
68, 400
144, 400
416, 800
14, 700
86, 950
407, 500
61, 250
39, 400
0
C2)
4,000
279, 570
135, 600
61, 375
35, 400
127, 644
9,280
303, 000
1,680
1,350
136, 900
121, 150
236, 050
281,075
94, 200
26, 800
15, 100
188, 875
14, 050
48. 475
5
13
3
3
6
2
7
4
6
9
2
3
6
$5,491
347, 335
42, 900
2,853
14,684
4,800
24,941
18, 725
60, 579
35,450
85
12, 696
28, 627
24
53
21
19
36
41
16
34
33
32
9
19
24
13
8
23
34
26
28
14
24
23
35
14
22
22
17
11
1
1
5
15
10
24
7
12
13
17
5
6
18
16
16
20
22
7
12
17
12
22
$88, 721
158, 861
52, 969
13, 060
60, 209
56,698
42, 894
26, 116
47, 219
59, 516
2,857
34, 769
14, 859
2,940
1,820
26, 793
43,804
6,899
20, 175
10,886
7,118
22,846
65, 598
1,952
7,996
41, 217
10, 696
2,951
(2)
Cz)
1,160
54,415
25, 196
19, 683
13, 759
37, 660
1,024
33,899
717
337
50, 013
25, 355
53, 766
46, 221
14, 222
4,193
7,136
21, 277
6,316
16. 225
24
52
17
16
34
41
16
32
31
29
9
18
23
13
9
23
33
25
28
13
22
23
35
13
22
22
14
11
1
1
6
14
8
22
6
11
13
16
3
4
16
16
14
18
20
7
12
17
12
OS
Pilot Mountain. _
Raleigh
Randolph
Roanoke
Robeson ._ ...
Rowan ...
Sandy Creek
Sandy Run _
South Fork
South Mountain..
South Yadkin....
Stanley _
Stone Mountain,.
Stony Fork
Surry - --
4
4,533
Tar River
Tennessee River..
Three Forks _
3
1
1
2
6
1
2
3
28,400
6,000
40
5,631
39, 096
28
15, 350
4,153
Transylvania
Tuckaseigee -
Union
West Chowan
West Liberty
Western North
Carolina
Wilmington
Yadkin
Yancey
Unassociated
Ohio:
Ohio Valley
Oklahoma:
Atoka
Banner
5
5
44, 573
44, 840
"Rp.cTrham
Bryan
Caddo
2
4
1
4
4,731
32, 950
3
11,080
Central
Cherokee Indian..
Chickasaw Union.
Chickasha Indian,
Choctaw-Chicka-
saw (Indian)...
Comanehe-Cot-
ton
3
3
7
5
3
1
24,000
12,044
36, 216
40, 463
6,700
150
Concord-KIowa
Delaware-Osage. .
Enon
Frisco
Harmon .
Haskell
Jackson-Oreer
Latimer
4
1
2
16, 250
500
1.380
Lenore
3 Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
135
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHTJECH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
Oklahoma—Con.
Mclntosh
1
6
10
31
3
9
17
12
19
4
4
13
17
24
16
29
11
11
18
1
1
16
14
149
690
3,249
6,556
185
4,844
3,660
1,680
16, 896
453
41
1,635
6,838
6,702
3,407
6,859
1,728
2,479
9,008
1,500
50
3,316
3,438
3,513
4,632
8,276
1,924
5,356
2,373
4,431
2,298
2,360
645
7,081
2,820
13, 553
2,169
3,668
2,611
405
3,488
8,546
8,717
2,162
2,968
1,112
4,450
1,363
2,074
1
6
10
31
3
9
16
12
19
4
3
12
16
24
13
29
11
11
17
1
1
16
14
19
27
33
18
19
11
26
18
12
18
9
33
12
22
11
i
14
31
24
(2)
$5,041
28, 998
51, 322
1,151
51, 530
29, 100
14, 983
181,962
1,237
107
14. 315
67, 358
67, 595
23, 320
57, 487
19,063
17,475
60,952
(2)
(2)
21, 198
18,849
27, 762
19, 586
44,002
6,488
57, 301
18,495
15, 407
13, 764
11, 118
1,954
84, 890
25, 501
120, 387
9,790
22,086
11, 013
1,150
24,509
52, 391
47,632
10, 835
16, 792
2,132
25,465
10, 742
6,121
66,684
31,695
1
6
10
30
3
9
16
9
19
4
3
13
17
23
14
26
11
9
18
75
370
1,884
4,323
157
3,750
2,750
1,252
10, 133
171
30
1,140
6,104
4,459
2,439
4,823
1,408
1,441
7,540
Mills
4
9
24
3
9
15
11
16
4
3
12
15
22
11
28
11
10
15
$21, 600
100, 635
242, 822
4,500
190, 000
114, 800
59, 400
648,010
7,100
2,050
59, 000
439, 550
441, 150
115, 950
266, 825
52,807
140,250
240, 750
1
3
6
1
3
1
1
9
$3, 000
9,443
55, 025
34
22, 300
8,000
250
109, 277
Mullins
Muskogee. _-
Muskogee-Semi-
nole- Wichita. ._
North Canadian..
Northeastern
Northwestern
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Indian .
Old Choctaw and
Chickasaw
Panhandle
4
8
7
2
12
2
4
11
9,750
66, 145
51, 607
14, 800
50, 325
590
30, 142
64, 391
Pawnee Creek
Perry
Pittsburg _ __ .
Pottawatomie-
Lincoln
Salt Fork Valley.
Tillman..
Tulsa Rogers
Unassociated
Pennsylvania:
Northern
1
16
14
19
25
28
16
18
11
26
17
11
17
30
11
21
11
3
13
29
23
15
15
5
13
t
29
12
(3)
139,650
116, 750
130, 500
120, 050
136,500
28,450
397,575
144, 150
103,600
42, 818
67, 500
16,000
552, 200
123, 500
528, 348
66,050
143, 000
31,600
8,000
141,300
224, 150
267, 500
96,500
104,900
6,300
72,200
35,000
27, 700
308,775
119,000
1
15
13
18
25
31
18
19
11
25
17
12
6
17
9
33
11
21
11
4
14
30
22
14
17
)
2(
&
68
2,549
2,034
2,164
2,945
5,340
1,860
3,791
1,869
2,632
1,457
1,129
355
6,089
2,259
10,357
1,023
2,484
1,581
266
2,463
5,815
5,249
1,359
2, 225
388
3,242
873
869
8T334
2,291
South Carolina:
Abbeville
Aiken
1
e
]
1
3
1,790
1,700
9,783
1,000
50
127, 271
Barnwell
19
27
33
18
20
11
Beaverdam
Broad River
Carolina
Charleston
Chester
Chesterfield
26
18
12
18
9
33
12
22
1]
Colleton .
1
1
900
1,409
Edgefield
Edisto
Fairfield
5
1
10
1
f
97, 800
300
123, 246
200
9,625
Florence
Green ville..
Kershaw
Laurens
X exington
3VC arion
Moriah
14
1
3
3,500
2,759
10, 950
3,000
334
North Greenville.
North Spartau-
burg
31
24
16
17
<
2<
i
Orangeburg
i
16
17
6
2C
3!
13
Pee Dee
1
Pickens
Piedmont.
2
268
Reedy River
Ridge
Saluda
11,645
3,403
12,022
23,615
Santee
ia
2 Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
136
CENTOS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MBMBBBSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITUBES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
r<33
"o
South Carolina—
Continued.
Savannah River-.
Southeast _.
25
24
25
15
11
20
17
14
33
1
21
31
14
9
2
21
13
31
27
16
7
17
33
17
12
22
3
7
29
9
27
17
6
45
21
6
19
4
45
20
17
14
36
18
_17
27
24
20
11
23
12
48
20
3,880
3,302
8,590
2,718
3,520
3,148
4,932
4,416
3,622
240
4,277
4,398
2,468
1,662
524
1,985
2,088
7,058
4,671
3,047
1,235
2,787
3,962
2,298
1,616
3,111
765
590
6,157
1,030
4,097
2.521
434
10, 279
3,207
461
3,088
422
18, 866
2,682
5,065
1,361
6,123
1,541
2,066
4,156
14, 591
2,311
1,981
3,196
1,415
16, 019
2, 9261
21
23
24
14
$128, 350
175, 100
644, 125
32, 250
239, 425
112,200
350, 100
272, 526
70, 775
(2)
232,275
98, 875
119, 565
97, 000
17,920
46, COO
205, 215
51, 125
166, 450
49, 500
181,800
28 575
1
V
$400
14, 200
67, 508
24
24
25
14
11
19
17
14
32
1
21
29
14
9
19
13
31
26
16
7
17
31
17
12
21
3
7
29
9
27
17
6
45
20
5
18
4
45
20
17
13
35
18
16
27
24
15
11
23
9
48
20
$20, 408
24, 83S
85, 854
5,148
33, 547
21, 273
70, 556
36,958
8,597
(2)
27, 242
12, 676
16, 798
13, 115
(2)
3,771
11,478
33, 055
28, 541
18, 976
5,625
22, 779
3,206
16, 080
5,218
14, 497
8,190
3,134
31,015
3,625
7,207
10, 176
487
76,719
9,824
741
16,871
607
246, 745
9,865
47, 160
6,748
24,965
3,352
2,688
2,938
235, 769
4,152
7,576
7,794
990
202, 542
7,943
21
20
24
14
9
19
16
14
25
1
21
30
13
8
5
18
13
30
27
16
7
16
24
16
10
22
3
7
29
9
25
12
5
43
21
4
19
3
45
17
17
10
34
14
16
22
23
16
11
23
7
48
19
2,004
1,930
6,526
1,247
2,368
2,822
3,879
3,268
1,552
25
2,142
2,899
1,345
1,009
190
1,112
1,022
4,029
3,162
1,686
706
1,618
1,449
1,430
829
1,759
711
314
3,455
504
1,862
784
291
6,552
1,624
184
2,134
130
13, 294
1,419
3,176
715
3,603
636
1,173
1,383
12, 192
1,048
882
2,111
427
10,873
1,681
Spartan _-_
Twelve Mile
River
Union.. .
8
20
16
12
29
1
20
25
13
9
1
12
12
29
21
16
7
16
25
16
12
18
1
6
28
9
26
14
3
42
17
4
18
4
41
19
16
13
32
16
13
22
22
11
11
20
9
46
19
1
125
Waccamaw
Welsh Neck
1
2
20, 189
11, 000
80
York
Tennessee:
Beech River
Benton
Beulah _, _
1
4
3
2
40, 000
845
995
1,690
Big Emory
Big Hatchie .
Bledsoe
Blood River
Campbell
Carroll
2
4
1
3
1
2
1,395
8,180
20
62, 786
7,000
1,717
Chilhowie -
Clinton.
Concord
Crockett
Cumberland. . ._
Cumberland Gap,
Duck River
112, 600
35,300
80,050
C2)
9,700
209, 183
18,444
46, 115
35,000
4,150
511, 444
64, 697
3,350
127, 700
3,650
1, 494, 382
73, 700
252,842
42, 900
113, 950
13, 190
29, 352
22, 800
1, 199, 000
33,810
30,800
49. 125
12 100
583,025
54, 275
2
3
1
2,573
3,182
8
Dyer
East Tennessee ...
East Union
Fayette. _ _.
1
3
25
10,559
Gibson
Giles
Grainger
1
1
50
1,000
Hardeman
Hlawassee
Holston. _.
6
114, 669
Holston Valley...
Indian Creek
Jefferson
1
17
Jtidson
Knox
14
2
3
2
5
1
196, 364
10, 035
51, 491
1,070
4,768
32
Lawrence
Madison
Maury.
McMinn
McNairy ... _
Midland
Mulberry Gap...
Nashville
16
1
302, 575
6,885
New River
New Salem *
Nolachucky
Northern
1
1
14
2
34
1,500
85, 142
2,800
Ocoee
Polk
* Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statis-
ics of any individual church.
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
137
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHUKCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAT
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
1
o
Tennessee— -Con.
Providence
13
20
16
16
8
31
28
5
9
11
13
27
17
9
28
15
18
U
15
26
8
23
13
19
13
19
20
10
9
5
10
8
11
17
8
18
25
10
19
10
15
15
8
28
24
13
21
8
8
9
16
20
14
1,393
1,832
4,182
2,032
1,419
5,028
16, 294
461
1,299
1,045
1,612
3,738
1,619
1,220
4, 61-0
1,796
2,716
1,543
3,074
4,809
1,493
4,675
3,097
2,102
1,651
2,040
2,320
1,241
2,621
530
1,223
955
858
2,408
1,441
1,727
4,391
1,944
1,933
3,134
2,809
3,484
1,590
4,961
19,860
2,056
4,296
1,290
1,649
2,661
2,920
3,348
2,535
1,870
10
11
15
14
7
27
27
4
9
8
8
25
15
8
26
14
15
11
15
16
6
20
11
16
11
18
13
9
8
5
10
E
9
15
8
13
23
9
13
9
14
13
8
25
23
12
20
6
8
8
14
15
14
23
$14, 546
11,221
165, 100
38, 350
38, 000
65, 089
966, 087
2,825
8,150
12, 575
39, 750
51,227
54, 550
21, 000
71,450
21, 100
175, 779
3MOO
105, 450
353, 350
58, 200
216,400
158,950
97, 950
26,350
33,900
42,300
78, 800
125, 000
14,200
30, 700
29,000
11,700
169,050
43, 825
27,400
162,396
163, 500
36,900
406,645
74,423
195, 400
36,500
166, 250
1,011,513
164, 850
164,950
37,200
84,500
303,800
70,700
178,600
121, 200
94, 300
12
18
16
16
8
27
28
5
9
11
13
26
17
9
27
15
18
11
15
25
7
23
13
19
13
19
20
9
9
5
10
8
11
17
8
18
25
10
18
9
14
15
8
27
24
13
21
7
8
9
16
19
14
25
$2, 174
3,961
30, 841
7,518
8,330
9,591
219, 713
427
1,008
2,968
5,791
7,295
5,249
6,029
15J48
4,170
16, 103
5,0,16
12, 996
55, 367
10, 662
40, 259
34,888
19, 676
10, 194
8,005
17, 462
10,910
13,854
2,208
6,730
10, 077
2,595
17, 101
8,551
8,114
24,440
33, 930
10, 687
50, 532
15, 050
57, 969
12, 405
43, 861
209, 030
26, 789
33, 022
7,151
13,630
54, 088
19, 161
24,914
12,202
23,881
13
16
16
16
8
29
26
7
4
9
12
26
15
9
25
13
14
10
15
23
7
22
13
16
13
18
18
8
8
3
8
7
8
14
7
17
24
10
17
10
13
14
8
26
23
13
21
7
12
17
13
25
1,042
980
2,760
983
1,124
2,423
9,275
740
150
551
878
1,956
1,108
723
2,194
722
1,254
732
1,348
3,282
1,100
3,351
2,554
1,619
1,057
Ir547
1,768
768
1,311
210
863
692
386
1,432
949
1,267
2,793
1,235
1,278
2,069
1,833
2,750
1,034
3,229
14, 542
1,399
3,294
775
1,209
2,462
1,411
2,000
1,185
3,077
Riverside
1
2
1
1
$1,000
2,300
75
2,250
Robertson
Salem
Sequatchie Valley
Sevier
Shelby
13
255,332
South Union
Southwestern
District
1
50
Stewart..
Stone
1
4,500
Sweetwater
Tennessee Val-
ley
1
2
4
12,000
5,707
4,134
Union
Watauga
Weakley
Western District-
William Carey,..
Wilson
2
4
2
2
4
4
4,100
71,765
3,780
20, 512
35, 249
29,837
Texas:
Austin
Baylor-Knox
Bell .. .
Big Springs
Blanco
Brady
Brown
2
1
1
2
800
150
17,000
8,040
Brownfleld
Burleson-Lee
Burleson, R. C...
Burnet-Llano
Callahan
1
11,000
Canadian
Cherokee
Cisco
2
3,433
Clay
nnlfi"nifl,"n
1
1
2
1
3
1
7
2
3
14
3
1
475
6,000
13, 250
3,050
68,290
1,130
22,560
777
18,400
217, 315
34,908
42,000
Collin
Colorado
Comanche
Concho Valley--.
Cooke
Corpus Christi...
Corsicana
Creath-Brazos
Dallas.
Del Rio Uvalde- _
Denton
Dickens
Ellis
El Paso
3
82,625
Enon
Erath
Falls
1
29,900
Fannin
25
138
GEN'S'TJS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHUBCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
CD ^
O "P
t-< s
3ft
gg
1
gM
si
2 ft
gg
|
-4
Sfl
ft
O *
40
|
<
SM
fs
H p<
O *"*
§
0
Texas— Con.
Fisher
13
14
6
7
16
25
9
9
3
6
5
7
16
26
7
14
9
17
15
12
15
2
20
13
16
9
10
12
5
20
8
19
4
16
12
11
8
12
21
18
23
14
23
39
11
9
16
14
9
7
30
14
6
13
22
15
30
11
5
22
1,860
2,321
562
1,058
2,044
8,649
776
1,359
228
1,150
1,125
1,434
4,002
6,863
554
3,091
1,540
3,380
1,962
1,542
2,217
162
3,678
4,234
6,282
1,512
1,304
1,478
644
3,171
928
2,340
307
2,724
6,448
1,380
631
2,173
3,058
2,780
4,563
4,254
5,461
5,476
1,840
1,437
3,249
1,872
1,440
2,150
14,988
2,822
900
1,999
5,564
4,068
11,952
2,811
330
6,653
9
11
4
5
15
24
9
7
3
6
4
4
14
21
7
13
9
17
9
12
12
2
15
13
12
8
7
9
5
16
6
15
2
15
10
7
7
8
18
14
23
12
18
35
10
8
16
14
7
6
28
12
5
10
21
14
26
8
2
18
$16, 550
57, 200
16, 800
26, 135
76,630
378, 266
19, 850
52, 450
2,600
39,400
41,000
90, 600
190, 200
188, 450
7,950
96,250
29, 300
205, 975
31, 350
25, 800
122, 700
183, 770
307, 497
198, 409
61, 650
31, 950
47, 126
19, 600
136, 400
36, 800
93,050
(a)
76, 700
833,700
26,800
16,650
107, 860
100, 700
127,895
184,000
98,800
233, 700
103,090
79,800
44,900
141,350
30,600
52,000
125,000
729,249
332,050
33, 100
48,000
258,250
207, 200
684,902
159,800
233,200
13
14
6
7
16
25
9
9
3
6
5
7
16
25
6
13
9
17
15
10
15
2
20
13
16
9
10
12
5
20
8
17
4
16
12
11
8
10
20
18
23
14
21
38
11
9
16
13
9
7
29
14
6
13
22
14
29
11
5
22
$9, 959
17, 557
5,387
9,353
22,670
62, 398
4,399
8,322
722
8,739
7,515
6,593
30, 769
39, 343
1,860
24,674
8,258
28, 149
16, 253
7,102
13, 467
(2)
20, 337
47,746
49, 656
14,422
6,040
8,026
4,211
23, 650
5,324
15, 006
1,125
23,986
93, 202
5,061
3,494
12,661
16, 427
49, 381
27,294
26, 631
40,370
24, 356
28, 440
10, 944
23, 852
13, 710
10, 689
17, 416
145, 749
29, 289
10,765
8,373
65, 919
46, 515
127, 351
31, 282
1,875
58, 598
8
13
5
5
15
25
8
6
3
5
4
6
16
23
6
12
8
16
13
10
13
1
17
13
13
7
8
11
5
19
6
17
4
15
11
10
7
8
17
14
19
12
20
35
11
6
14
13
8
6
27
12
5
11
21
14
28
10
3
21
932
1.827
361
591
1,368
6,046
501
708
129
398
660
619
2,429
3,702
332
1,723
780
1,923
1,778
707
1,463
26
1,927
2,743
3,854
1,196
728
761
452
2,305
600
1,562
230
2,071
4,859
741
506
1,248
1, 633
2,378
2,015
2,643
3,302
3,343
1,364
596
2,049
1,030
955
1,584
8,997
2,249
390
878
3,285
2,605
8,768
1,767
120
4,791
Floyd
2
1
$5,800
400
Freestone Leon
Gambrell
Gonzales
3
3
2
1
1,105
9,032
1,300
2,500
Grayson..
Guadalupe .
Hamilton .
Hardin
Harmony
Haskell
Henderson
Hill
3
3
9,426
6,970
Hunt
Jack
Johnson..
1
2
1
3
1
1
10,000
3,600
20,000
2,900
250
15,000
Jones
Lamar —
Lamesa~ _
Jvampq,<?as
Leon River
Liberty
Limestone
2
7
3
1
18,000
105,990
50,400
5,500
Lower Bio Grande.
Lubbock
Medina River
Meridian
Milam
Mills
Mitchell-Scurry. .
Montague-Wise. .
Neches River
New Bethel
2
1
2
21, 300
100
3,530
North Fork.
8
6
2
11, 783
183,052
5,220
PaloDuro
jpalo Pinto
Paluxy
Panhandle
4
25, 600
Parker ...
Pecos Valley _..
4
4
4
6
5
1
2,950
5,850
4,058
21, 295
1,930
1,300
Pittsburg
Red Fork
Bed Ri ver-
Texarkana
Rehoboth... __.
Rio Grande
Robertson
Runnells
2
2
1
3
14
2
1
1
5
4
11
1
515
4,600
6,800
14,579
154, 115
102,875
3,000
125
25,940
7,375
173, 579
24,000
Rusk-Panola
Sabine Valley
Saline
San Antonio
San Marcos _ „
SanSaba .
Shelby-Doches...
Smith
Soda Lake „.
Southeast Texas. _
Staked Plains....
Stonewall,-
Sweetwater
4
54,248
a Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations/* to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
SO'TTTHEBSr BAPTIST CONVENTION
139
TABLE 7. — NUMBEK AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
1
"8
1
£
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
I
1
Churches
reporting
1
Texas— Con.
Tarrant
32
12
16
5
27
42
13
11
36
14
13
7
13
20
11
12
39
23
17
33
5
36
1
23
48
32
15
16
33
25
28
18
20
30
25
32
53
12
46
16
27
41
45
22
i
1
«
13,545
2,357
3,187
857
3,272
24, 345
3,381
1,725
13, 134
2,827
4,276
1,522
2,354
1,937
1,531
3,686
7,523
5,209
5,029
4,377
486
6,262
60
5,887
21, 773
7,591
2,980
2,460
5,275
7,226
209
2,142
1,651
8,360
6,355
4,309
7,573
8,912
1,055
9,894
2,813
3,265
8,875
14, 472
9,787
1,098
97
1,209
759
508
30
10
8
4
23
39
11
10
35
10
11
7
13
17
11
11
37
22
17
33
33
$584, 321
73, 300
272, 500
28,500
91,800
1, 953, 675
123,000
46, 385
531,900
78, 600
177, 241
69, 400
102,950
64, 775
124, 000
156,417
276, 184
446, 450
268, 500
232,441
14, 000
191, 200
14
$94, 183
32
12
15
5
26
42
13
11
36
14
13
7
13
20
10
12
39
23
17
33
5
36
1
23
48
32
15
16
33
25
2
24
17
20
30
24
32
53
12
46
16
27
41
45
22
»5
1
r
]
$126, 287
20,455
25, 521
7,859
30,964
306, 617
22, 707
17, 167
122,869
16, 111
39, 594
12, 607
13,600
9,254
14, 999
34, 191
49, 495
68,861
52, 637
29, 101
389
37,442
(2)
22, 228
357, 908
47, 337
14,041
10, 712
30, 445
75, 873
22,029
8,809
107, 023
106,648
21, 184
69,003
95,763
4,008
61,099
32, 668
15, 551
103, 716
162, 599
126, 324
7,715
(2)
(2)
8
96,933
31
11
12
4
21
37
12
9
35
12
11
6
11
19
10
12
38
21
17
32
5
35
1
22
48
31
14
15
30
25
1
26
15
19
27
24
31
51
12
46
14
23
38
43
22
t
1
o
]
]
8,506
1,702
2,054
477
1,841
18,465
2,196
759
9,594
2,112
3,059
1,148
1,275
1,353
1,390
1,960
5,156
3,898
3,301
3,932
336
4,015
35
2,116
14, 132
3,574
1,583
1,465
3,444
6,060
106
2,316
1,048
7,933
4,560
2,283
5, 622
6,431
885
6,058
2,017
1,451
6,239
13,453
7,718
647
110
863
547
525
Throckmorton-
Young
Tierra Blanca
Trans-Canadian..
Tryon-E vergreen .
Union
3
1
3
21
2
56,200
1,846
309
504, 703
359
Unity
Van Zandt
Waco
6
2
5
1
2
1
4
4
4
4
3
4
18,050
14, 500
24,044
800
18, 600
125
4,200
13, 125
19, 737
94, 150
6,300
4,136
West Plains
Wichita-Archer...
Wilbarger-Foard .
Williamson
Wise
Virginia:
Accomac _
Albemarle. - _
Appomattox
Augusta
Blackwater
Blue Ridge
Clinch Valley
Concord
5
11,276
Cumberland Gap.
Dan River
23
47
29
14
16
29
24
f
22
15
20
30
24
32
51
11
44
15
25
39
44
20
5
125, 500
2, 349, 967
159, 900
91, 500
50, 100
208,250
453, 500
140, 900
79,090
748, 500
739, 100
131, 500
367,700
530, 850
21, 750
322,200
309, 000
77,650
769, 250
1,136,936
705, 700
54,210
(*)
(2)
(2)
(2)
477, 750
Dover
16
3
355, 649
4,670
Goshen
Werrnon
James River
1
3
9
125
2,600
80, 591
Lebanon
Middle District-
Mulberry Gap__.
New Lebanon
New River
2
11, 350
Peninsula
7
7
79,038
150, 581
Petersburg
Pie(?TnnT)t
Pittsylvania
Potomac
3
10
1
3
3
17,871
128,505
600
4,135
72,900
Powell River
Rappahannock. _ _
Shenandoah
Shiloh
Strawberry
11
11
13
2
1
1
88, 198
391, 166
85,725
5,840
(2)
(2)
Valley
Virginia-Ports-
mouth
Wise
Unassociated
West Virginia:
New Lebanon
Shenandoah
Valley
1
(2)
32,929
Combinations
F 2 Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations/' to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church*
140 CENS'US' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
At the time of the formation of the Triennial Convention in 1814 2 the Baptist
population was chiefly in New England and the middle and southern seaboard
States, and the center of executive administration was located first at Philadelphia
and subsequently at Boston. With the growth of migration to the South and
Southwest, the number of churches in those sections of the country greatly
increased, and it became difficult to associate in a single advisory council more
than a small percentage of the Baptist churches in the United States, especially
as means of transportation were deficient and expensive. At the same time the
question of slavery occasioned much discussion between the two sections, which
was brought to a focus by the impression in the Southern States that the foreign
mission society of the denomination, which had its headquarters in Boston, was
so thoroughly antislavery that it would, not accept a slaveholder as a missionary.
A letter addressed direct to that organization by the Alabama State Convention,
asking for information, brought a courteous reply to the effect that while the
board refused to recognize the claim of anyone, slaveholder or nonslaveholder,
to appointment, "one thing was certain, they could never be a party to any
arrangement which would imply approbation of slavery."
This decision led to formal withdrawal of the various Southern State conventions
and auxiliary foreign mission societies and to the organization at Augusta, Ga.,
in May 1845, of the Southern Baptist Convention. About 300 churches were
represented by delegates from Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and Kentucky, the largest number of
Baptist churches in the South at that period being in Virginia. In all the discus-
sions and in the final act of organization, there was very little bitterness, the
prevalent conviction being that those of kindred thought would work more effec-
tively together, and that, in view of the sharp differences between the two sections,
it was wiser that separate organizations should exist. The specific purpose of
the convention, as plainly set forth, was to carry out the benevolent purposes of
those composing it; to elicit, combine, and direct the energies of the denomination
for the propagation of the Gospel; and to cooperate for the promotion of foreign
and domestic missions and other important objects, while respecting the independ-
ence and equal rights of the local churches.
Previous to the Civil War the convention met biennially; since that time, for
the most part, it has met annually. At first, its efforts were largely given over
to foreign missions, under the direction of the Foreign Mission Board at Richmond,
Va., and to home ("domestic") missions under the direction of the Home Mission
Board located first at Marion, Ala., and later at Atlanta, Ga., although a number
of the cooperating State Conventions were fostering schools and colleges of various
types. The Home Mission Board, from the first, moreover, gave its most earnest
consideration and its largest help to the mission work carried on in the several
States, notably in the States where Baptists were weak. From 1845 onward,
therefore, the Southern Baptist Convention fostered foreign missions, home
missions, and State missions.
In 1859 the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, now at Louisville, Ky., be-
gan work; in addition to this seminary the Southern Baptist Convention now owns
and controls the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, at Fort Worth,
Tex., and the Baptist Bible Institute, at New Orleans, La. In 1863 the first
Sunday School Board was launched, but in 1873, owing to the great financial
panic of the times, its work was turned over to the Home Mission Board; in
1891 the present Sunday School Board was established at Nashville, Tenn.
In 18S8 the Woman's Missionary Union was organized at Richmond, Va.;
in 1896 the work of the Baptist Young People's Union was officially launched;
in 1900 and 1918 this work was placed under the auspices of the Sunday School
Board; in 1918 the Board of Ministerial Relief and Annuity was established,
with headquarters at Dallas, Tex.; in 1920 the Board of Education was estab-
lished at Birmingham, Ala. This board was changed to the Southern Baptist
Education Commission in 1928.
1 This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Eeligious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Dr. E. P. Alldredge, M. A., D. D., secretary of the Department Survey,
Statistics and Information, Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Nashville, Tenn.,
and approved by him in its present form.
2 See Baptists, p. 87.
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION 141
Hospital work of the convention began with the building of a great tubercu-
losis hospital at El Paso, Tex., in 1919, and a general hospital at New Orleans,
La., jin 1924, although State conventions had previously supported their own
hospitals. During this period, also, the Laymen's Mission Movement, now
known as the Brotherhood Movement, came into existence, headquarters are at
Knoxville, Tenn. In 1927 the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist
Convention, with greatly enlarged powers, was located at Nashville, Tenn.
Up to 1860 the missionary work of the convention was carried forward with
marked enthusiasm and success. Every department of denominational life was
quickened by the increased sense of responsibility and the increased confidence
that sprang from direct control. Parallel with this was the growth in numbers
and liberality of the denomination, which was strengthened by the standing
conflict with the antimissionary spirit rife throughout the South, and manifest
more particularly among the Primitive or "Hardshell," the United, and the
Regular Baptists. The denomination suffered severely during the Civil War,
but since that time has shown great prosperity.
As was inevitable, emancipation brought about great changes in racial condi-
tions, and, whereas before the war the Negro Baptists were, in large part, iden-
tified with the white churches, after the war they formed their own churches,
associations, and State conventions, and, later, the National Baptist Conven-
tion.2 The first Negro association to be formed under the new regime was one
in Louisiana in 1865, and it was soon followed by others in North Carolina,
Alabama, Virginia, Arkansas, and Kentucky. An indication of the development
of the Southern convention is found in the fact that, whereas in 1845 the mem-
bership of the churches identified with it was 352,950, of whom 222,950 were
white and 130,000 Negro, the report for 1890 showed a membership of 1,280,066,
consisting of whites alone and by 1935 had become the leading non-Catholic
religious body in America, reporting a total of 4,389,417 members.
With the entrance of the United States into the World War the Southern
Baptist Convention took up religious work for the Army and Navy most heartily
and effectively. It was represented on the General Committee on Chaplains of
the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America, though not a constit-
uent member of that body, and contributed liberally toward the work of the Red
Cross, Young Men's Christian Association, and kindred organizations.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
In doctrine the Southern Baptist churches are in harmony with those of the
North, although in general they are more strictly Calvinistic, and the New Hamp-
shire Confession of Faith is more firmly held than in the Northern churches. In
polity, likewise, there is no essential difference. The Northern and Southern
churches interchange membership and ministry on terms of perfect equality, and
their separation is purely administrative in character, not doctrinal or ecclesias-
tical.
WORK
The work of the Southern Baptist churches is carried on through five denomina-
tional boardSj having charge, respectively, of home missions, foreign missions,
Sunday school work, educational institutions, and ministerial relief.
The home mission work, under the care of the Home Mission Board, covers
the entire territory of the South, and also Cuba, Isle of Pines, and the Panama
Canal Zone. In addition it goes into southern Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma,
and Missouri, cooperating with the Baptist State executive boards in the various
State conventions. It does cooperative work with the Negro Baptists in the
South, conducts missionary operations among the foreigners, maintains work
among the Indians in Oklahoma and other Southern States, and operates several
mountain mission schools in the southern Appalachian and Ozark highlands. ^ A
department of evangelism has an able director who participates both in the city
and rural campaigns and in other activities. A church extension department
has a building loan fund of $1,350,000, and the erection of church buildings is
annually aided by gifts and loans to the extent of about $100,000. An educa-
tional and publicity department conducts a large propaganda for the instruction of
the denomination in the principles and activities of home missions. In 1936 the
total number of persons employed in the work of the board was 207, the number of
churches aided by them was 534, and the receipts for all purposes were $450,000.
To this should be added about $600,000 raised annually by the State mission
boards for work in their several States, making a grand total of $1,050,000. The
* See Negro Baptists, p. 152.
142 CE'NOTS' OP RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
board holds as assets properties and invested gifts amounting to approximately
$3,275,000, most of which is church and mission school property, the remainder
being the in vested funds.
The foreign missionary work of the Southern Baptist churches has always
held a prominent place in their church Me. The Foreign Mission Board main-
tains work in 17 nations, including China, Japan, Africa, Italy, Mexico, Brazil,
Argentina, Chile, Europe, the Near East, etc. The report for 1936 shows 517
American missionaries, 2,361 native helpers, and 1,715 organized churches with
203,674 members. The educational work of the board was represented by 347
schools with 26,799 students. Of these, 11 were theological institutions, 3 were
colleges, and 4 normal training schools. The board has 24 hospitals and dis-
pensaries. The total number of patients treated during 1936 was 88,599. In-
cluding the hospitals, schools, and 231 buildings owned by the board for purposes
of worship, the total value of the property owned is estimated at $2,750,000;
and the receipts of the board for the year were $1,040,575. There are publishing
houses at El Paso, Tex.; Canton, China; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The result
of the work is apparent in the fact that during the year 14,882 natives were
received into the churches on confession of faith.
The Women's Missionary Union, with headquarters at Birmingham, Ala.,
cooperates with all the boards of the denomination, contributing largely to their
financial support. These contributions in 1936 amounted to $2,165,787.
In close sympathy with the home mission work is that of the Sunday School
Board, which is both missionary and educational in character. Pecuniary assist-
ance is given by it to the State boards, for the employment of Sunday school
missionaries and instructors, the expense being met from the proceeds of the
business done in the publishing department at Nashville, Tenn. Eleven great
departments of work are carried on by the Sunday School Board, in addition to
14 kinds of cooperative work with the other boards and agencies of the convention.
Besides doing a large book publishing business of its own, this board also maintains
joint ownership of 16 Baptist book stores in as many States of the South. A corps
of trained specialists is maintained who traverse the territory of the convention,
holding normal institutes for training Sunday school teachers and instructing in
efficient methods. Lectureships on Sunday school methods are sustained in the
Louisville Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky., and the first chair of Sunday
school pedagogy was established by this board in that institution. Free tract
distribution, Bible distribution, and other colportage work are also provided for
by the board. In 1936, this board expended $430,669 in denominational work
and had total cash receipts amounting to $1,745,349.
The educational institutions under the auspices of the Southern Baptists
include 3 theological seminaries, 2 training schools, 29 standard colleges and
universities, 21 junior colleges, and 15 preparatory schools. Of these 70 educa-
tional institutions, the 3 theological schools are under the auspices of the Southern
Baptist Convention; the 2 training schools are fostered by the Woman's Mis-
sionary Union, while all the other schools are directed by the various State con-
ventions. The theological seminary at Louisville, Ky., in 1936 reported 17
professors, 386 male and 90 female students, an endowment of $1,764,000, and
buildings valued at $1,317,200. The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
at Fort Worth, Tex., also under the control of the Southern Baptist Convention,
had 13 professors, 339 male and 222 female students, an endowment of $770,446,
and buildings valued at $1,484,980. The women in these institutions are prepar-
ing for missionary and social settlement work. In the 67 colleges, junior colleges,
and preparatory schools there were, in 1936, a total of 1,487 teachers and 24,930
students, of whom 1,652 were students for the ministry.
The denomination maintains 25 hospitals, 2 of which are under the control
of the Southern Baptist Convention, while the others are under the State con-
ventions. These hospitals during the year treated about 77,057 patients. There
are also 19 orphanages and 2 homes for the aged. The value of property of all
these institutions is estimated at $20,000,000.
The number of young people's societies is reported as 33,707, with a member-
ship of 693,186.
The religious journals of the Southern Baptists are represented by 19 weekly,
4 monthly or semimonthly, and 2 quarterly publications.
Beginning the work of caring for the old ministers and their dependents in
1918, the Board of Ministerial Relief was able to report the following in 1936:
Number of ministers cared for, 552; widows cared for, 443; dependent children
cared for, 150; amount expended for relief, $84,942; and amount paid on annuity
claims, $247,530.
NEGRO BAPTISTS
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Negro Baptists for the year 1936 is presented in
table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and
rural territory.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have been
received into the local churches upon a voluntary profession of faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ and baptism by immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEKCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
23, 093
3> 782, 464
164
1,378,225
2, 259, 287
144, 952
61.0
339, 975
3, 170, 103
272,386
9.7
21, 350
21,045
$93,798,181
$89, 916, 600
$3,881,581
$4,457
4,109
$10, 913, 652
8,937
2,237
2,081
$4, 321, 609
22, 652
$14,978,506
$6,969,455
$1, 501, 502
$1,358,125
$1,626,603
$1,644,266
$428, 316
$260, 589
$216, 241
$291, 263
$682.146
$661
7,547
1, 872. 909
248
646, 672
1, 116, 137
110, 100
57.9
170, 270
1, 536, 839
165, 800
10.0
6,949
6,862
$64,802,748
$62, 115, 403
$2, 687, 345
$9,444
2,015
$9, 111, 790
2,586
1,483
1,397
$3,498,350
7,409
$9,071,480
$3,919,582
$1,000,727
$747,374
$1, 272, 732
$1,107,485
$252,408
$132,039
$120, 897
$152, 220
$366,016
$1,224
15, 546
1, 909, 555
123
731, 553
1, 143, 150
34, 852
64.0
169, 705
1, 633, 264
106, 586
9.4
14, 401
14, 183
$28,995,433
$27,801,197
$1, 194, 236
$2,044
2,094
$1,801,862
6,351
754
684
$823, 259
15, 243
$5,907,026
$3,049,873
$500, 775
$610, 751
$353,871
$536, 781
$175,908
$128, 550
$95, 344
$139,043
$316, 130
$388
32.7
49.5
67.3
50.5
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
46.9
49.4
76.0
53.1
50.6
24.0
Female
Sex not reported ._
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years . _
50.1
48.5
60.9
49 9
51.5
39.1
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 1
Church edifices, number
32.5
32.6
69.1
69.1
69.2
67.5
67.4
30:9
30.9
30.8
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936.
Constructed, wholly or in part, in
1936 _
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
49.0
83.5
28.9
66.3
67.1
81.0
32.7
60.6
5fi.2
66.6
55.0
78.2
67.4
58.9
50.7
55.9
52.3
53.7
51.0
16.5
71.1
33.7
32.9
19.0
67.3
39.4
43.8
33.4
45.0
21.8
32.6
41.1
49.3
44.1
47.7
46.3
Amount reported __
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting _ __ _
Amount reported
Expenditures :
Churches reporting) Ttrjmbflr
Amount reported „„
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest --
All other current expenses, including
interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc. _ _
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes . - -
Average excenditure per church, _
i Based on membership with age classification reported.
143
44
OF KELIGICHJS BODIES, 1936
1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
unday schools :
Churches reporting, number
21, 970
259, 517
1, 656, 638
857
7,446
53, 231
839
6, 202
28, 803
7,250
111,236
801,010
365
3,885
18, 294
340
2,780
12, 178
14, 726
148, 281
855, 628
492
3,561
34, 937
499
3,422
16,625
33.0
42.9
48.4
42,6
52.2
34.4
40.5
44.8
42.3
67 0
57 1
51 6
57.4
47.8
65.6
59.5
55.2
57.7
Officers and teachers
Scholars. _ _
ummer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars ~ -_
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
mrison, a summary of the available statistics of the Negro Baptists for the
sensus years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906. For 1906 and 1916, the data are
jxclusive of Negro Baptist churches in Northern States which were included
vith the statistics of the Northern Baptist Convention. All Negro Baptist
jhurches, irrespective of their associational affiliations, are classified as Negro
Baptists in 1926 and 1936.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITJEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Jh-ut'<^hfi'!5 (local ArgfrjiiKfttioTis), TWrnhAr 1
23, 093
1,012
4.6
3, 782, 464
685, 841
18.3
164
21, 350
21, 045
$93,798,181
$4,457
4,109
$10,913,652
2,237
2,081
$4, 321, 609
22, 652
$14, 978, 506
$6, 969, 455
$1, 501, 502
$1, 358, 125
$1, 626, 603
$1, 644, 266
$428, 316
$260, 589
$216,241
$291, 263
$682, 146
22, 081
1,010
4.8
3, 196, 623
258, 044
8.8
145
20, Oil
19, 833
$103,465,759
$5,217
3,743
$10, 533, 174
21, 071
2,579
13.9
2, 938, 579
676, 972
29 9
139
20, 146
20, 117
$41, 184, 920
$2,0*7
4,210
$3, 433, 366
18, 492
Increase over preceding census:
Number _
Percent _ _ ..
lembers, number . . -.
2, 261, 607
Increase over preceding census:
Number
Percent
Average membership per church
122
17, 913
17,890
$24, 437, 272
$1, 366
3,100
$1, 757, 190
lliurcli edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Average value per church
I>$"ht — niTm'hAr reporting
Amount reported
'arsonages, number
Vftl\i@ — Timrjbfir reporting
1,325
$4, 451, 057
20, 209
$19,475,981
$16,210,952
- $2,444,042
$820, 987
$964
18, 755
148, 067
1, 121, 362
690
$964, 325
19, 988
$8,361,919
$6, 799, 458
$1,075,594
$486, 867
$418
19, 909
123, 817
1, 181, 270
709
$617, 241
Atnonnt reported
Ixpenditttres:
Churches reporting, number
Afnntint reporter! ,
Pastors' salaries- - -
All other salaries _
"RftpaiTS &nr| irnprnvfiTTiftTitS
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest* -
All other current expenses, including
interest .
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc..
TRfoTTift Tnisgirvng
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution-
All other purposes
Not classified
Average expenditure per church
$661
21, 976
259, 517
1, 656, 638
iunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
17, 478
100, 069
924, 665
Officers and teachers
Scholars
i Figures for 1916 and!906 are exclusive of churches in Negro Baptist associations affiliated with the Nortb-
rn Convention. All Negro Baptist churches, irrespective of their associational affiliations, are classified as
Jegro Baptists in 1936 and 1926.
NEGRO BAJPTISTSI
145
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Negro Baptists
by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and membership
of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory,
membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives for
selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four census years
1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years
of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of churches and
parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents,
for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improve-
ments, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics
of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to
those States in which three or more churches reported value and expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBEBSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
Total
Urban
Rural
Total
Urban
Eural
"Uniied States
23, 093
7,547
15, 548
3, 782, 464
1, 872, 909
70
8,434
1,563
6,476
83, 903
41,059
90, 334
99, 720
40,430
133, 906
33, 964
2,095
2,273
4,096
37, 701
87
3,197
13, 031
2,853
26, 938
43, 825
77, 094
9,613
82, 888
79, 437
154,119
67, 457
39,837
84,978
125, 049
82, 993
47, 513
89,298
30, 739
203, 017
3
73
109
3,004
477
704
110
559
263
17,620
1, 909, 555
1 r is-1"1
NEW ENGLAND: t
New Hampshire
1
38
10
26
165
223
409
382
174
325
119
14
7
46
276
3
16
123
14
98
117
1,282
324
1,161
1,351
' 3,975
919
478
748
2,365
2,391
1,155
1,482
492
2,225
1
1
5
17
9
18
2
7
2
97
1
33
9
23
145
163
292
301
160
285
114
14
7
34
140
3
16
82
11
70
117
241
45
293
383
956
295
145
325
550
484
270
491
155
759
1
1
5
16
8
9
2
6
2
85
70
8,865
1,579
6,626
86, 167
45,833
103, 264
107, 480
41, 746
138,756
34, 143
2,095
2,273
4,436
47, 515
87
3,197
14, 552
2,969
31, 995
43, 825
249,036
31, 503
219,893
238, 217
452, 076
122, 189
71, 127
140, 077
375,084
322,362
150, 664
213,055
57, 265
388,044
3
73
109
3,072
542
1,103
110
566
263
18, 558
Massachusetts
5
1
3
20
60
117
81
14
40
5
431
16
150
2,264
4,774
12,930
7,760
1,316
4,850
179
Rhode Island .
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey - _ --
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH OENTEAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
"Wisconsin
WEST _NORTE GENTBAL:
Minnesota
Iowa - .
12
136
340
9,814
Missouri
South Dakota
Nebraska
[Kansas
41
3
28
1,521
116
5,057
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
District of OotyiTTibia
Virginia . . .
1,041
279
868
968
3,019
624
333
423
1,815
1,907
885
991
337
1,466
171,942
21,890
137, 005
158, 780
297, 957
54, 732
31,290
55,099
250, 035
239,369
103, 151
123,757
26, 526
185,027
West Virginia .. _ _~ -
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida.-- _
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee.
Alabama
Mississippi - -
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas -
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas -
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
"Wyoming
Colorado
1
1
9
68
65
399
New Mexico
Arizona
Utah
PACIFIC:
Washington
1
7
Oregon
California
12
938
146
CBN'S'US' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBEBSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN" AND RURAL,
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936 —
Continued
MEMBERS!
UP BY SEX
SUT
*DAY SCHO
OLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Male
Female
Sex not
reported
Males
per 100
females *
Churches
reporting
Officers
and
teachers
Scholars
United States
1,378,225
2, 259, 287
144,952
61.0
21,976
259, 517
1, 656, 638
NEW ENGLAND:
New Hampshire
20
50
1
16
60
Massachusetts
1,744
2,792
4,329
62.5
18
373
2,655
Rhode Island-
468
878
233
53.3
8
167
755
Connecticut . _
2,387
3,838
401
62.2
26
447
3,032
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
32, 867
52, 900
400
62.1
162
3,340
30, 751
New Jersey
16, 799
28,124
910
59.7
220
2,820
20, 041
Pennsylvania
11, 628
16, 599
75, 037
70.1
392
6,609
60, 549
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
34, 145
69, 331
4,004
49.2
365
6,535
67, 848
Indiana
14, 348
27,385
13
52.4
170
, 2, 569
16, 826
Illinois
49,834
88, 504
418
56.3
320
5,369
42, 647
Michigan
11 627
22, 252
264
52.3
117
1,628
14, 089
Wisconsin
809
1,286
62.9
14
162
1,034
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota .
894
1,379
64.8
7
180
1,143
Iowa _
1,454
2,907
75
50.0
45
406
2,442
Missouri -
16, 293
28, 752
2,470
56.7
258
3,191
18, 934
South Dakota
35
52
3
17
84
Nebraska
978
2,219
44.1
14
174
1,182
Kansas
4,569
8,210
1,773
55 7
113
1,434
7,127
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
1,199
1,770
67.7
14
245
1,266
Maryland
12, 766
19, 229
66.4
94
1,508
9,480
District of Columbia
14, 772
27, 740
1,313
53.3
115
1,852
14, 699
Virginia
96, 868
147, 707
4,461
65.6
1,197
16, 647
108, 287
West Virginia
11, 856
18,449
1,198
64.3
314
3,318
19, 020
North Carolina
83, 570
135, 031
1,292
61.9
1,105
14, 299
95, 388
South Carolina
87 882
146, 697
3.638
59 9
1,304
15, 678
103, 197
Georgia _
185, 489
263, 268
3,319
70.5
3,696
28, 084
155, 798
Florida -
45, 484
75, 906
799
59 9
855
9,888
62, 190
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
25, 744
40, 519
4,864
63 5
463
5,220
32, 495
Tennessee
48, 096
85, 228
6,753
56 4
713
9,514
63, 267
Alabama __ ...
137, 596
232, 558
4,930
59.2
2,313
27, 434
170, 828
Mississippi
118, 451
193, 956
9,955
61.1
2,261
24, 888
141, 811
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
56, 746
93, 294
624
60.8
1,119
13, 343
73, 950
Louisiana -
79, 078
132, 072
1,905
59.9
1,382
16, 284
95, 812
Oklahoma
19, 782
36, 606
877
54.0
471
5,232
29, 224
Texas
143, 029
236, 642
8,373
60.4
2,155
28, 602
176, 922
MOUNTAIN:
Montana _ _ .. —
2
1
Idaho -
33
40
1
11
44
Wyoming
38
71
3
15
32
Colorado"
998
2,074
48 1
16
274
1,384
New Mexico
192
350
54.9
9
72
289
Arizona-
416
687
60.6
16
130
694
Utah
37
73
2
17
90
PACIFIC:
Washington
220
346
63 6
6
75
383
Oregon
106
157
67.5
2
24
150
California
6,876
11,358
324
60.5
97
1,426
8,739
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
NEGRO BAPTISTS
147
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBBKSHIP OF CHUBCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
NUMBER 0
F CHURCHES
NUMBER O
F MEMBERS
1936
19£6
1916
1906
1936
1936
United States 1
23, 093
22, 081
21, 071
18, 492
3, 782, 464
3, 196, 623
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
38
25
4
26
8,865
5,396
Rhode Island
10
8
1
4
1 579
1 621
Connecticut
26
26
13
6 626
5 518
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
165
111
43
13
86, 167
46 823
New Jersey
223
159
106
69
45, 833
41,129
Pennsylvania
409
303
166
103
103, 264
100, 202
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
382
272
178
163
107, 480
73, 922
Indiana
174
161
52
88
41, 746
30, 388
Illinois
325
259
184
158
138 756
83 839
Michigan
119
81
18
14
34, 143
24, 883
Wisconsin
14
8
1
2
2,095
2,184
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota -
7
8
2
2,273
1,436
Iowa
46
39
34
33
4,436
3,701
Missouri _
276
244
282
288
47, 515
42,299
North Dakota
3
27
South Dakota _.
3
2
87
86
Nebraska
16
11
3,197
2,062
Kansas
123
136
118
137
14, 552
15, 243
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
14
8
2,969
1,575
Maryland .
98
99
88
65
31, 995
33,062
District of Columbia
117
83
60
60
43, 825
41, 262
Virginia- _ __
1,282
1,610
1,403
1,368
249, 036
316, 095
West Virginia _.
324
299
235
148
31, 503
24, 166
North Carolina
1,161
1,316
1,373
1,155
219, 893
206, 807
South Carolina _ *
1,351
1,364
1,353
1,317
238, 217
235, 224
Georgia _. - __
3,975
2,900
2,774
2,495
452, 076
381, 312
Florida
919
884
1,038
658
122, 189
98, 194
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
478
589
703
529
71, 127
83, 837
Tennessee
748
896
744
757
140, 077
138, 605
Alabama
2,365
2,415
2,156
1,974
375,084
364, 565
Mississippi ._
2,391
2,314
2,527
2,232
322, 362
226, 989
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas . . ..
1,155
1,375
1,472
1,113
150, 664
134, 720
Louisiana _
1,482
1,311
1,418
1,410
213, 055
132, 743
Oklahoma _ __. .
492
559
495
305
57, 265
47, 363
Texas
2,225
2,071
1,991
1,761
388, 044
234,056
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
1
3
73
105
Wyoming
5
5
1
109
157
Colorado
17
15
12
3,072
2,298
New Mexico
9
9
1
1
542
408
Arizona
18
12
1,103
817
PACIFIC:
Washington
7
7
6
5
566
681
California
97
75
32
25
18, 558
10,454
Other States
:6
6
3
446
369
1 Figures for 1916 and 1906 are exclusive of churches in Negro Baptist associations' affiliated with the
Northern Convention. All Negro Baptist churches, irrespective of their associational affiliations, are classi-
fied as Negro Baptists in 1936 and 1926.
2 Includes: New Hampshire, 1; Montana, 1; Utah, 2; and Oregon, 2,
275318—41-
-11
148
CEN'SUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBEB AND MEMBEKSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
NUMBER O7 MEM-
BERS— continued
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1916
1906
"Under 13
years
13 years
and over
Age not
reported
Percent
under 13 3
United States *
2, 938, 579
2,261,607
839, 975
384
177
570
6,370
4,522
2,985
11, 692
3,752
12, 823
3,877
304
239
588
3,995
3, 170, 103
272, 386
9.7
10 0
13.2
9.2
7.5
10.8
11.9
11.9
9.1
9.9
11.7
14.5
10.5
13.6
9.1
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts.- .. .
1,474
30
5,274
624
2,218
1,763
9,884
20, 369
17, 400
13, 526
16, 081
747
60
3,470
1,169
5,636
78, 517
37, 473
22, 099
86, 729
37, 385
116, 566
29, 230
1,791
2,034
3,735
39, 880
5,011
233
420
1,280
3,838
78, 180
9,059
609
9,367
1,036
Rhode Island __ _ . _.
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York-
5,652
18, 149
40,398
27, 978
10, 412
23, 224
1,229
26
478
2,520
41, 218
New Jersey
Pennsylvania .. ...
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana _ _ ......
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
2,352
22, 136
113
3,640
Missouri *
North Dakota
South Dakota
87
2,980
11, 261
2,752
28, 110
36, 782
210, 500
27, 022
190, 871
206, 138
398, 174
107, 250
58, 841
116, 524
323, 002
265, 553
130,673
184, 012
47, 620
335, 663
70
96
2,823
475
986
515
15, 175
434
Nebraska
217
1,187
197
2,742
4,237
21, 225
2,583
19, 520
21, 181
42,045
11, 924
5,391
12, 948
37, 133
29,916
11, 578
18, 983
4,582
37, 880
3
13
249
67
*5
51
1,748
12
6.8
9.5
6.7
8.9
10.3
9.2
8.7
9.3
9.3
9.6
10.0
8.4
10.0
10.3
10.1
8.1
9.4
8.8
10.1
Kansas
13,477
10, Oil
2,104
20
1,143
2,806
17, 311
1,898
9,502
10, 898
11, 857
3,015
6,895
10, 605
14, 949
26, 893
8,413
10, 060
5,063
14, 501
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
29, 405
27, 544
276, 630
16, 238
212, 019
255, 479
400, 214
69, 865
98, 052
108, 650
311, 103
287, 796
174, 157
146, 720
42,408
291, 243
17, 951
26, 203
268, 206
10, 057
153, 189
219, 841
333, 943
48, 371
76, 239
93, 303
259, 825
240, 982
93, 364
133, 510
16, 952
144, 878
District of Columbia
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee _
Alabama ___ __
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana -
Oklahoma
Texas - --
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
Wyrvrningr _ n
39
2,020
12
11.9
8.1
12.4
7.9
9.0
10.3
2.7
Colorado
New Mexico..... _ _.
11
Arizona
32
PACIFIC:
Washington. » „_ _
404
2,316
174
2,083
80
California
1,635
Other States
i See footnote 1, p. 147.
* Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
NEGRO BAPTISTS
149
TABLE 5. — VALUE or CHURCHES AND PAKSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
o
%
||
jj O
•si
+3
0
fr
Number of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHUECH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHUECH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
!
Churches
reporting
j
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
23,093
21,850
21, 045
36
10
22
125
191
303
313
162
239
98
10
7
41
236
3
14
108
9
82
84
1,201
230
1,107
1,300
3,694
824
427
703
2,211
2,162
1,050
1,366
436
2,099
4
16
7
13
6
89
«7
893,7-98,181
4,109
'•
9
5
9
55
129
lift
81
50
143
20
8
7
15
73
$10, 913, 652
49, 655
4,500
125, 400
603, 494
499, 377
766, 658
372, 154
196, 065
925, 625
128, 242
36,950
28,965
22,875
401,507
3,081
6
3
12
48
40
38
67
19
44
8
3
3
10
50
1
5
35
5
9
13
145
21
107
184
43
152
75
119
179
162
68
129
56
159
1
10
4
3
4
38
3
$4,321,609
35, 000
15, 500
48,800
203, 800
184, 700
184, 900
252, 850
60. 400
113, 970
20, 850
10.500
9,500
24,100
91,660
0)
14,300
64,250
12,000
34,450
47,420
353,045
47,400
292, 655
243,900
76,436
284,150
131,910
166,470
306,252
188,321
99, 670
142, 569
109, 950
303,971
(<)
29,850
5,flOO
3,700
6,200
87,910
12,400
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
38
10
26
165
223
409
382
174
325
119
14
7
46
276
3
16
123
14
98
117
1,282
321
1,161
1,351
3,975
919
478
748
2,365
2,391
1,155
1,482
492
2,225
5
17
9
18
7
97
7
36
10
22
134
195
314
315
163
242
99
10
7
41
240
3
14
108
9
82
85
1,212
246
1,118
1,316
3,738
852
435
710
2,238
2,207
1,070
1,383
441
2,112
4
16
8
13
6
89
7
948, 300
134, 700
630,900
3,385,550
2, 758, 754
5,463,585
3, 674, 556
1, 460, 330
4, 110, 071
1,096,729
144,500
126,900
230, 050
1,687,080
9,600
283, 500
1, 009, 126
100, 500
1, 510, 329
2, 900, 050
6, 39S, 052
1,092,837
5, 198, 624
3,979,081
5,620,066
3,389,448
2,958,370
3,255,134
7,021,984
5,002,304
2,565,488
3,938,207
1,586,647
8,344,611
6,000
219, 215
13,300
51,650
53,800
1,386,353
51,900
Rhode Island
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana—
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NOETH CENTRAL:
Minnesota .
Iowa
Missouri
South Dakota
Nebraska .
9
39
5
30
49
207
70
157
192
228
181
138
182
461
377
169
291
99
427
1
12
2
3
1
57
2
51, 266
118, 227
26,167
306,843
501, 764
366, 172
117,403
299,456
262, 586
228, 004
445,843
491, 298
394, 754
773, 330
339,989
213, 245
338, 705
120,200
988,055
140
22, 419
1,975
7,147
3,000
329,082
5,115
Kansas.,
SOUTH ATLANTIC;
Delaware
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia -
West Virginia
North Carolina - —
South Carolina - .
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky...
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTEAL:
Arkansas ...
Louisiana - . .
Oklahoma-
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Wyoming ..
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona - _
PACIFIC:
Washington
California
Other States
* Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
2 Includes- New Hampshire, I; Montana, 1; Idaho; 1; Utah, 2; and Oregon, 2.
150
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 193(5
TABLE 6. — CHTJECH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGEAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
report-
ing
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Kepairs
and im-
prove-
ments
United States
23, 093
38
10
26
165
223
409
382
174
325
119
14
7
46
276
3
16
123
14
98
117
1,282
324
1,161
1,351
3,975
919
478
748
2,365
2,391
1,155
1,482
492
2,225
5
17
9
18
7
97
7
22, 652
32
10
26
163
221
391
372
172
325
119
14
7
45
268
3
15
119
14
96
110
1,270
320
1,150
1,341
3,814
904
473
731
2,338
2,356
1,145
1,466
482
2,185
3
17
9
16
7
96
17
$14, 978, 506
$6, 969, 455
SI, 501, 502
$1,358,125
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts ....__ ...
80, 607
15, 886
66, 607
485, 866
307, 845
421, 006
417, 014
248, 352
744, 385
197, 638
20, 369
20, 625
41, 144
271, 247
1,571
22, 881
117, 337
18, 331
163, 307
299, 281
1, Oil, 570
205, 631
873, 254
801, 110
1, 025, 629
607, 784
330,905
551, 371
1,128,959
1, 061, 347
555, 537
818, 394
258, 759
1, 530, 100
1,364
29, 098
4,971
11,080
13, 113
188, 170
9,061
26, 380
6, 131
25, 497
150, 674
119, 932
264, 446
170, 477
121, 983
289,872
89, 824
11, 051
7,002
18, 748
114, 435
672
9,163
55, 110
9,470
66, 209
95, 728
465, 013
106. 015
369, 701
402, 563
645,337
290, 400
157, 762
254, 584
570, 004
492, 732
262, 594
361, 628
127, 384
709, 428
783
11, 990
2,372
4,804
3,219
74, 356
3,942
21, 446
2, 730
9,383
81, 309
33, 477
26, 417
45, 701
24, 879
82, 525
17, 357
901
1,933
1,604
34, 772
11,986
905
8,508
39, 332
27, 736
19,014
36, 481
14, 962
45, 255
7,961
798
900
2,275
20, 173
400
4,381
7,408
418
13, 632
24, 563
89, 112
10, 550
114,266
85, 248
60, 975
57, 083
30,001
43,578
114,805
136,631
57,272
96, 418
29, 099
133, 692
113
3,486
406
1,056
706
5,429
1,111
Rhode Island
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsy I van ia
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio ..
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan _ . ._ _
Wisconsin _ .
WEST NORTH CENTKAL:
Minnesota _._ __.
Iowa,. _
Missouri
South Dakota
Nebraska
2, 358
9,986
2,367
23, 388
39, 610
144, 150
20, 461
96, 776
67, 693
89, 919
64, 978
29, 684
62, 104
83, 299
93, 493
45, 579
74, 370
19, 101
128, 270
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware _ .
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia _ _
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida . . .
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas _
Louisiana
Oklahoma __ _ _
Texas _ -
MOUNTAIN-
Wyoming
Colorado
2,679
446
603
472
14, 212
1,070
New Mexico
Arizona
PACIFIC:
Washington . >_
California __ . «
Other States
i Includes: New Hampshire, 1; Montana, 1; Idaho, 1; Utah, 2; and Oregon, 2.
NEGRO BAPTISTS
151
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other cur-
rent ex-
penses, in-
cluding
interest
Local re-
lief and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
81, 626, 603
$1,644,266
13,653
4,143
10, 299
87, 686
59, 993
47, 651
39, 297
34, 681
116, 377
47,223
1,025
1,582
3,674
34,951
307
2,103
14,447
2,744
30, 346
67, 232
88, 589
22,672
81, 582
88, 119
94, 041
45, 893
28, 304
47, 927
112, 857
97, 519
54, 877
74,071
18,363
135, 393
406
3,558
737
783
400
27, 182
1,579
$428, 316
$260, 589
$216, 241
$291, 263
$682, 146
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
1,542
590
5,130
83, 161
45, 122
31, 137
79, 224
32, 981
124,450
16,842
5,662
7,286
11,850
37, 551
1,172
459
2,254
14, 302
6,701
6,719
14, 599
5,292
31, 744
5,394
423
670
232
8,325
100
628
2,774
163
2,628
12, 550
28, 768
5,421
27, 111
24,467
11, 498
21,935
7,134
16,283
32, 610
36, 968
15,423
25, 712
8,733
43,628
30
606
172
597
336
3,305
450
598
270
1,577
4,184
5,307
6,561
8,688
2,652
7,772
2,229
177
103
367
2,834
37
215
1,809
166
4,013
8,756
17,229
2,832
15, 767
21,310
14, 815
10, 681
5,390
7,401
20, 361
26, 082
13, 675
13, 370
5,181
24,043
426
110
871
5,847
2,901
9,704
4,883
1,741
6,673
2,565
137
281
439
2,207
16
283
2,120
99
1,708
5,262
17, 402
2,012
14, 638
13, 035
8,624
10, 238
2,750
8,382
16, 996
17,418
11, 025
9,792
3,826
30, 152
2,169
254
677
5,111
2,636
3,000
5,843
2,505
9,375
891
120
283
630
2,939
39
123
1,310
152
554
1,771
25,244
2,844
25, 915
18,973
6,970
12, 792
5,759
10, 157
22,497
24, 829
17,360
15, 706
6,005
52,223
1,235
294
2,411
14,260
4,040
6,357
11, 821
6,676
30, 342
7,352
75
585
1,325
13, 060
Hhode Island
C onnecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York ...
New Jersey - -
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana .
Illinois - -
Michigan
"Wisconsin - -- --
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Missouri -
South Dakota
Nebraska --
2,910
17, 025
2,240
14, 112
36, 141
82, 882
20, 790
60, 075
58, 161
56,292
60,934
50, 379
75,225
112, 916
84, 793
37,471
110,939
27,493
165,775
717
5,348
512
6,717
7,668
53, 181
12,034
67, 363
21, 541
37, 178
32,850
13,742
25,730
42, 614
50, 882
40, 261
36,388
13, 574
107,496
32
1,819
50
158
364
4,084
10
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware _______
District of Columbia
"Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina - -
Georgia
ITlorida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi -
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
"Wyoming
Colorado
4,037
380
2,468
7,120
52, 781
736
549
123
340
254
2,821
50
109
33
80
95
1,275
86
265
252
191
147
2,725
27
New Mexico
Arizona - _______
PACIFIC:
Washington
California
Other States
152 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY/ DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The day of darkness. — Although the first African slaves were brought to the
Colonies in 1619, a long span of 154 years passed before we have an account of
the first Negro Baptist Church. This was due to the fact that those who were
-the first purchasers of the Africans considered themselves as guardians of these
heathen and hence, on becoming Christians, their numbers were added to the
white churches. In time it became a question whether one Christian should
enslave another. The step between guardianship and master was short and was
soon taken. The results were written into the most inhuman laws ever promul-
gated by a civilized people. Later, there came a time when it was unlawful for
Negroes to become Christians; when it was unlawful to build meeting houses for
them; 150 long and cruel years of enslavement were meted out to these people.
In the meantime, the spirit of abolition, born in the hearts of good men among
the colonists, continued to grow and culminated in the Emancipation Proclama-
tion issued by Abraham Lincoln, September 22, 1862. The proclamation went
into effect January 1, 1863, which gave the emancipated people an opportunity
to serve and worship God without interference.
A new day. — Hardly had the smoke of the Civil War lifted from a hundred
battlefields when sympathetic friends, men and women, through the American
Baptist Home Missionary Society, the Freedmen's Aid Society, the American
Missionary Association, and kindred organizations, sent preachers and teachers
to the 4,500,000 freedmen in all parts of the Southland.
The chance given through the instructions of those devoted friends, from
pulpit and schoolroom, did much to make American Negroes today the most
advanced group of Negroes in the world. Many of the wisest and best laymen
in the group were and are members of Baptist churches; among these are: W. H.
Williams, historian; Dr. Booker T. Washington, founder of Tuskegee Institute,
Dr. R. R. Moton, principal emeritus of Tuskegee Institute; Mrs. Mary Talbert,
who saved Anacostia, the home of Frederick Douglass, as a shrine for the race;
John Mitchell, Jr., the fighting editor; Mrs. Maggie L. Walker, the only woman
banker of the Negro race; Carter G. Woodson, eminent historian; Miss Nannie
H. Burroughs, educator and foundress of the National Trade and Professional
School for Women and Girls; C. C. Spaulding, the insurance wizard; Miss Jennie
Porter, great organizer and teacher; T. C. Windham, contractor and builder;
Dr. A. M. Townsend, financial genius; W. H. Wright, great insurance man and
banker; Dr. John Hope, educator; with scores of other prominent and influential
men and women.
Revival period. — From 1862 to 1890 has fittingly been called the revival period
in the religious life of the Negro people. They organized churches by the thou-
sands, baptized converts by the hundreds of thousands, so that within the brief
interval of 15 years after the emancipation, approximately 1,000,000 former
slaves and their children had been gathered into Baptist churches alone. Since
every member of a Baptist Church must be a baptized believer, having professed
a personal faith in Christ, it will be readily seen that the 3,782,464 Baptists, each
influencing presumably an average of 3 persons, have had a tremendous power
over a large percentage of the race group of more than 12,000,000 souls.
The church building period. — From 1882 to 1905 the number of church houses
increased rapidly. In the period from 1862 to 1882 there had been built approxi-
mately 3,000 Baptist church houses costing about $3,000,000. Church houses
were built from 1882 to 1906 at an average rate of 633 yearly, at a cost of $893,178 .
per year. This meant untold sacrifice from the small wages earned at unskilled
and poorly-paid labor; and besides, expenses were kept up and the pastors'
salaries paid.
The National Baptist Convention. — The first inception of the present National
Baptist Convention was born in Montgomery, Ala., November 24, 1880, when 59
delegates reported and 9 States were represented. Rev. W. H. McAlpine was
chosen as the first president. The Foreign Mission Baptist Convention of the
United States of America was organized by this body. The American National
Baptist Convention was organized in St. Louis, in 1886; the American National
Educational Baptist Convention was organized in the District of Columbia in
1893. In 1895 all of these bodies united at Atlanta, Ga., and organized the
* This statement was furnished by L. G. Jordan, B. D., general missionary and historian of the National
Baptist Convention of the United States of America, Nashville, Tenn,
NEG'EO BAPTISTS 153
National Baptist Convention of the United States of America. It was incorpo-
rated in 1915 under the laws of the District of Columbia. They definitely
systematized the work to be carried on by boards selected by the parent body.
The leaders. — The National Baptist Convention has been very fortunate in its
leaders. Such has been the character and temperament of its leaders that it has
not, like the Southern Baptist Convention, been compelled, for harmony, to limit
its presidency to 2 or 3 years. The body fought it out and has demonstrated a
purer type of democracy than the Southern brethren.
The matter of limiting the tenure of the national officers, however, is being
discussed throughout the denominational ranks; and it is not known how long
before it will have to follow in the footsteps of the white brethren.
But, so far, it has had only three national presidents, each of whom has shown
such high degree of "sanctified wisdom," that there has been no reason to fear the
future.
Dr. E. C. Morris, D. D., LL. D., of Helena, Ark., the first president, who was
elected September 7, 1895, held that office until his death September 5, 1922. He
was one of the most resourceful and eloquent preachers of his day. Rev. W. G.
Parks, D. D., LL. D., of Pennsylvania, who had served 12 years as vice-president-
at-large, succeeded Dr. Morris and served until Dr. L. K. Williams was elected
at St. Louis, 1922. Dr. Parks was a great preacher and much beloved by his
brethren. Rev. L. K. Williams is a deep thinker and very farsighted. He
speaks eloquently and wisely and has few equals as an organizer, with wonderful
power to win men to the support of a program. His comrades in service feel
inspired by the knowledge that in Dr. Williams they have a leader who is a ca-
pable executive of a forward-looking organization which has life, growth, power,
and possibilities.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
In doctrine and polity the Negro Baptists are in close accord with the Northern
and Southern Conventions. They represent the more strictly Calvinistic type in
doctrine and in polity, "tell it to the Church," and refer the settlement of any
difficulties that may arise to an ecclesiastical council. Their churches unite in
associations, generally along State lines, for the discussion of topics relating to
church life, the regulation of difficulties, the collection of statistics, and the pres-
entation of annual reports. These meetings are consultative and advisory rather
than authoritative.
In addition to the county and district associations there are State conventions
which are held for the consideration of the distinctively missionary side of church
life and not infrequently extend beyond State lines.
The lack of close ecclesiastical relations, characteristic of all Baptist bodies,
is emphasized in the Negro Baptist churches, with the result that it has been and
is very difficult to obtain satisfactory statistics of the denomination.
WORK
At the first meeting of the merged bodies making up the National Baptist
Convention in 1895, the general interests and work of the churches were planned
by the election, through the State delegations, of three boards — the jPoreign
Mission Board, the Home Mission Board, and the Educational Board. Since that
time the work has expanded until there are now seven boards, or agencies,
engaged in the prosecution of this work, including, in addition to those just men-
tioned— the Woman's Auxiliary Convention, the Sunday School Publishing Board,
the Baptist Young People's Board, and the Baptist Ministers' Benefit Board.
The Lott-Carey Convention, organized 1898, now chartered as the Lott-Carey
Missionary Society, continues its distinctive foreign missionary work.
No accurate or definite statement of activities of the National Baptist Con-
vention of America has been furnished for 1936. The report furnished is for the
National Baptist Convention (incorporated), organized in 1915; its agencies
for propagating its work are modeled in every detail after the National Baptist
Convention of the United States of America.
The Foreign Mission Board, its oldest board, was organized with the convention
November 24, 1880, under the leadership of W. W. Colley. It receives no financial
aid from our white brethren, but is an active member of the Foreign Mission
Conference which meets annually, and the board enjoys the fellowship and useful
information about mission work the world over as do other conference members.
Interest in the work of this board is gripping the churches and members in a
marvelous way. Churches and individual regular givers are increasing yearly .
154 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
In 1792 the bugle call of William Carey in his two great sermons, "Attempt
Great Things for God" and "Expect Great Things from God," so aroused British
Baptists that 12 men with broken hearts and determination to obey God with-
drew from where Carey had sounded to arms and, after prayer in a secret retreat,
pledged themselves to spend and be spent that the non-Christian world might hear
the Gospel. To begin this, they laid on God's altar 13 pounds, 2 shillings, and
6 pence, approximately $66 in United States money. This was not a collection
from churches, but these humble pastors, with hearts bubbling over with joy
for a chance, were sorry they had not done this before. William Carey, during
that year, aided in founding the British Society for the propagation of the Gospel
and in 1793 he went forth as the first foreign missionary from the shores of England.
At that time the doors of the whole non-Christian world were bolted and barred
against the missionary enterprise, but the great God with His own key unlocked
door after door, until today there are very few places on Mother Earth where
the preacher may not go and preach the living Gospel and where converts may
not publicly express their faith in Christ and have the protection of the law.
The outburst of spiritual fervor and the spiritual awakening in Europe by
Carey's trumpet tones reached, the Colonies as well. Ten years later a number of
Negroes, freed by the Revolutionary War and like the Apostles, who from fear of
Saul went everywhere preaching the Gospel, for fear of being reenslaved, did not
go everywhere preaching the Gospel; but David George went to Nova Scotia and
thence to Africa in 1793; George Liele went to the British West Indies in 1783;
and Prince Williams went to the Bahama Islands about 1789. The results of their
sowing are still seen after 160 years.
Just what William Carey did in England in 1792, William Colley did for Negro
Baptists in the United States. He interested them, rallied them, and on November
24, 1880, organized them to preach the Gospel to the millions in benighted Africa,
which was at that time very dark, indeed. Carey organized British Baptists and
agreed to go down into heathen wells and carry the light of salvation to the perish-
ing millions buried therein, if only the homefolks would "hold the ropes." Colley
organized Negro Baptists and agreed to be their first missionary, sailing Decem-
ber 1883. He led a band of five other persons who opened up our Bendoo and
Jundoo mission stations in the Vey country near Grand Cape Mount in Liberia.
Negro Baptists, slow as they may appear, have pushed the conquest of the cross
until in 1937 they have stations beginning with Liberia where our work is being
carried on by some godly women; on to Nigeria, where Rev. Samuel W. Martin
"in His name" goes forward; then to Cape Colony, or South Africa, where a
number of God's noble men — native Zulus, Finges, Galakies, and men of other
tribal distinctions — are nobly contending for the faith; on around to Natal where
E. B. P. Koti, our oldest and one of our best prepared native brethren, holds fort;
and on to Chinde and several hundred miles up the Shier River to Chiradzulu,
manned by Dr. Malekebu.
Foreign mission work is, indeed, the mother of home missions and Christian
education. Only as we share the Gospel with others may we enjoy it in the home-
land. Only as the home fires are kept burning may our churches and schools do
their best work.
In 1895 the Foreign Mission Department was domiciled at Louisville, Ky.,
with Rev. John H. Frank, M. D., chairman, and Rev. L. M. Luke, of Marshall,
Tex., secretary. Dr. Luke lived but a few months after his election. On Feb-
ruary 13, 1896, L. G. Jordan, of Philadelphia, Pa., was elected secretary, to
which service he gave nearly 26 years. Following him, in September 1921,
Rev. J. E. East, who had served 11 years as a missionary in South Africa under
the board, was elected and served till his death in October 1932.
The largest sum given for foreign missions in one collection was $4,011 at
Newark, N". J., under Dr. Jordan, and the largest offering ever given in 1 year
was $9,000 during the service of Dr. East.
The Home Mission Board was organized in 1895 and functions in cooperation
with the Southern Baptist Convention. It maintains workers in all of the
Southern States, while the American Baptist Home Mission Society cooperates
in maintaining workers to look after the needs of Negroes in the States of the
North, East, and West.
The Board of Education was organized in 1893 by Bishop Johnson, D. D
This board represents the cooperation of the Southern Baptist Convention with
the National Baptist Convention in a way that has not been demonstrated by
any other board. Its chief project is the American Baptist Theological Semi-
nary, Nashville, Tenn,, which opened its doors in September 1924. In 1937
NEGRO BAPTISTS) 155
there were 75 men enrolled as students for the ministry, making this a banner
year. The Board of Education aims to promote a training school for under-
privileged ministers and other religious workers which will meet a great need.
The Sunday School Publishing Board was organized in September 1896 at
St. f Louis, Mp., with Rev. R. H. Boyd as secretary. In later years Dr. Boyd
claimed the institution as his own and managed it by a board of seven men.
Dr. Boyd was succeeded by S. P. Harris, a lawyer, at Chicago in 1915. In 1916
at the Savannah, Ga., meeting Mr. Harris was succeeded by Rev. L. G. Jordan,
who, at the request of the National Baptist Convention, declined to remain with
the foreign mission work and was succeeded by Rev. William Haynes, D. D., of
Nashville, Tenn. In 1920 at the Indianapolis, Ind., session, Rev. A. M. Town-
send, M. D., D. D., the present secretary, succeeded Dr. Haynes. Quite the
greatest undertaking by members of the board was the building of the present
home for our Sunday School Publishing Board at Nashville, Tenn. This build-
ing cost more than $750,000, and with the cost of equipment and the value of
the ground on which the building stands, represents an investment of $1,000,000.
It is known as the Morris Memorial Building. The cornerstone was laid Sunday,
Ma}7 18, 1924. This gigantic structure represents untold labor and self-sacrifice.
It was dedicated April 25, 1926.
The Woman's Auxiliary Convention was organized in 1900 at Richmond, Va.,
as an auxiliary to the National Baptist Convention. As its name implies, this
body helps in all departments of the National Baptist Convention. They led in
the building and largely support a fine hospital in West Africa.
The National Training School for Women and Girls, the school of the three
B's — Bible, clean lives; bath, clean bodies; broom, clean homes — was organized in
1900 and was authorized by the National Baptist Convention at Cincinnati,
Ohio, September 14, 1901. Its purpose was to stimulate, enlighten, and educate
women and girls in the grace of service and in giving to missions and Christian
education.
The Benefit Board was organized in 1913 for the purpose of creating a fund for
the protection of aged and dependent ministers and other Christian workers of
the denomination, and to maintain a home for the same. It hopes to so direct
its affairs as to be the strongest asset of the denomination.
The Baptist Young People's Union Board, organized in 1899, is an important
factor in the life of the young people of our churches. A great Baptist Young
People's Union and Sunday School Congress, representing over 18,000 Sunday
schools and 557 district conventions, meets yearly. Thousands of delegates and
members representing our 10,000 Baptist Young People's Unions gather.
The Baptist Young People's Union movement grew out of the fact that the
Presbyterians organized their Christian Endeavors, and the Methodist people
organized their Epworth League, for the purpose of teaching their young people
the distinctive doctrines, history, and missionary plans of their denominations.
The Loyalist Movement, so-called from a suggested motto, "Loyalty to Christ
in all things, at all times," was started in Kansas in 1887 and endorsed by the
Baptist State Convention in 1888. Its purpose, which soon became clear, was to
organize an exclusive society for Baptist young people. The idea was welcomed
in the Middle West, and the Kansas Baptists arranged a young people's program
in their convention in 1889 and invited young people to attend. Nebraska or-
ganized a State convention in 1889 and Iowa in 1890. In Chicago, 111., there was
a State union formed on August 12, 1890, attended by representatives from 15
States. An executive committee was appointed to study the problem more
closely, and prepare plans for a national convention. There was pronounced
antagonism to all young people's societies in the churches. Leaders of the Chris-
tian Endeavor movement opposed it heartily. One Congregational pastor sent
out circulars to every Baptist minister asking him to organize a Christian Endeavor
Society in his church. Circulars were sent to Baptist ministers urging them to
oppose it. Representatives of all denominations met in Philadelphia April 22,
1891, and two Baptist trustees of the Christian Endeavor Society attended this
meeting, in which was formed what was known as "the basis of organization."
GENERAL SIX PRINCIPLE BAPTISTS
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the General Six Principle Baptists for the year
1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures
between urban and rural territory. The four churches were reported from the
State of Rhode Island. No parsonages were reported by this body.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have
been received into the local churches upon profession of faith and baptism by
immersion, with confirmation by the laying on of hands.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHUECHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Clnircli.es (local organizations), number _
4
294
74
108
159
27
67.9
1
266
27
0.4
4
4
$15, 500
$15, 500
$3, 875
4
$2, 548
$1, 635
$215
$360
$35
$30
$50
$66
$12
$145
$637
3
42
205
1
91
91
35
56
3
203
68
73
103
27
70.9
1
175
27
0.6
3
3
$12, 000
$12, 000
$4, 000
3
$1, 822
$1,060
$215
$360
$35
$30
$50
$16
Members, number
31.0
69.0
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
32.4
35.2
67.6
64.8
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
C2)
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over
91
34.2
65.8
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years *
diurcli edifices, number
1
1
$3, 500
$3, 500
$3, 500
1
$726
$575
Value — number reporting
Amount reported- _
22.6
22.6
77.4
77.4
Constructed prior to 1936
Average value per church _ _
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
^mniTnt rfipflrtp'd
28.5
35.2
71.5
64.8
100.0
100.0
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements . „ „
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including
interest
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc..
Home missions _
$50
$12
$89
$726
I
17
60
Foreign missions „ ™,
All other purposes
$56
$607
2
25
145
61.4
38.6
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number _ ___ _______
Officers and "teachers __ „__ __. __
Scholars -
29.3
70.7
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
8 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
« Based on membership with age classification reported.
156
GENERAL SIX PKINCIPLE BAPTISTS
157
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the General Six Principle Baptists
for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPABATIVB SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
4
-2
6
-4
10
-6
16
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number
Percent a
Members, number.
294
1
(2)
74
4
4
$15, 500
$3,875
293
-163
-35.7
49
7
6
$20,500
$3, 417
1
$700
456
—229
-33.4
46
11
10
$25, 850
$2, 585
685
Increase J over preceding census:
Number
Percent
Average membership per church _. _ _
43
14
13
$19,450
$1,496
Church edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Average value per church- __.
Debt — number reporting _
Amount reported
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting „. ^ „ .
1
$3, 000
6
$2,483
$2,463
$20
$414
6
53
276
$1,500
Amount reported . _
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
4
$2,548
$1,635
$215
$360
$35
$30
$50
$66
$12
5
$3, 046
• $2,925
$121
$609
5
40
229
Amount; reported
Pastors' salaries.. _
All other salaries
Rp.pairs and imprnvfiTnp.Tits
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest ._
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
"FTnTne missions
"Por^lgpn missions
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes
$145
$637
3
42
205
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
OVnTrones rfipnrtine1, mirnhftf
9
94
414
Officers and*teachers -
Scholars
1 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
In the records of the early Baptist churches in England there are numerous
references to a discussion on the qualifications for church fellowship, especially
in regard to the "laying on of hands," included in the list of foundation "principles
of the doctrine of Christ," given in Hebrews vi, 1, 2. The General (Arminian)
Baptists considered it essential, and included it in the ceremony of admission
to the church, immediately after baptism. Many of the Particular (Calvinistic)
Baptists did not so consider it.
With the organization of Baptist churches in America, the same question came
up and agitated the church at Providence, R. L, with the result that a num-
ber of members in 1653 organized what was known as the Old, or General Six
Principle Baptist Church, the six principles being those mentioned in the^above
passage in the epistle to the Hebrews: Repentance, faith, baptism, laying on
of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. The General Six
Principle Baptists claim that they are the original church, founded by Roger Wil-
liams. Other churches were organized on the same basis, and in time confer-
ences were formed in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania.
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Rev. Arthur C. Lambourne, president, General Six Principle Baptist
Conference of Rhode Island, Providence, R. L, and approved by him in its present form.
158 CENSUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
The Pennsylvania Conference has only a few churches remaining, the strength
of the denomination being now in the Rhode Island Conference. These confer-
ences are members of an international body entitled "The International Old
Baptist Union," which is represented by an international council, consisting of
a bishop of the union, an international secretary, a treasurer, and representatives
elected by the churches in the different countries. This council has authority
to act in all "matters relating to the world- wide union or extension," but the
churches in each country or State manage their own internal affairs without
interference from the international council or from the churches of any other
country or State.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
In doctrine these churches are in sympathy with the Arminian rather than the
Calvinistic Baptist. Their distinctive feature is still the laying on of hands when
members are received into the church, not, however, as a mere form, but as a
sign of the reception of the gifts of the Holy Ghost.
The general ecclesiastical organization corresponds to that of other Baptist
bodies. The individual church is independent in its management, electing its
own officers and delegates. The conferences, composed of delegates from the
local churches, are especially for purposes of fellowship, but when a question
has been submitted to a conference, or to its executive committee in the interval
between the meetings of the conference, its decision is regarded as final. The
present two conferences, those of Rhode Island and Pennsylvania, interchange
delegates or messengers for mutual counsel. Ordination to the ministry is depend-
ent on approval of a majority of a council comprising the ordained ministers
of a conference, not less than two ordained ministers officiating.
WORK
There is no organized home missionary work. Whatever home mission work
is done is by each individual church acting independently* Thus is help given to
a "faith work" in Kentucky. There is a foreign missionary society, and some con-
tributions are reported for work in Canada, China, and among the Maoris in New
Zealand. There is also a book and tract society, for the purpose of disseminating
the literature issued by the International Union.
DAY
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Seventh Day Baptists for the year 1936 is pre-
sented in t,able 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban
and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination includes those persons who have been
immersed and who are on the church rolls as members in good standing.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
66
6,698
101
2,494
3,609
595
69.1
133
6,154
411
2.1
62
57
$727, 285
$725, 785
$1, 500
$12, 759
10
$41, 510
32
45
45
$121, 515
64
$85, 027
$37, 847
$5, 555
$3, 910
$3, 725
$12, 206
$978
$1, 616
$1, 656
$15, 148
$2, 386
$1,329
52 '
676
3,306
16
108
831
18
1,777
99
685
1,086
6
63.1
61
1,710
6
3.4
11
11
$348, 235
$348, 235
48
4,921
103
1,809
2,523
589
71.7
72
4,444
405
1 6
51
46
$379, 050
$377, 550
$1, 500
$8, 240
6
$10, 760
7
39
39
$90, 015
46
$51, 299
$25, 183
$3, 661
$2, 513
$1, 559
$6, 274
$630
$1,285
$1, 496
$7, 656
$1,042
$1, 115
39
526
2,578
2
94
736
Members, number __ _
26.5
73 5
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
27.5
30.1
1.0
72.5
69.9
99.0
Female
Sex not reported .
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
45.9
27.8
1.5
54.1
72.2
98.5
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 2 ._
CJmrcli edifices, mimhfir, „ ,_ „
Value — number reporting
Amount reported. _ _
47.9
48.0
52.1
52.0
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936_
Average value per church
$31,658
4
$30, 750
25
6
6
$31, 500
18
$33, 728
$12, 664
$1, 894
$1, 397
$2, 166
$5, 932
$348
$331
$160
$7, 492
$1,344
$1,874
13
150
728
14
14
95
Debt — number reporting
Amount; fp,portfi<1
74.1
25.9
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported - -
25.9
74.1
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
39.7
33.5
34.1
35.7
58 1
48.6
35.6
20.5
9.7
49.5
56.3
60.3
66.5
65.9
64.3
41.9
51.4
64.4
79.5
90.3
50.5
43.7
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries ~~ - -~
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc...
TToTpA mipsifms
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution __
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sabbath, schools :
Churches reporting number
Offi<*PT"S and teachers
22.2
22.0
77.8
78.0
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
13.0
11.4
87.0
88.6
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
» Based on membership with age classification reported.
159
160
CENSUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-86, — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of the Seventh Day Baptists for the
census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1910
1900
Cliurch.es (local organizations) > number
66
67
68
76
Increase l over preceding census:
Number
-,1
—1
—g
Percent2 .
Members, number __ > ...
6,698
7,264
7,980
8,381
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number
-566
-716
—401
Percent
-7.8
-9.0
—4.8
Average membership per church .-
101
108
117
110
Church, edifices, number . , .
62
62
62
71
Value — number reporting
57
58
59
68
Amount reported -
$727, 285
$668, 200
$307, 600
$292, 250
Average value per church . __.
$12, 759
$11,521
$5, 214
$4, 298
Debt — number reporting _
10
6
4
7
Amount reported
$41, 510
$8, 800
$2, 150
$1, 942
Parsonages » number * -.-*. .- ------
45
42
41
39
Value™ number reporting
45
42
41
39
Amount reported - _ . . ..
$121, 515
$167, 500
$95,200
$69,440
Expenditures:
C hurches reporting , numb er. . ..
64
65
64
Amount reported
$85, 027
$132, 068
$67, 695
Pastors' salaries . . . ..
$37, 847
All other salaries - - - .. «.
$5, 555
Repairs and impro vein fin tf
$3. 910
> $90, 647
$51, 579
Payment on church debt, excluding interest —
All other current expenses, including interest-
Local.! relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$3,725
$12,206
$978
Home missions .-. .-
$1, 616
foreign missions
$1, 656
i $41,421
$16, 116
To general headquarters for distribution
$15, 148
All other purposes ,-, --
$2, 386
Average expenditure per church
$1, 329
$2,032
$1, 058
Sabbath schools:
Churches reporting number
52
57
66
67
Officers and teachers _
676
691
877
843
Scholars
3,306
4,033
5,005
5,117
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Seventh Day
Baptists by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and member-
ship of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural terri-
tory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sabbath schools. Table 4 gives
for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four census
years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under
13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of
churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936.
Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current
expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the
financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6
is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value and
expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each association of Seventh
Day Baptists, the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by States in the
preceding tables, including number of churches, membership, value and debt on
church edifices, expenditures, and Sabbath schools.
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS
161
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SABBATH SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SABBATH SCHOOLS
3
o
e<
o
o3
£»
£
s
3
3
e
£
•g
o
3
r2
"3
Sex not re-
ported
§,5-*
Sol
3s a
Churches
report-
ing
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States
66
4
1
18
1
48
6,698
1,777
4,921
2,494
3,609
595
69.1
52
676
3,306
319
30
842
371
84
NEW ENGLAND:
Rhode Island.
3
1
15
3
2
1
2
1
5
1
2
1
1
"~5
1
3
650
40
1,524
718
147
49
241
314
888
109
103
342
188
41
720
37
14
155
30
21
138
229
276
87
245
64
374
40
1,437
473
83
49
258
13
549
286
74
392
27
802
432
73
65.8
4
1
15
4
2
62
9
173
86
29
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
18
5
3
1
3
2
1
173
68.5
66.2
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio___
49
Illinois
3
2
5
1
1
57
254
184
60
888
109
103
342
188
""§95
14
155
27
20
130
344
39
48
142
74
11
262
12
6
70
16
9
42
89
37
184
397
70
55
200
114
30
416
25
8
85
14
12
96
140
184
2
1
4
1
2
1
1
1
5
13
24
59
15
22
15
21
8
53
76
124
392
60
43
173
141
20
232
Michigan
70.7
86.6
Wisconsin
147
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
1
Iowa
2
Nebraska
1
41
325
37
.....
21
138
202
71.0
64.9
Kansas
1
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
District of Columbia
West Virginia
1
6
1
1
1
1
1
42
63.0
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Alabama
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
3
3
1
1
1
2
26
8
8
13
32
118
17
29
95
140
Louisiana ...
1
1
1
1
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
1
1
PACIFIC:
California
4
3
1
63.6
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4L — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
NUM
BEROI
r CHUR(
3HES
NUM
BERO1
r MEMI
SEES
MEMI
ERSHIP
BY AGE
, 1936
STATE
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States....
66
67
68
76
6,698
7,264
7,980
8,881
133
6,154
411
2.1
Rhode Island
4
4
6
6
650
716
988
1,080
2
648
.3
New York
18
21
19
26
1,524
2,076
2,408
2,926
44
1,307
173
3.3
New Jersey
5
4
4
4
718
749
805
735
26
692
3.6
Penn syl vani a
3
2
3
5
147
113
156
188
23
124
15.6
Illinois
3
3
4
3
241
244
295
290
241
Michigan
2
3
1
1
314
335
162
18
4
310
1.3
Wisconsin
5
6
7
6
888
891
1,039
955
3
738
147
.4
West Virginia
6
6
6
8
720
641
650
681
12
666
42
6.7
Arkansas
3
3
3
4
155
122
184
254
6
149
3.9
California
4
2
3
229
238
153
3
226
1.3
Other States
2 13
13
12
13
1,112
1,139
1,140
1,254
10
1,053
49
.9
i Based on membership with age classification reported.
* Includes 2 churches in the State of Iowa; and 1 in each of the following— Connecticut, Ohio, Minnesota,
Nebraska, Kansas, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Colorado, and the District of Columbia .
162
1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — YALUE OF CHUKCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation i«? limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
num-
ber of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States-
68
62
57
4
15
4
3
5
6
3
217
S727, 285
10
$41, 510
45
$121,515
Rhode Island
4
18
5
3
5
6
3
22
4
19
4
3
5
7
3
17
65, 000
125, 500
188, 000
5,200
97, 200
45, 000
4,650
196, 735
3
13
4
1
5
4
3
12
13,000
27, 300
18, 500
C1)
12, 000
10, 715
2,500
37, 500
New York
1
550
New Jersey _.
Pennsylvania __
Wisconsin
2
2
6,110
2,600
West Virginia
Arkansas
Other States
5
32, 250
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
2 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States — Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, and California; and 1 in
each of the following — Connecticut, Ohio, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Florida, Louisiana, Colorado,
and the District of Columbia.
TABLE 0. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
Total
r
XPENDJTURE
s
STATE
number
of
churches
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors1
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
provements
United States
66
64
$85, 027
$37, 847
$5, 555
$3, 910
Rhode Island
4
4
10, 638
4,150
589
282
New York.
18
17
24, 744
12, 949
1, 8S5
956
New Jersey
5
5
12, 977
3,928
1,377
852
Pennsylvania.
3
3
1,071
550
10
205
Illinois
3
3
1,463
650
Wisconsin
5
5
9 048
3,385
608
376
West Virginia
6
6
5 290
3 019
136
224
Arkansas
3
3
1,471
495
292
California
4
4
4 852
1,892
144
94
Other States
15
i 14
13 473
6 829
806
629
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on church
debt,
excluding
interest
Other cur-
rent
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral
head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
Rhode Island
$3, 725
$12, 206
$978
$1, 616
SI, 656
$15, 14a
S3, 386
647
2,619
2,917
20
495
u«1
265
1,019
2,898
3,749
4,249
2,253
140
44
1,808
1,096
131
608
3,070
1,221
417
27
21
25
105
208
New York
24
500
315
147
30
510
443
25
249
820
533
70
New Jersey -
Pennsylvania
Illinois
Wisconsin
1,411
124
93
211
West Virginia.
108
236
12
33
100
52
35
46
Arkansas __
California
1,000
666
23
159
25
337
Other States
1 Includes 2 churches each in the States of Michigan and Iowa; and 1m each of the following — Connecti-
cut, Ohio, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Colorado, and the District of
Columbia.
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS
163
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SABBATH SCHOOLS. BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHUECH EDI-
FICES
DEBT ON
CHUECH EDI-
FICES
EXPENDI-
TURES
SABBATH
SCHOOLS
Churches re-
porting
<J
Churches re-
porting
"d
I
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
"o
Total
86
6,898
57
jf
11
16
2
9
4
9
S727, 285
30,500
273, 500
}i246,700
82, 935
7,150
88, 500
10
841, 510
64
$85, 027
52
6~
12
13
2
6
5
8
3,808
241
821
1,104
140
252
164
584
Central
7
13
17
4
9
6
10
529
1, 588
2,372
229
868
220
892
7
13
f 17
I 4
9
5
9
6,796
29, 400
20, 072
4,852
7,965
1,911
14, 031
Eastern
Northwestern
{ t
3
1
1
}i34,160
6,600
200
550
Pacific Coast
Southeastern- > .
Southwestern. . -
Western
1 Amount for Northwestern combined with figures for Pacific Coast, to avoid disclosing the statistics of
any individual church
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
From the earliest periods of the Christian church there have been those who
claimed, in respect to the Sabbath, that Christ simply discarded the false restric-
tions with which the Pharisees had burdened and perverted the Sabbath, but that
otherwise He preserved it in its full significance. Accordingly, they have held
that loyalty to the law of God and to the ordinances and example of Christ
required continuance of the observance of the seventh day as the Sabbath,
Although the Apostolic church and some branches of it in every period since
Christ have observed the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath, and practiced
immersion, Seventh Day Baptists do not claim an unbroken succession in the
matter of church organization before the Reformation.
At the time of the Reformation, when the Bible was accepted as the supreme
authority on all questions of faith and conduct, the question of the Sabbath again
came to the front, and a considerable number forsook the observance of Sunday
and accepted the seventh day as the Sabbath.
The date at which the observance of the Sabbath was introduced into Great
Britain is somewhat uncertain. Nicholas Bounde's book, the first book on the
Sabbath question to be published in the English language, appeared in 1595, only
to be suppressed 4 years later. During the next century, numerous other writers
on this subject flourished.
There appears to be evidence that, in all, upwards of 30 Seventh Day Baptist
churches have been established in Great Britain and Ireland. The most important
of these are the Mill Yard, and the Pinner's Hall churches, both of London.
England.
The Seventh Day Baptist Church of Mill Yard, Goodman's Fields, London,
probably had its origin in 1617, and may be said to have been founded by John
Trask and his wife — both school teachers — who were imprisoned for their views
upon the Sabbath. The membership roll of this church contains, among its
multitude of names, those of the following: Dr. Peter Chamberlen, royal physician
to three kings and queens of England; John James, the martyr; Nathaniel Bailey,
the compiler of Bailey's Dictionary (upon which Johnson based his famous
dictionary), as well as a prolific editor of classical text books; William Tempest,
F. R. S., barrister and poet; William Henry Black, archaeologist; and others.
"The Seventh Day Baptist Church of Pinner's Hall, Broad Street, London,
was organized March 5, 1676, at his home, by Rev. Francis Bampfield. His
brother, Hon. Thomas Bampfield, Speaker of the House of Commons, under
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. n of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Corliss F. Randolph, president and librarian, Seventh Day Baptist
Historical Society, Plainfield, N. J., and approved by him in its present form.
275318—11-
-12
164 CENSUS OF BELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Richard Cromwell, was also a Seventh Day Baptist; and the four generations of
famous preachers by the name of Stennett, two of whom were Rev. Joseph
Stennett, 2d, D. D., and Rev. Samuel Stennett, D. D.
In 1664 Stephen Mumford, a Seventh Day Baptist, came from London and
settled at Newport, R. I. His observance of the Sabbath soon attracted atten-
tion, and several members of the Newport church adopted his views and practices,
though they did not change their church relation until December 23, 1671 (Old
Style), when they organized the first Seventh Day Baptist Church in America.
At first this church was composed of those of like faith and practice throughout
southern Rhode Island, but in a few years there were groups in various other
parts of the colony, as well as in Massachusetts and Connecticut, who joined the
church. Seventh Day Baptists in Rhode Island were co-laborers with both Roger
Williams and Dr. John Clark in establishing the colony on the principles of civil
and religious liberty. In doing this they suffered imprisonment and other forms
of persecution. They also joined with the Baptists in founding and supporting
Brown University; and when the struggle with the mother country came they were
among the foremost in the colony in the struggle that secured independence and
established the Union. ^T
Some 13 years after the organization of the Newport church, or about lbS4,
Abel Noble came to America and settled a few miles distant from Philadelphia.
Subsequently he became a Seventh Day Baptist, through contact with Rev.
William Gillette, M. D., a Seventh Day Baptist clergyman from New England.
Abel Noble presented the claims of the Sabbath to his Keithian Baptist neighbors,
with the result that some half dozen Seventh Day Baptist churches were organ-
ized in and near Philadelphia about the year 1700. Soon after this, or in 1705,
Edmund Dunham, who formerly was a licensed preacher in the Baptist church,
led in organizing a Seventh Day Baptist church in Piscataway, Middlesex County,
Under the influence of churches in these three centers (Newport, R. I. » Phila-
delphia, Pa., and Piscataway, N. J.), and fostered by them, Seventh Day Baptist
churches have been organized in many parts of the United btates, and in umna,
India, Java, Germany, the Netherlands, Africa, South America, and Jamaica
British West Indies. There are 10 or more other denominations in the United
States observing the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath, all of which have
received their Sabbath teaching from Seventh Day Baptists. Chief among these
communions are the German Seventh Day Baptists, founded at Ephrata, Pa.,
in 1728, and the Seventh Day Adventists, whose organization grew out of the
MiUerite movement in the middle of the last century.
DOCTRINE
In doctrine Seventh Day Baptists are evangelical and, except for the Sabbath,
are in harmony with other Baptists, particularly those of the Northern Convention
and Southern"Convention. They stand with the Baptists for salvation through
personal faith in Christ, believers' baptism on confession of faith, soul liberty,
civil liberty, independence of the local church with Christ as its sole head, ^tne
Bible in the hands of all men, and the right of everyone to interpret its teachings
for himself. They believe that there are only two sacraments, baptism and the
Lord's Supper, and that the seventh day of the week should be observed as the
Sabbath. .
Originally Seventh Day Baptists were restricted eommunionists and invitations
to the Lord's Supper were given "to members of churches in sister relation ;
but gradually this has changed, and by common consent invitations are now gener-
ally given to Christians of all churches. Neither do Seventh Day Baptists
forbid their members to partake of the communion in other churches, the matter
being left to the private judgment of each individual. Church membership is
granted, however, only to those who have been immersed.
Seventh Day Baptists believe that the seventh day of the week should be
observed as the Sabbath, not alone because its observance began with the history
of man, was held sacred by the patriarchs and prophets, and commanded from
Sinai, but primarily because it was observed and held sacred by Christ and the
Apostolic Church. They (Seventh Day Baptists) believe Christ to be the final
sanction for the Sabbath. , , , « , x >^
While Seventh Day Baptists for more than 300 years have held firmly to tnese
doctrines they have always believed Christ would have them be friendly with other
Christians and cooperate with them in every good work. Their pastors have
SEVENTH D'AY BAPTISTS! 165
exchanged with pastors of other denominations, their ministers have served as
pastors of Baptist churches, in their associations and the General Conferences
they have interchanged delegates, and in more recent years they have belonged
to the National Bible School organizations, the United Society of Christian
Endeavor, the Foreign Missions Conference, the Layman's Missionary Move-
ment, the Federal Council of Churches, the Faith and Order Movement, and other
kindred efforts looking toward united work on the part of Christ's followers.
ORGANIZATION
Since the policy of Seventh Day Baptist churches is that of a pure democracy,
that fact determines the nature of the organizations among them, as well as the
form of the government of the church itself. Each local church is independent
in its own affairs, and all union for denominational work is voluntary. For admin-
istrative purposes chiefly, the churches are organized into associations and a
General Conference, which, however, have only advisory powers. The General
Conference was organized in 1802 and grew out of a yearly meeting established
in 1684. In it each church is entitled to representation by 4 delegates as a church,
and by 2 additional delegates for each 25 members, or fraction thereof, while
members of the 3 leading denominational societies — the Seventh Day Baptist
Missionary Society, American Sabbath Tract Society, and Seventh Day Baptist
Education Society — if present at the conference, are thereby entitled to member-
ship. Churches which cannot be represented by their own members are at liberty
to appoint, as their delegates, members of other churches which are in full and
regular membership in the conference, and the delegate or delegates present from
any church are entitled to cast the full vote to which that church is entitled when
the vote is taken by churches. For the sake of closer fellowship and inspirational
meetings, and for the purpose of interesting the members in the work of Christ's
Kingdom, the churches in the United States are organized into 6 associations.
While these associations have no authority over the churches belonging to them,
respectively, they do determine the qualifications of churches making application
for membership in them.
Applicants for church membership are admitted by vote of the local church,
generally on recommendation by a permanent committee composed of the pastor
and deacons of the church. The local church is the prime authority in the ordi-
nation of elders and deacons; but the ordination of elders, deacons, and all candi-
dates for the ministry is considered of so great importance that it has always been
the custom, when possible to do so, for the church to caD. a council, composed of
delegates from sister churches, to advise the church regarding the fitness of the
candidate. In recent years, moreover, it has been the practice for the General
Conference, upon the request of a church, to approve its action in the matter of
the ordination of ministers. If the candidate is accepted, this approval gives
him denominational standing and affords protection to other churches.
WORK
The churches carry on their missionary and other activities through boards or
societies. Most of these were organized by the General Conference and report
to it, though by virtue of their charters they are more or less independent of the
Conference. The societies thus organized are the Seventh Day Baptist Missionary
Society, carrying on both home and foreign work; the Seventh Day Baptist
Education Society; the American Sabbath Tract Society, which is the publishing
society of the denomination and the agency through which the work of Sabbath
promotion is carried on; the Woman's Board; the Sabbath School Board; the
Young People's Board; and the Seventh Day Baptist Historical Society.
A missionary spirit has always been characteristic of the denomination. It
found expression at a very early period in the yearly meetings, which were essen-
tially missionary gatherings. As the number of churches grew larger and the
churches became more widely separated, the sending out of missionaries by the
yearly meetings increased. It was chiefly the missionary spirit which, in 1802,
led to the organization of the General Conference for the special purpose of
prosecuting this work more efficiently. For 16 years this general work was
carried on under the direct management ' of the General Conference. In 1818,
the General Conference, for the purpose of more efficiency in promoting missions,
established a missionary board (sometimes called the missionary committee).
Missionary work advanced under the ministration of this board until 1828, when
the General Conference replaced it by creating another missionary board. The
churches were trying to find the best way to promote missions, and 14 years
166 CENSUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
later there were three missionary boards connected with the General Conference,
one of which was a board created for the express purpose of reaching the Jews.
In 1842, the present missionary society was established by the conference and in
due time the duties of the other missionary societies were merged into it. About
this time the work of foreign missions was undertaken. The first foreign ^mission
to be established permanently was in China, four missionaries going out in 1847.
The work has steadily grown until it has extended to four continents and the isles
of the sea. During all this time the board has fostered the home mission work
of Seventh Day Baptists. , ..«,«,.
The American Sabbath Tract Society was organized m 1843 for the purpose
of promoting denominational work especially by means of the printed page.
In the year 1872, in addition to the publishing of tracts, it took over the babbath
Recorder, the denominational paper, long published under other auspices, and
has served the churches by publishing, not only the Sabbath Recorder, but
Bible school lesson helps, various other periodicals, tracts, and other types of
literature needed by the churches as well. .
From an early date, Seventh Day Baptist churches have been intensely inter-
ested in promoting education. The churches in Rhode Island helped found
Brown University; early in the last century education societies were formed
in some of the churches with the express view of aiding young men preparing for
the ministry; and Seventh Day Baptist churches founded 12 or more academies,
3 of which became colleges. About 100 years ago the churches through the
General Conference established an education committee. Later this was merged
into another education committee or board, and in 1855 the General Conference
formed the present education society. Through this society the churches have
fostered the interests of education, particularly the education of the ministry.
At present there are three institutions of college rank, Alfred University, Alfred,
N Y., with its college, School of Religious Education, and three technical schools;
Milton College, Milton, Wis.; and Salem College, Salem, W. Va.
One of the efficient organizations in the work of the denomination is the Woman s
Board, organized in 1884. It has been doing excellent service in the fields of
industrial, missionary, educational, and Sabbath promotion activities.
Organized denominational Sabbath school work was begun in 1836, although
Sabbath schools were already in existence in various churches, one at least having
been organized as early as 1740 by the German Seventh Day Baptists at Ephrata,
Pa. Previous to 1872 Sabbath school boards were appointed by the various
associations and carried forward systematic work in this field within their respec-
tive boundaries. In that year the General Conference created its denominational
Sabbath school board, which is incorporated and has general charge of the activi-
ties that naturally fall to such an organization, including supervision of Sabbath
school literature. , , _ __, _ , __
Much attention has been given to young people's work. Ihe nrst Young
People's Christian Endeavor societies were formed in 1884, 3 years after the
beginning of the movement under Rev. F. E. Clark, at Portland, Maine.
Prior to the appearance of Christian Endeavor societies, work among young
people had been fostered by the organization of societies called Excel Bands.
This movement in the interest of young people has continued through the years,
and for the last half century it has been directed by a committee or board ap-
pointed by the General Conference.
History is an important phase of the activities of any denomination the same as
it is in the nation. For many years the General Conference promoted this work
for the churches, but in recent years the Seventh Day Baptist Historical Society
has fostered it. This society occupies one floor of the Seventh Day Baptist
Building in Plainfield, N. J., where it has installed a valuable library and museum
relating to the history of Seventh Day Baptists.
WILL BAPTISTS
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Free Will Baptists for the year 1936 is presented
in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and
rural territory.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have been
received into the local churches upon evidence of a change of heart, profession of
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, immersion by a proper administrator, and accept-
ance of the church covenant.
TABLE I. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEECENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number _> _ _
920
76, 643
83
29, 960
45, 439
1,244
65.9
1,095
65, 386
10, 162
1.6
714
692
$1, 090, 779
$1, 014, 730
$76, 049
$1,576
45
$21, 021
429
20
17
$17, 375
843
$192,620
$88,240
$10, 279
$40, 160
$7,546
$11, 068
$12, 562
$5, 526
$2, 413
$3,111
$11, 715
$228
78
6,385
82
2,467
3,858
60
63.9
154
5,708
523
2,6
66
66
$171, 150
$159, 340
$11, 810
$2, 593
8
$9, 735
40
4
4
$5,300
74
$28,852
$13, 091
$944
$4,087
$2, 555
$3, 413
$1, 370
$499
$250
$224
$2,419
$390
842
70, 258
83
27, 493
41, 581
1,184
66.1
941
59, 678
9,639
1.6
648
626
$919, 629
$855, 390
$64, 239
$1, 469
37
$11, 286
389
16
13
$12,075
769
$163, 768
$75, 149
$9. 335
$36, 073
$4,991
$7, 655
$11, 192
$5, 027
$2,163
$2,887
$9,296
$213
8.5
8 3
91.5
91.7
Members, number ...
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
8.2
8.5
4.8
91.8
91.5
95 2
Female
Sex not reported ._
Males per 100 females
Membership by age'
Under 13 years
14.1
8.7
5.1
85.9
91.3
94.9
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years '
Church edifices, number
9.2
9.5
15.7
15 7
15.5
90.8
90.5
84.3
S4.3
84.5
Value — number reporting
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Debt-""-number reporting
Amount reported
46 3
9.3
53 7
90.7
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages number
Amount reported
30.5
8.8
15.0
14.8
9.2
10.2
33.9
30.8
10.9
9.0
10.4
7.2
20.6
69.5
91.2
85.0
85.2
90.8
89.8
66.1
69.2
89.1
91.0
89.6
92.8
79.4
Expenditures :
Churches repotting, number
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding inter-
est -
All other current expenses, including in-
terest -
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc...
TForeif n missions
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
Average exoenditure Der church.. _
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
167
168
OENStTS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITSM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number _
699
5,595
42, 455
13
79
367
20
125
962
5
26
477
71
630
5, 257
628
4,965
37, 198
13
79
367
19
117
918
5
26
477
10.2
1L3
12.4
89.8
88.7
87.6
Officers and teachers
Scholars..
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
100.0
Weekday religious schools:
Churches reporting number
1
8
44
Officers and teachers
6.4
4.6
93.6
95 4
Scholars
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
100.0
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Free Will Baptists for the
census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
920
-104
—10.2
1,024
274
36.5
79, 592
24,759
45.2
78
770
765
$1, 156, 743
$1, 512
69
$32, 564
750
142
23.4
54, 833
14, 553
36.1
73
656
656
$517, 240
$788
42
$6, 260
608
Increase * over preceding census:
Niirnbftr
Percent
Members, number...
76, 643
-2,949
-3.7
83
714
692
$1, 090, 779
$1, 576
45
$21, 021
20
17
$17, 375
843
$192, 620
$88, 240
$10, 279
$40, 160
$7, 546
$11, 068
$12, 562
$5, 526
$2, 413
$3, 111
$11, 715
40, 280
Increase i over preceding census:
Number
Percent _
Average membership per church
66
556
554
$296, 585
$535
37
$3, 536
Church, edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Atnoiint reported
Parsonages, ntiTTibP-r
Valiift — Tiiirnhftr reporting
9
$18,400
872
$252, 613
$179,730
$66, 557
$6, 326
$290
643
4,202
38,199
14
$9, 630
612
$75, 835
$64, 182
$11, 653
8
$3, 400
Ainotint reported
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported . .
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions
Poreign missions .
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes _.
Not classified-
Average expenditure per church
$228
699
6,595
42,455
$124
390
2.547
22, 421
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, immbftr.
263
1,440
12,720
Officers andlteachers _ _ -
Scholars
1 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
FREE WILL BAPTISTS
169
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Free Will
Baptists by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and member-
ship of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural terri-
tory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives
the number and membership of the churches for the four census years 1906 to
1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of age7'
and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of churches and parson-
ages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents, for
1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improvements,
benevolences, etc.
Ecclesiastical divisions.— Table 7 presents, for each association of Free Will
Baptists, the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by States in the
preceding tables, including number of churches, membership, value and debt on
church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
TABLE 3. — NTTMBEE AND MEMBEKSHIP OF CHUBCHES IN URBAN AND RTTKAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OP
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BT SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
,
1
"§
2
«
i
£
1
«
|
<D
•s
Sex not reported
£
§-
P.CJ
Churches reporting
13
§ e3
t_|
I
Scholars
United States
920
78
842
76,643
6,385
70, 258
29, 960
45, 489
1 244
flfi 9
699
5,595
13
332
718
"""68
1,818
293
258
121
11
648
551
72
363
319
10
42,455
105
2,189
4,099
""622
15,708
2,537
1,701
791
80
4,892
3,982
445
2,621
2,593
90
MEDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
1
1
37
96
9
11
231
33
62
26
8
53
1,925
7,006
472
490
26,230
2,577
5,449
2,540
1,116
178
662
53
1,747
6,344
472
490
24, 034
2,213
5,228
2,272
1,116
7,525
9,692
1,360
3,791
3,921
25
782
2,760
171
204
10, 165
1,042
2,089
973
477
2,978
4,346
640
1,619
1,635
54
28
1,122
4,037
301
285
15, 767
1,535
3,359
1,567
639
4,762
6,048
920
2,395
2,593
81
1
37
87
.....
212
35
35
19
1
84
77
8
53
41
1
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
40
104
ft
3
8
21
209
""I
298
_
~~522
114
""78
69.7
68.4
56.8
71.6
64.5
67.9
62.2
62.1
74.6
62.5
71 9
69.6
67.6
63.1
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
West Virginia
11
North Carolina
255
40
64
30
8
24
7
2
4
2,196
364
221
268
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
104
108
14
71
60
1
8
9
1
6
6
1
96
99
13
66
54
8,262
10,508
1,560
4,014
4,306
135
737
816
200
223
385
135
Albania
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas --
Okl*vh<">mft
Texas
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
170
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBEESHIP OF CHTJBCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1936
1916
1906
9
f!
VI j_,
J3 <»
M
TI
sS
Ot3
fl.g
aa
«3£
4oS
ll
& fl
PH o
United States
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
920
1
1,024
750
'ii.avrs
608
76, 643
79, 592
54, 833
40, 280
1,095
65, 386
10, 162
1.6
53
1,925
53
1,690
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
40
39
1
1
30
2,014
75
38
26
5,261
30
1,425
50
185
2.9
Indians
Illinois
1
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
1
87
1
68
11
50
4,868
581
373
Missouri
104
7,006
181
6,004
821
2.9
Nebraska
Kansas
3
13
14
308
49
88
30
10
82
91
7
103
96
1
6
__...
253
31
95
26
4
51
82
18
62
22
12
83
465
456
31, 256
3,594
6,317
2,761
1,077
6,608
8,136
595
5,270
5,469
91
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
9
11
255
40
64
30
8
104
108
14
71
60
1
1
7
284
41
77
26
"49"
42
1
10
29
11
472
490
26, 230
2,577
5,449
2,540
1,116
8,262
10, 508
1,560
4,014
4,306
135
64
193
22, 518
2,649
4,500
1,424
3
3
349
25
41
21
469
307
22, 070
2,068
4,696
2,159
939
6,650
9,407
1,465
3,676
3,603
130
.6
1.0
1.6
1.2
.9
1.0
"l.~7
1.3
1.3
.4
3.9
3.7
West Virginia
296
22,914
2,281
6,152
1,424
344
4,681
5,854
921
2,926
680
458
180
3,811
484
712
360
177
1,498
975
76
325
558
North Carolina
South Carolina __ „_
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
3,093
2,213
35
371
1,288
507
114
126
19
13
145
5
Alabama »
Mississippi— ._
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL;
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Texas
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
FREE WILL BAPTISTS
171
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States. .
920
714
692
$1, 090, 779
45
$21,021
17
$17,375
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania „
1
40
104
9
11
255
40
64
30
8
104
108
14
71
60
1
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
34
75
5
7
228
35
59
27
4
77
90
14
38
20
1
33
73
5
7
222
33
58
27
4
75
86
14
34
20
1
65, 450
81, 325
3,975
8,542
436,866
58, 264
60, 325
21,460
8,100
128,200
81, 547
18, 100
23,600
} 395,025
1
2
2
1,200
370
129
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri .
1
0)
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
17
5
1
1
1
4
7
2
13, 445
1,349
560
56
1,000
212
2,395
210
4
1
3
8.000
C1)
2, "00
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
1
2
2
1
0)
8
0)
Tennessee . ..
Alabama.
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Oklahoma
2
95
2
(0
6,875
Texas
Combinations
i Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
3 Amount for Oklahoma combined with figures for Texas, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any indi-
vidual church.
172 CENSUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 3936
TABLE 6. — CHTJECH EXPENDITUKBS BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
provements
United States ....
920
1
40
104
Q
11
255
40
64
30
8
104
108
14
71
60
1
843
1
38
92
6
11
252
39
63
29
4
97
95
13
55
47
1
$192, 620
888,240
2,989
7,689
135
1,070
38, 607
5,084
5,408
1,538
70
10, 305
6,455
1,398
2,713
4,779
$10, 279
352
870
18
85
5,223
203
490
143
60
1,071
678
265
316
505
$40, 160
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
t 18,827
14, 268
816
2,051
90, 050
10, 293
10, 722
2,791
1,274
18, 517
17, 684
3,065
4,467
[ 27,795
2,241
1,793
355
175
16, 831
2,002
2,873
499
338
3,724
7,064
1,005
381
879
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
WEST NORTH CENTRAL-
Missouri -
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia _- -
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina -
Georgia
Florida _.
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi ... -
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas .
Oklahoma
Texas -
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on church
debt,exclud-
ing interest
Other cur-
rent expen-
ses, includ-
ing interest
Local re-
lief and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
$7, 546
$11, 068
S12, 562
$5, 526
$2, 413
$3, 111
100
94
$11,715
852
449
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
I 640
927
30
1,046
1,014
10
99
5,418
744
152
183
160
1,051
450
24
354
363
131
166
261
60
8,176
498
463
58
93
590
1,415
65
247
339
157
648
7
68
2,448
291
407
45
319
618
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
West Virginia. _.
31
896
16
157
7
56
1,716
285
222
41
8
328
113
407
7,851
550
163
36
45
241
683
35
135
268
North Carolina
2,884
620
387
241
500
500
440
208
74
} 95
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida ~_
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee .. „
421
348
62
154
470
286
38
3
25
17
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
68
80
Oklahoma __
Texas
* Amount for Pennsylvania combined with figures for Ohio, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any in-
dividual church.
* Amount for Oklahoma combined with figures for Texas, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any indi-
vidual church.
FREE WILL BAPTISTS
173
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936
ASSOCIATION
Total number of churches
Number of members
VALUE OP
CHUECH EDI-
FICES
DEBT ON
CHUECH EDI-
FICES
EXPENDI-
TURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
2
bfl
»!
*o o
IP,
O
«
!
£
M
ll
o ®
XJ
O
"S
i
i
fafl
s5
•sg
t-i G
3
*a
O
a
o
£
euo
it
3
43
O
1
m
Total
920
78, 643
692
SI, 090, 779
45
821, 021
295
1,800
843
$192, 620
699
42, 455
Alabama:
Oahaba River _
18
19
8
20
10
7
10
11
8
6
1
1
5
10
5
1
9
10
12
7
8
4
14
3
12
2
2
7
12
13
4
14
12
2
4
2
1
1
12
1
11
2
9
8
9
10
1
12
33
2
899
2.327
480
1,290
614
616
943
1,983
433
626
170
118
214
640
217
70
542
655
613
563
270
230
1,287
458
851
46
211
387
1, 023
1,459
183
1,277
909
120
892
147
34
78
1,398
84
351
120
764
572
678
340
40
1,217
2,371
30
14
16
5
8
8
6
8
10
4
5
1
1
2
5
1
1
6
1
9
5
2
2
12
2
12
2
2
7
12
12
4
12
9
1
4
6,925
21, 900
1,525
6,700
8,400
8,500
6,180
7,850
3,600
7,132
8
3,250
(9
0)
3,950
("
6,100
3.250
0)
0)
11,000
0)
8,720
0)
0)
5,250
10, 050
14, 800
2,500
19, 625
6,000
0)
8,100
4
1
15
18
7
9
10
6
8
10
7
4
1
1
2
9
3
1
7
7
11
7
5
3
14
3
11
2
2
6
12
13
4
14
12
2
2
1
927
8,274
683
1,246
1,060
1,698
1,212
805
727
795
0)
0)
0)
649
86
(9
413
321
770
1,248
359
392
1,017
408
1,427
CO
C1)
1,472
919
2,575
275
4,010
1,132
CO
8
13
13
6
5
8
6
7
9
6
3
1
1
3
9
2
I
4
7
10
6
7
4
9
2
8
1
557
775
249
258
429
362
342
439
296
165
120
30
105
405
88
45
259
295
572
326
330
196
416
64
327
24
Jasper .
Morning; Star
Mount Moriah
Muscle Shoals State Line—-
Progressive
1
200
Southeastern .
State Line
Tennessee River...
Vernon.
1
100
Yellow Creek
TJnassociated _
Arkansas:
Antioch
Arkansas
Big Springs
Cave Springs
New Hope...
Old Mount Zion
Polk Bayou
Saline
Social Band
Zion TFTopQ-
Florida:
Paletn
State Line
West Florida-Liberty ..
1
56
Martin
Georgia:
Chattahoochee
Little River
2
5
10
4
10
4
1
1
102
264
477
152
509
197
40
80
Martin United
Midway—
I
560
Ogeechee
South Georgia. .. —
Union ...... .
Kentucky:
Cumberland
Johnson ._
1
1,000
Pike
Unassociated
Mississippi:
Little Brown Creek
1
12
1
5
1
6
3
8
7
0)
17, 100
0)
5,200
* 5,900
%550
5,450
7,550
1
12
(i)
2,940
Northeastern Mississippi
Tennessee River
2
210
8
445
Missouri:
Cave Springs
9
2
9
5
9
9
492
2,422
467
1,022
1,306
7
2
8
6
7
9
270
110
520
275
241
340
Central Western Missouri
and Southeast Kansas
Indian Creek
2
370
Laclede Country
NIagua
Northeast Missouri
Social Band
Southeast Missouri
10
27
1
21, 500
19, 075
0)
12
31
3,978
3,109
11
30
992
1,114
Union
1 Amount included in figures on the line designated
of any individual church.
"Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
174
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 19 36
TABLE 7. — NTJMBEK AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
8
i
,Q
1
e
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDI-
FICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH EDI-
FICES
EXPENDI-
TURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
e
bfl
m a
£
cojf
Scholars
Amount
P
A
O
Amount
Church*
port
North Carolina:
Beaver Creek
8
23
45
52
6
9
8
2
2
19
35
16
29
40
1
3
9
5
12
5
6
1
4
3
1
10
7
9
4
2
14
5
22
2
7
17
17
4
27
4
2
1
2
6
5
2
1
2
2
2
5
757
3,023
6,414
5,736
635
856
704
99
94
1,260
4,153
564
1,870
1,925
29
264
593
627
893
309
454
66
258
235
39
539
467
469
210
30
1,352
114
2,606
161
452
1,443
1,211
369
1,542
282
79
135
159
278
376
147
35
63
81
78
268
7
20
42
43
4
8
8
2
1
17
28
14
27
33
$11, 100
56, 066
98, 250
92, 650
12,000
6,600
8,550
CO
CO
16, 450
62, 800
15, 450
52, 950
65, 450
1
2
1
2
1
$300
3,680
180
2,100
100
8
23
45
52
5
9
8
2
2
19
35
15
28
38
1
3
5
4
8
4
5
1
4
3
$5,654
11,835
18, 901
16, 825
870
1,669
3,230
CO
CO
1,817
10, 775
3,644
14, 103
8,042
CO
517
1,134
561
994
956
442
CO
171
281
7
19
34
41
5
8
6
2
2
18
32
14
23
37
1
3
7
4
5
4
3
1
3
2
825
1,984
2,430
2,759
288
503
465
90
123
853
2,735
726
1,802
2,189
105
175
348
315
251
229
305
60
220
110
Orginal Cape Fear
Central
Eastern
French Broad
Jacks Creek
Pee Dee >
1
700
Rock Fish
St Anna
Toe River
2
4
lio
265
Western . -
"Vinirningtnn
Cape Fear Holiness— . _ _..
3
1
6,010
1,200
Ohio:
Ohio River
Oklahoma:
Beulah
Canadian
2
3
2
3
2
3
2,700
2'co25
5,300
1
25
Center
Dibble
Eureka
First Oklahoma
Grand River
Hopewell No 1
2
1
CO
TJna^sociated
"RBSt^rn Oklahoma
Hopewell No. 2
2
6
5
3
2
14
4
18
2
4
10
13
2
19
4
1
1
1
3
3
2
1
1
1
1
4
CO
14,980
3, 527*
1,950
CO
23, 182
15, 300
29, 250
3,400
6,550
26, 500
CO
53, 000
4,600
CO
1
1
1
70
105
19
9
7
9
4
2
13
5
22
2
7
16
16
2
25
4
1
1
1
5
4
2
2,245
3,024
1,527
406
CO
4,126
1,288
5,409
CO
493
1,761
2,395
CO
6,723
830
CO
CO
CO
440
814
CO
8
6
4
1
13
5
17
2
6
11
17
2
24
1
2
1
475
508
358
239
25
1,219
313
995
80
211
586
1,084
93
1,633
50
145
90
South Carolina:
Beaver Creek _-,
Eastern .
Pee Dee
Rock Fish
South Carolina No. 1
South Carolina No. 2
3
1,225
Tennessee:
Jack Creek
Muscle Shoals State Line —
Stone
1
2
8
99
Toe River CN. C.)
Tennessee River
Union. » . . _
1
.105
"Wautaugua
TTnassociated
Texas:
Hopewell
Virginia:
Jo^n Thornfts
CO
1,850
9,300
8
8
&>
115, 717
Sandy Valley
2
129
Northwest
5
2
167
70
Southwest
Pike County
West Virginia:
Bo one
2
2
2
5
261
7,821
2
2
1
3
140
170
97
215
Logan
Yearly Meeting..
Mingo
Combinations. _
i Amount included in figures on the line designated
of any individual church.
'Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
FREE WILL BAPTISTS 175
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
One of the influential factors in early Baptist history, especially in the Middle
States, was a Welsh church, organized in Wales in 1701, which emigrated the
same year to Pennsylvania. Two years later it received a grant of land known
as the "Welsh Tract," where the colony prospered and was able to send a num-
ber of able ministers to various sections. One of these, Elder Paul Palmer,
gathered a company in North Carolina and, in 1727, organized a church at
Perquimans, in Chowan County. The principal element appears to have been
Arminian, in sympathy with certain communities in Virginia which had received
ministerial assistance from the General Baptists of England. There was no
thought, however, of organizing a separate denomination, the object being
primarily to provide a church home for the community, a place for the adminis-
tration of the ordinances, and for the teaching of Christian ethics.
Under the labors of Elder Palmer and other ministers whom he ordained,
additional churches were organized, which grew rapidly, considering the sparsely
settled country, and an organization was formed, called a yearly meeting, includ-
ing 16 churches, 16 ministers, and probably 1,000 communicants, in 1752. As
the Philadelphia Association of Calvinistic Baptists increased in strength, a
considerable number of these Arminian churches were won over to that confes-
sion, so that only four remained undivided. These, however, rallied, reorganized,
and, being later reinforced by Free Will Baptists from the North, especially
from Maine, regained most of the lost ground.
In the early part of their history they do not appear to have had a distinctive
name. They were afterward called "Free Will Baptists," and most of them
became known later as "Original Free Will Baptists." They were so listed in
the report on religious bodies, census of 1890, but have since preferred to drop
the term "Original" and be called simply "Free Win Baptists."
In 1836 they were represented by delegates in a General Conference of Free
Will Baptists throughout the United States, but after the Civil War they held
their own conferences. In recent years they have drawn to themselves a number
of churches of similar faith throughout the Southern States, and have increased
greatly in strength. They hold essentially the same doctrines as the Free
Baptist churches of the North, now a part of the Northern Baptist Convention,
have the same form of ecclesiastical polity, and are to some degree identified
with the same interests, missionary and educational.
As the movement for the union of the Free Baptist churches with the Northern
Baptist Convention developed, some who did not care to join in that movement
affiliated with the Free Will Baptists.
DOCTRINE
The Free Will Baptists accept the five points of Arminianism as opposed to
the five points of Calvinism, and in a confession of faith of 18 articles de-
clare that Christ "freely gave himself a ransom for all, tasting death for every
man"; that "God wants all to come to repentance"; and that "all men, at one
time or another, are found in such capacity as that, through the grace of God,
they may be eternally saved."
Believers' baptism is considered the only true principle, and immersion the only
correct form; but no distinction is made in the invitation to the Lord's Supper,
and Free Will Baptists uniformly practice open communion. They further
believe in foot washing and anointing the sick with oil.
ORGANIZATION
In polity the Free Will Baptists are distinctly congregational. Quarterly con-
ferences for business purposes are held in which all members may participate.
The officers of the church are the pastor, clerk, treasurer, deacons, who have
charge of the preparations for the communion service and care for the poor, and
elders, who care for the spiritual interests of the churches and settle controversies
between brethren. The quarterly conferences are united in State bodies, vari-
ously called conferences or associations, and there is an annual conference repre-
senting the entire denomination.
* No revision of history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this body for 1936, hence this state-
ment is the same as that published in Religious Bodies, vol. n, 1926. No data are available for "Work" in
1936.
UNITED AMERICAN FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH
(COLORED)
STATISTICS
Summary for tlie "(Tinted States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the United American Free Will Baptist Church
(Colored) for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the dis-
tribution of these figures between urban and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination consists of persons who have been
admitted to the local churches upon profession of faith and baptism by immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
Ch.urch.6s (local organizations), number
226
19, 616
87
6,056
13, 560
44.7
2,292
16,973
351
11.9
208
207
$468,883
$459, 650
$9, 233
$2,265
20
$18, 812
167
2
1
$2,000
226
$79, 712
$34, 842
$5, 671
$11,044
$4,778
$6,230
$3, 796
$2, 079
$42
$7, 223
$4, 007
$353
52
6,770
130
2,038
4,732
43.1
819
5,776
175
12.4
48
47
$165, 325
$164, 950
$375
$3, 518
10
$15, 751
33
174
12,846
74
4,018
8,828
45.5
1,473
11, 197
176
11.6
160
160
$303, 558
$294, 700
$8, 858
$1,897
10
$3, 061
134
2
1
$2,000
174
$52, 194
$24, 117
$3, 523
$8,328
$1,504
$3,275
$2,297
$1,402
$42
$5, 127
$2,679
$300
23.0
34.5
77.0
65.5
Members, number
Average m&mbership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
33.7
34.9
66.3
65.1
Female... _ ._ __ __
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years ..
35.7
34.0
49.9
64.3
66.0
50.1
13 years and over. __ .__
Age not reported ___ . _
Percent under 13 years 2
ChijtYs^ fidifloAS, Ttumber ^
23.1
22.7
35.3
35.9
4.1
76 9
77.3
64 7
64.1
95.9
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
83.7
19.8
16.3
80.2
jSTriTtibp-r reporti'njj "no de-ht"
Parsonages, number. ~ ..
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
77.0
65.5
69.2
62.1
75.4
31.5
52.6
60.5
67.4
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
52
$27, 518
$10, 725
$2, 148
$2, 716
$3,274
$2, 955
$1,499
$677
23.0
34.5
30.8
37.9
24.6
68.5
47.4
39.5
32.6
Amount reported . „
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs amd im pro vflm Ants ^ _ r
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc...
JToTn« misfsfnns
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
$2,096
$1,428
$529
29.0
35.6
71.0
64.4
Average expenditure per church
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
176
UNITED AMEBIOAN FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH
177
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
In rural
PERCE*
TOT
*TOr
AL1
Urban
Rural
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
200
50
150
25.0
75.0
Officers and teachers.
1,535
437
1,098
28.5
71.5
Scholars
8 317
2,734
5,583
32.9
67.1
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
3
2
1
Officers ancTteachers
31
17
14
Scholars
115
80
35
69.6
30.4
Weekday religious schools :
Ohiirohea reporting, nnrnhftr
4
1
3
Officers and "teachers
29
9
20
Scholars
295
45
250
15.3
84.7
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the United American Free Will
Baptist Church (Colored) for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906. In
1916 this body was reported under the name of Colored Free Will Baptists.
TABLE 2. — COMPAEATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Gh.TU""'hft8 Onftft! organizations), irnrnbftr
226
166
169
247
Increase * over preceding census:
"Nllinhflr
60
—3
—78
Percent .__
36.1
—1.8
-31 6
19, 616
13, 396
13, 362
14, 489
Increase l over preceding census:
Number
6,220
34
—1, 127
Percent -
46.4
0.3
-7.8
Average rnernbership per church
87
81
79
59
Church *?difllofis, nnrnber
208
144
164
152
Value — number reporting
207
142
164
151
Amount reported _ __
$468,883
$308, 425
$178, 385
$79, 278
Average value per church -
$2. 265
$2, 172
$1,088
$525
Debt — number reporting
20
39
35
22
Amount reported **
$18, 812
$7, 962
$9, 525
$3,485
Parsonages number
2
Value — number reporting
1
2
6
Amount reported
$2, 000
$1, 300
$1, 475
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, "nninber
226
158
168
Amount reported - --
$79, 712
$67, 773
$36, 647
Pastors* salaries
$34,842
1
All other salaries
$5, 671
Repairs and improvements
$11, 044
> $46, 494
$27, 341
Payment on church debt, excluding Interest.™
All other current expenses, including interest-
Local relief and charity, Eed Cross, etc —
Home missions — -
$4,778
$6, 230
$3, 796
$2,079
j
Foreign missions
$42
> $13, 090
$9,306
To general headquarters for distribution
$7,223
f
All other purposes
$4,007
)
Not classified*
$8,189
Average expenditure per church
$353
$429
$218
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting number
200
144
87
100
1,535
836
483
382
Scholars -
8,317
5,077
4,168
3,307
'A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
178
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the United Ameri-
can Free Will Baptist Church (Colored) by States. Table 3 gives for each
State for 1936 the number and membership of the churches classified according
to their location in urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and
data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives for selected States the number and
membership of the churches for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together
with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years
of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of church edifices and the amount
of debt on such property for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church ex-
penditures, showing separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences,
etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church,
separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or
more churches reported value and expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each conference in the United
American Free Will Baptist Church (Colored) , the more important statistical data,
for 1936 shown by States in the preceding tables, including number of churches,
membership, value and debt on church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
NUMBER OP
MEMBERSHIP
SUNDAY
CHURCHES
MEMBERS
BY SE3
SCHOOLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
fc,A
S M
" £
AND STATE
dfl
CDn-) CP
w
i— .
PI
r- 1
p2
w 45
n"£
«E3
~
3
s
-S
rQ
g
s
<o a cfl
^2 F!
3&
£*g
e
P
rt
S
P
tf
s
&
a p
d£
O
United States...
226
52
174
19, 616
6,770
12, 846
6,056
13, 560
44.7
200
1,535
8,317
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
North Carolina
137
?9
108
15, 679
5,199
10, 480
4,729
10, 950
43.2
125
1,074
6,454
South Carolina
2
2
51
51
19
32
2
11
30
Georgia
54
9
45
2,081
580
1,501
679
1,402
48.4
43
231
1,058
Florida
6
4
2
305
240
65
113
192
58.9
6
39
131
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
1
1
38
38
14
24
Alabama
1
1
50
50
10
40
1
6
26
Mississippi
4
2
2
238
186
52
72
166
43.4
4
26
67
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas -
2
2
90
90
39
51
1
8
35
Louisiana
6
5
1
430
414
16
165
265
62.3
5
47
183
Texas _-
13
3
10
654
151
503
216
438
49.3
13
93
333
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHtrBCBGEs, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BEESHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
<3TATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER or MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1996
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States
niinois
226
166
169
247
19, 616
13, 396
13, 362
14,489
2,292
16, 973
351
11.9
3
241
10, 773
1,592
North Carolina
137
54
6
117
31
112
35
129
93
18
6
15, 679
2,081
305
50
238
430
654
179
11, 112
1,391
10,099
3,680
388
272
2,126
41
5
13, 478
2,040
125
75
13.6
2.0
3.8
Georgia
Florida
175
50
Alabama .
1
4
6
13
6
5
7
— ._
8
300
189
404
Mississippi
290
276
1
46
62
11
237
384
592
117
.4
12.0
9.5
8.6
Louisiana ,
Texas
Other States
25
4
1
190
50
51
i Based on membership with age classification reported.
* Includes: South Carolina, 2; Kentucky, 1; and Arkansas, 2.
UNITED' AMERICAN FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH
179
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT BY
STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number of
churches
Number
of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHUECH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
226
208
207
$468, 883
381, 250
52,850
8,200
6,433
3,625
13, 525
3,000
20
8
5
2
3
1
1
318,812
15, 850
1,467
368
843
25
259
North Carolina
137
54
6
4
6
13
fi
135
45
6
4
5
10
3
135
45
5
4
5
10
13
Georgia
Florida
tV3 ississippi
Louisiana
Texas...
Other States
1 Includes: South Carolina, 1; Kentucky, 1; and Alabama, 1.
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
STATE
Total
num-
ber of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and
improve-
ments
United States
226
226
$79, 712
$34,842
$5, 671
$11,044
North Carolina -
137
54
6
4
6
13
6
137
54
6
4
6
13
i 6
55,440
14,005
2,244
1,450
1, 363
4,325
885
23,222
6,898
1,081
453
820
1,958
410
4,472
433
150
166
129
156
165
7,005
2,741
224
232
137
645
60
Georgia
Florida
Mississippi. -
Louisiana
Texas
Other States.
vSTATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Pay-
ment on
church
debt,
exclud-
ing in-
terest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local re-
lief and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral
head-
quarters
All
other
purposes
United States
$4, 778
86,230
$3,796
$2, 079
_
772
43
24
95
152
45
$42
_—
$7,223
6,050
650
137
189
63
60
71
$4, 007
2,734
839
90
]9
32
167
126
North Carolina , .
3,398
344
290
201
4,910
677
97
145
20
381
2,671
651
132
21
67
249
5
Georgia .
Florida
Mississippi
Louisiana
Texas .
545
12
Other States
1 Includes: South Carolina, 2; Kentucky, 1; Alabama, 1; and Arkansas, 2.
275318—41 13
ISO
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBEESHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY CONFERENCES,
1936
o
h
eo cfi
a
VALUE OF
CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDI-
TUEEvS
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
01
1
•
,
A
CONFEKENCE
S3 %
£„„
£„,
sw
2Kn
«-s
*3
£
rQ
it
1
H
I
sa
P
fl
II
CO
£
s
3 £•
£»
Sft
o
o
3
.a
a
A
»CJ
a
rCJ
EH
£
O
4
0
^
Q
0
0
02
Total
226
19, 616
207
$468, 883
20
$18,812
226
$79, 712
200
8,317
Cape Fear
16
1,416
16
47, 000
16
4, 958
12
413
Georgia HI astern
11
271
280
6
9
9,750
9,000
2
1,140
7
11
3,624
1, 248
6
8
141
134
Mount Hosea
Northeast of North Carolina _.
51
6,174
49
115, 800
5
1,550
51
20,008
48
3,282
Northwest of North Carolina ._
67
7.8S9
67
215, 650
3
14, 300
67
29, 765
62
2,659
Southern
18
834
15
19, 200
2
267
18
4,541
16
371
Southwest
17
691
14
15, 400
1
60
17
4,497
12
404
Texas
9
470
6
6,525
9
3,171
9
238
Unassociated
30
1,591
25
30, 558
7
1, 495
30
7,902
27
675
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION '
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
For some years after the Civil War the lines between the white and colored
Free Will Baptist churches in the Southern States seem not to have been drawn
very sharply. As, however, the latter increased in number and in activity, there
arose among them a desire for a separate organization. Their ministers and
evangelists, together with others, had gathered a number of churches in North
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, and had met with such success that in
1901 they were organized as a separate denomination. While ecclesiastically
distinct, these Negro Baptists are in close relation with the white Free Will Baptist
churches of the Southern States, and trace their origin to the early Arminian
Baptist churches of the Carolinas and Virginia and the Free Baptist movement in
New England.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
In doctrine the United American Free Will Baptists (Colored) are in sub-
stantial agreement with the white churches of the same faith. In polity the local
churches are not as completely autonomous as is the case in the other Free Will
Baptist bodies. The denomination has a system of quarterly, annual, and
general conferences, with a graded authority. Thus, while the local church is
independent so far as concerns its choice of officers, its government, and the
transaction of its business, any doctrinal question which it cannot decide is
taken to the district quarterly conference or to the annual conference. The
district conference has no jurisdiction over the individual members of the local
church, but can labor with the church as a body and exclude it from fellowship.
In the same way the annual conference, sometimes called an "association,"
has authority in matters of doctrine over the district or quarterly conference;
and the general conference has similar jurisdiction over the annual conference.
The general conference has also supervision over the denominational activities
of the church, including missions, education, and Sabbath school work, and
general movements, as those for temperance, moral reform, and Sabbath
observance.
' No revision of history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this body for 1936, hence this statement
is the same as that published in Religious Bodies, vol. II, 1926. No data are available for "Work" in 1936.
GENERAL
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the General Baptists for the year 1936 is presented
in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and
rural territory.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have been
admitted to the local churches (by vote of the members) upon profession of
faith and baptism (by immersion).
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEECENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
Ch.urch.es (local organizations), number
422
30, 573
87
11, 387
17, 265
7,921
66.0
5,652
24,786
6,135
IS. 6
316
297
$555, 309
$543,762
$11, 547
$1,870
29
$26, 365
150
17
16
$31, 000
406
$103, 799
$49, 148
$9,456
$16, 302
$4,571
$10, 304
$1,303
$1,935
$903
$3,059
$6,818
$256
42
4,713
112
1,798
2,775
140
64.8
262
3,873
578
6.3
33
31
$169, 260
$168,760
$500
$5,460
11
$18, 205
13
6
6
$12, 400
39
$39, 121
$15, 352
$3,378
$7, 690
$3,692
$4,843
$627
$501
$622
$730
$1, 686
$1,003
380
31, 860
84
9,589
14, 490
7,781
66.2
5,390
20,913
5,557
20.5
283
266
$386,049
$375,002
$11,047
$1, 451
18
$8,160
137
11
10
$18,600
367
$64, 678
$33,796
$6,078
$8,612
$879
$5,461
$676
$1,434
$281
$2,329
$5, 132
$176
10.0
12.9
90.0
87.1
MfirnhfiF*? , TUTrnhpT T ^ ^ „ „„,„,„ ^ , „
Av6FBg6 membership p6r chTirofo
Membership by sex:
Male
15.8
16.1
1.8
84.2
83.9
98.2
Female
Sex not reported _
Mal^s per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
4.6
15.6
9.4
95.4
84.4
90.6
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years2
Church, edifices, number _ -
10.4
10.4
30.5
31.0
4.3
89.6
89.6
69.5
69.0
95.7
Value — nuinhfir reporting
Amount reported _-
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Defrt; — number reporting
Amount reported-- _«»__
69.0
"8.7
31,0
91.3
Number reporting "no debt"
ppTsnnagfif!, tnrmhp.r
Value — number reporting
ArnooTlt f^portftfl
40.0
9.6
37.7
31.2
35.7
47.2
80.8
47.0
48.1
25.9
68.9
23.9
24.7
60.0
90.4
62.3
68.8
64.3
52.8
19.2
53.0
51.9
74.1
31.1
76.1
75.3
Expenditures :
Churches reporting number
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries ~~
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest
All other current expenses, including
interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc...
Home missions
foreign missions . . „ , „ . ^ , ,„,--,
To general headquarters for distribution.-
All other purposes
Average excenditure t>er church
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
z Based on membership with age classification reported.
181
182
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1930
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Kural
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
aoi
2,651
17, 562
21
125
880
5
14
152
1
3
39
33
458
3,835
6
54
475
1
1
37
268
2,193
13,727
15
71
405
4
13
115
1
3
39
11.0
17.3
21.8
89.0
82.7
78.2
Officers and teachers
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools:
Oh^rnlips reporting, TW'm'hQr
Oflfifiws ayid t*w/h^rp
43.2
54.0
56 8
46.0
Scholars
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
Scholars -
24.3
75.7
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data> 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the General Baptists for the
census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churches (local organ1 zat-ions) , niTrnber ^ ,
422
465
517
518
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number -
-43
-52
__i
Percent -
-9.2
-10.1
—0.2
Members, number _ __ _ _« _ .
36, 573
31, 501
33, 466
30, 097
Increase 1 over preceding census
Number _ - -- _.
5,072
-1, 965
3,369
Percent _. -_ -
16.1
-5.9
11.2
AvfirRgft membership par rfrnrnh
87
68
65
58
Church edifices, number
316
354
390
380
Valti£ — number reportinp'
297
353
390
380
Amount reported -
$555, 309
$706, 325
$421, 837
$252, 019
Average value per church . _
$1, 870
$2, 001
$1, 082
$663
Debt — number reporting
29
18
32
28
Amount reported
$26, 365
$22, 823
$17, 362
$6, 999
Parsonages, number
17
10
6
6
Value — number reporting- , .
16
10
6
6
Amount reported -- -.
$31, 000
$35, 000
$11, 100
$8, 900
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
406
440
424
Amount reported
$103, 799
$113, 825
$64, 698
Pastors' salaries _ . _ ._
$49, 148
All other salaries _
$9, 456
Rfipfvir? $.r\(\ imprnwmpTit.s
$16, 302
$95 792
$56, 683
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest. ..
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc
$4,571
$10, 304
$1. 303
1
Home missions .. -
$1, 935
'FoTftigT) "mfgfdoms , -„„.,, -„„„ + ,,
$903
> $17, 181
$8, 015
To general headquarters for distribution
$3, 059
All other purposes. ,_
$6, 818
j
Not classified ........
$852
Average expenditure per church _ __
$256
$259
$153
Sunday schools:
Chtirohes reporting, TnjTn"h£i-
301
295
305
230
Officers and teachers
2, 651
2, 064
2,140
1,520
Scholars.
17, 562
18, 797
18, 545
11, 658
J A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
GENERAL BAPTISTS
183
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the General Bap-
tists by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and member-
ship of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural terri-
tory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives the
number and membership of the churches for the four census years 1906 to 1936,
together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and
"13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of churches and parsonages
and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936,
the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improvements,
benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any
individual church, separate presentation in table 5 is limited to those States in
which three or more churches reported value.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each association of the General
Baptist churches, the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by States
in the preceding tables, including number of churches, membership, value and
debt on church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGEAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBEE OF
CHUECHES
NUMBEE OF MEM-
BEES
MEMBEESHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
O
fl
£
"3
f-i
i
a
CS
1
1
42
Female
*,
•gs
*!
Males per 100
females l
Churches re-
porting
O
Scholars
United States.
422
64
1
139
5
42
380
36, 573
4,713
31, 860
4,188
3,103
11, 387
17, 265
7,921
66.0
301
55
45
1
94
4
61
12
20
9
2,651
17, 582
EAST NOETH CENTEAL:
Indiana _
13
9
1
6
51
49
133
5
86
18
30
6,648
3,816
166
12, 608
88
9,665
1,479
1,528
2,460
713
166
315
859
41
2,459
1,416
72
2,294
43
3,771
505
629
198
3,975
2,163
94
3,557
45
5,448
761
897
325
214
237
61.9
65.5
687
430
10
777
25
428
81
154
59
5,024
2,445
119
4,670
119
2,989
689
1,014
493
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NOKTH CENTEAL:
Missouri
12, 293
88
8,806
1,438
1,528
416
6,757
64 5
Nebraska
EAST SOUTH CENTEAL:
Kentucky
7
1
446
213
2
52
69 2
66 4
70.1
60.9
Tennessee
WEST SOUTH CENTEAL-
Arkansas
Oklahoma „
13
5
8
575
159
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4.- — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BT AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBEE OF
CHUECHES
NUMBEE OF MEMBEES
MEMBEESHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1936
1916
1906
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
port-
ed
Per
cent
un-
der
13i
United States
Indiana
422
465
517
518
73
48
36, 573
6,648
3,816
166
31, 501
6,978
4,126
83,466
30, 097
5,652
24, 786
5,602
3,276
166
5*, 451
57
7,364
912
1,467
491
6,135
662
521
18.6
64
58
1
73
60
77
62
7,497
4,410
6,671
3,621
384
19
6 4
.6
Illinois
Missouri
139
5
93
19
30
13
138
7
108
27
35
16
1
168
9
108
32
36
25
186
6
98
27
54
26
12,608
88
9,665
1,479
1,528
575
6,936
102
9,151
1,750
1,898
494
66
8,857
244
8,663
1,789
1,227
779
9,048
103
6,881
1,108
2, 035
630
5,132
8
79
7
21
2
2,025
23
2,222
560
40
82
48.5
1.1
.8
1.4
.4
Nebraska
Kentucky
Tennessee
Arkansas
Oklahoma
California
i Based on membership with age classification reported: not shown where base is less than 100.
184
CENSUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHUECH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHUECH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
422
316
297
«-
50
77
74
18
18
24
$555,309
243,650
59, 016
80,750
135,386
16, 607
11,200
8,700
29
T
4
7
5
3
2
1
826,865
7,594
1,984
4,644
8,230
1,013
1,000
1,900
16
$31,000
Indiana
64
58
139
93
19
30
19
61
52
84
79
18
18
4
12
26, 200
Illinois
Missouri
2
1
1
8
C1)
Kentucky
Tennessee
Arkansas
Other States
4,800
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," ,to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church,
a Includes: Michigan, 1; Nebraska, 1; and Oklahoma, 2.
TABLE 6. — CHDRCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs and
improve-
ments
United States.
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan..
Missouri. -
Nebraska..
Kentucky. .
Tennessee..
Arkansas...
Oklahoma..
406
$103,799
L9, 148
$9,458
64
58
1
139
5
93
19
30
13
64
57
1
131
5
91
18
30
46,611
1 15, 776
16,227
569
17, 953
3,769
265
21,399
7,332
7,988
406
8,727
1,590
1,573
133
4,746
1,470
75
1,569
472
280
5
4,503
680
166
6
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States..
Indiana. ~
Ulinois
Michigan.
Missouri- ,
Nebraska-
Kentucky....
Tennessee...
Oklahoma..
$4, 571
$10, 804
2,676
448
764
E30
332
21
6,367
1,837
1,034
52
76J5
113
136
S3, 059
$8, 818
630
74
49
124
117
80
185
85
176
679
543
4
513
78
113
2,450
1,427
1,396
32
1,138
291
57
27
i Amount for Michigan combined with figures for Illinois, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any indi-
vidual church.
GENERAL BAPTIST'S
185
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHTJECH EDI-
FICES
DEBT ON
CHTJECH EDI-
FICES
EXPENDITT7BES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches re-
porting
fl
<
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Scholars
Total
422
36, 573
297
8555,809
2,850
1,600
35, 600
7,550
4,200
10,600
4,000
154, 800
1,500
21,100
10, 600
26,400
14, 100
19,600
29
$26, 365
406
$103,799
301
17, 582
378
195
215
1,001
380
225
350
110
2,302
174
700
852
1,164
626
681
84
1,496
154
35
549
75
30
465
330
1,235
1,269
1,579
143
423
207
135
Cherokee Home (Okla.)
9
6
5
21
10
8
7
4
25
5
21
34
18
16
18
4
29
8
1
14
3
10
13
15
37
27
23
5
18
6
2
467
326
180
1,627
529
527
5,446
322
3,207
243
2,319
1,690
1,322
858
1,608
64
2,077
496
24
1,028
81
545
1,073
713
4,230
1,841
2,200
161
674
317
378
2
3
3
17
8
6
4
3
22
3
17
17
18
13
18
7
5
5
21
10
7
7
4
25
5
21
33
18
16
17
4
29
7
1
14
1
6
13
15
36
27
22
5
17
6
2
236
672
385
6,611
1,503
391
1,945
415
29, 169
387
2,761
2,569
6,386
3,464
2,578
322
5,002
186
(i)
3,111
0)
314
2,566
1,098
11, 301
6,936
11, 421
284
740
315
0)
731
6
3
4
17
6
6
6
3
22
4
13
22
17
10
12
3
26
4
1
9
2
1
9
8
25
26
14
4
12
4
2
Eastern Union (Mo.)
Fair Dealing (Mo.)
Flat Creek (Ind.)
1
2,300
Freedom (Ind., Ky.)
Free Union (Ky.)
Galilee (Mo.)
1
3,500
Green River Union (Ky.)
Liberty (111., Ind.)
4
1
1
3,814
250
100
Little Vine (Ark., Mo.)
Long Creek (Ky.)
Missouri (Ark., Mo.)
Moark (Ark., Mich., Mo.)-..
Mount Olivet (HI.)
7
1
2
3,394
200
2,030
Mount Union (Ky., Tenn.)~.
New Hope (Nebr.)
New Liberty (Ky., Mo.,
Tenn.)
27
4
1
13
29,907
2,700
(0
18, 100
4
1,413
North Liberty (Mo.)
Northwest Nebraska (Nebr.).
Ohio (III.)
2
1,585
Oklahoma (Okla.)
Old Liberty (HI., Mo.)
Portland (Ky., Tenn.)
6
7
7
32
25
13
2
2
2
2
3,000
8,700
3,000
87, 586
28,016
48,300
8
0)
0)
11,500
Post Oak Grove (Ark.)
Union (Ky.)
2
1
2
6,100
199
1,480
Union Grove (Ind., HI.)
United (Ind., Ky., Mo.)
West Liberty (Mo.)
White River (Mo., Okla.)
Wolf Bayou (Ark.)
Unassociated (Ky., Mo.)
Combinations
1 Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The General, or Arminian, Baptists trace their origin as a distinct denomina-
tion to the early part of the seventeenth century. Their first church is believed
to have been founded in Holland in 1607 or 1610 and their first church in England
in 1611. During the latter half of the seventeenth and the first half of the
eighteenth centuries many of the Baptist churches in New England held Arminian
views, and early in the eighteenth century there were also a number of General
Baptists in Virginia. These sent a request for ministerial aid to the General
Baptists of London, in answer to which Robert Nordin was sent to Virginia In
1714. Nordin is supposed after his arrival to have organized at Burleigh the
first Baptist church in Virginia, although it is possible that he found it already
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. n of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by J. P. Cox, editor and publisher of The General Baptist Messenger,
Owensville, Ind., and approved by him in its present form.
186
established. Later other Baptist churches were organized, and the movement
spread into North Carolina, where a flourishing yearly meeting was formed, and
to other colonies of the South.
As the Calvinistic Baptists, who had better educated and more aggressive
leaders, increased in numbers and strength, the majority of the Arminian Baptist
churches, both in New England and the South, became affiliated with them,
although the General Six Principle Baptists of New England and a small body of
churches in the Carolinas continued to hold the doctrines of the General Baptists,
Later the Free Baptists of New England, who held essentially the same principles,
attracted many who would otherwise have formed General Baptist churches.
The small group of General Baptist churches in the Carolinas, being reinforced
by Free Baptists from the North, in time became known as Free Will Baptists,
and included most of those holding Arminian views in that section of the country.
The historical origin of those Baptist bodies in the United States that bear
the appellation "General Baptists" at the present time is somewhat uncertain,
but it seems probable that they represent colonies sent to the Cumberland region
by the early General Baptist churches of North Carolina. The first very definite
information concerning them is that in 1823 a General Baptist church was organ-
ized in Vanderburg County, Ind., by Benoni Stinson and others. The following
year Liberty Association was organized with four churches. The movement
gradually extended to Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, and
Nebraska. More recently churches have been established in Oklahoma, Cali-
fornia, and Michigan.
Two distinct influences appeared early in these churches, one for greater
denominational emphasis, the other for union with other Baptist bodies, such as
the Free Will and the Separate Baptists. Various efforts for such union were
put forth, but without conspicuous success. One association united with the
Free Will Baptists in 1868, but withdrew in 1877. In 1881 two associations had
a conference with an association of Missionary Baptists, as they were called,
to distinguish them from Antimissionary or Primitive Baptists, but it failed to
produce results. More recently a union with a Separate Baptist association
caused some disturbance, but this also was not permanent. Notwithstanding
the hindrances attending these discussions, the denomination has made progress,
establishing churches and organizing missionary societies and Sunday schools.
In 1915 the General Association of General Baptists formed a cooperative union
with the Northern Baptist Convention.
DOCTRINE
The confession of faith of the General Baptists consists of 11 articles which,
with but two slight changes, are identical with those formulated by Benoni
Stinson in 1823. The distinctive feature of this confession is the doctrine of a
general atonement (whence the name, "General Baptist"), which is that Christ
died for all men, not merely for the elect, and that any failure of salvation rests
purely with the individual. Other clauses state that man is "fallen and de-
praved," and cannot extricate himself from this state by any ability possessed
by nature; that except in the case of infants and idiots, regeneration is necessary
for salvation, and is secured only through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ;
that while the Christian who endures to the end shall be saved, it is possible for
him to fall from grace and be lost; that rewards and punishments are eternal;
that the bodies of the just and unjust will be raised, the former to the resurrection
of life, the latter to the resurrection of damnation; that the only proper mode of
baptism is immersion, and the only proper subjects are believers; and that the
communion, or Lord's Supper, should be free to all believers. Some of the
churches practice foot washing.
ORGANIZATION
In polity the General Baptists are in accord with other Baptist bodies. The
local churches are independent, but are united in local, State, and general asso-
ciations, of advisory character, with no authority over the individual church.
No association can legally form an organic union with any other denomination
without the ratification of each individual church, and any local church wishing
to withdraw from any association may do so, while any local association may
withdraw from a State or General Association.
GENERAL BAPTISTS 187
When a church desires the ordination of one of its members, it makes recom-
mendation to a body composed of the ordained ministers and deacons of the
various local churches, corresponding closely to the councils of Congregational
churches, though sometimes called a presbytery. This body conducts an ex-
amination of the candidate and, if he is found worthy, ordains him, acting as
the representative of the church. It has, however, no authority except such
as is given to it by the local church. The vote of the local church on the recep-
tion of members must be unanimous.
In 1870 a General Association was organized to bring "into more intimate and
fraternal relation and effective cooperation various bodies of liberal Baptists."
With this most of the local associations are connected through delegates. While
this General Association is a General Baptist institution, its constitution permits
the reception of other Baptist associations whose doctrines and usages harmonize
with those of the General Baptists. The constitution states that the name can
never be changed, and that no less than three-fourths of its trustees shall be
members of General Baptist churches. It has general supervision over the
college and educational interests of the denomination, the home and foreign
mission work, publication interests, literature, etc. A denominational budget
of $6,000 is called for each year, which is divided among the denominational
enterprises.
A home mission board is maintained under the direction of the general asso-
ciation, its object being to support home mjssionaries, establish churches in new
fields, assist in building houses of worship, etc. There are 37 local associations,
and a total membership of 38,000. The various local associations also have
boards which do similar work within their own territory, and which cooperate
with the general board. The home mission board of the Liberty Association of
Indiana has a permanent fund of several thousand dollars, and has been the
means of advancing the interests of the association and of the denomination as
much perhaps as any other one agency. Largely through its efforts the present
publishing house of the denomination was established.
For many years the General Baptists cooperated with the Free Baptists in
foreign mission work, but, since this was found to be not entirely satisfactory,
a foreign missionary society was organized in 1904, under direction and control
of the General Association.
Through the foreign mission board work is now being carried on in the island
of Guam, where in 1936 there were several stations, occupied by a native mission-
ary and several native helpers. There are about 75 members. The value of
property belonging to the denomination in foreign fields is estimated at $10,000,
and there is an endowment of $3,500.
The General Baptists have one educational institution, Oakland City College,
in Indiana, which includes a theological department. It has a faculty of 15
teachers and an average attendance of about 250 students, property valued at
$100,000, and an endowment of about $250,000. The amount contributed for
the support of the school during the year was about $20,000.
The General Baptist Messenger, the church organ, was established in 1886,
and has assisted largely in building up and strengthening the denomination and
its institutions. It is now published at Poplar Bluff, Mo.
Sunday schools, women's missionary and aid societies, and Christian Endeavor
societies are maintained in many of the churches.
SEPARATE BAPTISTS
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Separate Baptists for the year 1936 is presented
in table *1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and
rural territory.
The membership of this denomination includes persons who have been admitted
to the local churches, by vote of the members, upon their acceptance of the
articles of belief and baptism by immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL !
Urban
Rural
filmrchfiR (local orsft'n1 Cations), number
69
5, 287
77
1,845
2,718
724
67.9
25
3,660
1,602
0.7
57
52
$66, 670
$60, 920
$5, 750
$1, 282
1
$400
34
59
$10, 553
$4,371
$354
$3, 820
$695
$350
$319
$40
$146
$458
$179
55
487
2,932
4
15
140
4
252
63
107
145
65
5, 035
77
1,738
2,573
724
67.5
16
3,417
1,602
Members, number
4.8
95.2
Average membership per church-
Membership by sex-
Male
5.8
5.3
94.2
94.7
100.0
Female .._
Sex not reported - _
"M"f|,1p,s par 3 QO foymftlfts
73.8
9
243
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over
6.6
93.4
100.0
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 2
3 6
3
2
$4,500
$2,000
$2,500
$2, 250
0.5
54
50
$62, 170
$58, 920
$3,250
$1,243
1
$400
33
55
$9,979
$4, 059
$342
$3, 720
$613
$350
$309
$40
$146
$400
$181
52
449
2,773
4
15
140
Church edifices, number . ._.
Value — number reporting
Amount reportlS
6.7
3 3
43 5
93.3
96.7
56.5
Constructed prior to 1936 ._
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church.- -
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Number reporting "no debt"
1
4
$574
$312
$12
$ioo
$82
Expenditures :
Ohurches reporting., nnmhAr
AtnmiTit reported
5.4
7.1
3 4
2.6
11.8
94.6
92.9
96.6
97.4
88.2
100.0
96.9
Pastors" salaries
All other salaries _ . ._. ____
Repairs and improvements
All other current expenses, including In-
tejest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions
$10
3.1
Foreign missions _. .- - -
To general headquarters for distribution
100.0
87.3
All other purposes
$58
$144
3
38
159
12.7
Average expenditure per church ._
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number _ .
Officers and teachers. „
7,8
5.4
92.2
94.6
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers _
Scholars
100.0
1 Percent not shown where base Is less than 100.
Based on membership with age classification reported.
188
SEPARATE BAPTISTS'
189
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Separate Baptists for the
census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE STTMMAKY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number _
69
65
46
73
Increase l over preceding census:
Number
1
19
—27
Percent2
Members, number „
5,287
4,803
4,254
5,180
Increase * over preceding census:
Number
184
549
—926
Percent .
10. 1
12 9
—17 9
Average membership per church.
77
74
92
71
CbiiroTK fidificfts, member
57
46
41
60
Value — number reporting ..
52
43
40
59
Amount reported , _._ _ _ -_ .._J__
$66, 670
$63, 650
$47, 565
$66, 980
Average value per church.. . ... _
$1, 2S2
$1, 480
$1. 189
$1, 135
Debt — number reporting __ . . . _
3
2
4
Amount reported-
$400
$110
$380
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting . _
1
Amount reported .
$1, 000
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
59
41
33
ATYionnt reported
$10, 553
$9,292
$9 468
Pastors' salaries
$4, 371
All other salaries
$354
$7 799
$8 005
Repairs and improvements
All other current expenses, including interest..
Local relief and charity. Red Cross, etc .
$3,820
$695
$350
TTornft rnissions r, „ ^,_ . ._„_ _,„,.,.,
$319
Foreign missions. _ .
$40
I $1, 368
$i, 463
To general headquarters for distribution..
$146
All other purposes- - .
$-158
Not classified _ .» . __
$125
Average expenditure p^r church ..
$179
$227
$287
Sunday schools :
Churches reDortin?, number
55
37
30
45
Officers and teachers
487
259
237
312
Scholars
2.932
1,782
1,711
1,962
t A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Separate
Baptists by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and mem-
bership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural
territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4
gives the number and membership of the churches for the four census years 1906
to 19?6, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of
age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of church edifices
and the amount of debt on such property for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936,
the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improvements,
benevolences, etc.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each association of the Separate
Baptists, the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by States in the
preceding tables, including number of churches, membership, value and debt on
church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
190
CEOST'SIIS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
GEOGEAPHIC DIVISION
2
§
£
a
AND STATE
T3
53 03
03 Wl
03 t-t
o
o£
^.9
»2
3
1
-a
*
1
a
cS
.Q
1
"3
ag
ll
n8-
"3
&
P
«
EH
i'
rt
^
fe
CO
^
0
O
0
CQ
United States
69
4
65
5,287
252
5,035
1,845
2,718
724
67.9
55
487
2,932
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Indiana
14
1
13
981
63
918
419
502
60
83 5
13
107
583
Illinois
6
2
4
460
157
303
187
273
68.5
4
44
145
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
39
1
38
3, 198
32
3,166
985
1,f>4£>
664
63.6
31
283
1,636
Tennessee
8
8
398
398
134
264
50.8
6
44
388
Alabama
2
2
250
250
120
130
92 3
1
9
180
TABLE 4. — NUMBEK AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
NUM
BEE OJ
? CHUR
CHES
NUM
BER 0]
f MEM
BEES
MEM!
ERSHU
? BY AG
E, 1936
STATE
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
131
United States
69
65
46
73
5,287
4,803
4,254
5,180
25
3,660
1,602
o.r
Indiana
14
18
17
24
981
1,640
1,698
2,201
17
753
211
2 2
Illinois
6
9
5
15
460
541
477
1,076
460
Kentucky
39
28
19
28
3,198
2,078
1,859
1.765
8
1,999
1,191
.4
Tennessee
8
10
5
6
398
544
220
138
398
Alabama
2
250
50
200
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
STATE
Total
number of
churches
Number of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHUBCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHUKCH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
69
57
52
866, 670
1
$400
Indiana ^^ , - -__ „ J.J^,
14
6
39
8
2
14
6
31
4
2
11
6
29
4
2
19, 600
14, 200
28,790
} 14,080
Illinois
Kentucky „
Tennessee
1
400
Alabama
1 Amount for Alabama combined with figures for Tennessee, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any
individual church.
SEPARATE BAPTISTS!
TABLE 6. — CHUECH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
191
I
EXPENDITURES
s
£
a
68
1
«j
r£
S
STATE
o
J-l
,0
1
^
S
•S
*!
il
*JS?
I
1
A m
&
M£?
o
w
00
i
§^.*»
-g'g
&
a
*13
a
§
s
-a
1
0
n
g||
d
a
1°*
i
o
0
,£3
o
<§
!T5
o
5 p<*9
g
0
c$
o
5=3
0
EH
p^
^
«
o
^
w
fr
United States
69
59
S10, 553
$4, 371
$354
$3, 820
$695
8350
$319
$40
$146
$458
Indiana _
14
14
2,952
L?55
98
962
14S
150
106
35
27
170
Illinois
6
5
1,129
579
94
340
77
10
15
14
Kentucky -
39
8
2
31
7
2
4,415
2,349
188
162
894
1,624
453
. 16
95
95
96
102
5
116
3
245
29
Tennessee
Alabama _
1 Amount for Alabama combined with figures for Tennessee, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any indi-
vidual church.
TABLE 7.— NUMBER AND MEMBEESHIP OF CHTJECHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHUECH EDIFICES, EXPENDITUEES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936
ASSOCIATION
Total number of churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHUECH EDI-
FICES
DEBT ON
CHTJRCH EDI-
FICES
EXPENDI-
TURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Scholars
Total
69
6
10
8
2
12
4
27
5,287
52
$68, 670
1
$400
59
5
10
7
13
/ 4
{ 20
$10, 553
1,129
2,486
270
3,636
466
2,566
55
=:;:== . .
4
9
6
{ii
21
2,932
145
379
388
180
549
204
1,087
A rnbrftw
460
766
398
250
1,702
215
1,496
6
9
4
2
10
2
19
14,200
15, 300
1,480
JU7,200
JUS, 490
Central Indiana
Mount Olivet
Mount Pleasant
1
400
Nolynn
North Indiana.
South Kentucky
1 Amount for Mount Pleasant combined with figures for Nolynn, to a void disclosing the statistics of any
individual church.
2 Amount for North Indiana combined with figures for South Kentucky, to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The term "Separate/' as applied to church, bodies, had its origin in what is
known as the Separatist Movement in England toward the close of the six-
teenth century and early in the seventeenth century. It indicated primarily a
withdrawing from the Anglican Church, without implying any specific doctrinal
or ecclesiastical character. Among the churches which thus withdrew were
some distinctively Baptist churches, though the first definite date appears to be
that of 1662, when a church called the "English Puritan Separate Baptist Church"
is said to have been organized. This, in common with some of the other inde-
pendent churches, was compelled to emigrate to the colonies and came to America
in 1695.
1 This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Eeport on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Eev. J", 8. Banta, of the Separate Baptists, Grab, Ky., and approved by
him in its present form.
192 CENStTS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
In the early part of the eighteenth century a somewhat similar condition ex-
isted in New England. The revival movement in which Whitefield took so
prominent a part, and which culminated in the Great Awakening, caused sharp
discussion. Those who endorsed the revival were called "New Lights,' and were
opposed bitterly on two specific points; one was the use of lay preachers, and tne
other the refusal to retain on church rolls those who were regarded by _ them as
unregenerate because they had not experienced conversion. Denominational
lines were not drawn, both the Congregational and Presbyterian churches, the
latter under the lead of the Tennents, sharing in the controversy, which resulted
in the withdrawal or "separation" of a number of churches. In all of these
"separate" churches there were Baptists, and of 31 ministers ordained as pas-
tors from 1746 to 1751, there were 5 Baptists before they were ordained and 8
became Baptists, among the latter being Isaac Backus, the famous Baptist theolo-
gian and historian. These Separate Baptist churches were distinguished from the
Regular Baptist churches by their milder Calvinism and their willingness to re-
ceive those who practiced infant baptism, even though they themselves preferred
the form of immersion. As a result the Regular Baptists refused to recognize
them and for some time there was more or less hostility between the two branches.
This, however, gradually disappeared, and in New England the two bodies
coalesced, though there was never any formal act of union.
Among the more prominent leaders of the Separate Baptists was Shubael
Stearns, a native of Boston, who was baptized and ordained m Tolland, Conn.
In 1754 he left New England and settled at Sandy Creek, now Randolph County,
N C., where he made his permanent residence. With him had come 8 families,
16 persons in all, and there the same year he organized the first Separate Bap-
tist church in the South. Before long it contained 606 members, and Darnel
Marshall, Samuel Harris, and others soon became influential coworkers with Mr.
Stearns. In 17 years the southern Separate Baptists had spread westward to
the Mississippi, southward to Georgia, and eastward to the sea, and had 125
ministers and 42 churches. Their first association, the Sandy Creek, was organ-
ized at Stearns Church in January 1758. As early as 1776 they were found in
Kentucky, and in 1785 organized the South Kentucky Association, which is still
in existence. In 1815 they crossed into Indiana Territory, established a church
on Indian Creek, and in 1830 organized the Sand Creek Association. The first
association in Illinois, the Shelby, was organized in 1845, and the Ambraw, one
of their strongest associations, was formed in 1869. At present they are found in
Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama.
In 1787 the Regular and Separate Baptists in Virginia formed a union, adopt-
ing the name "United Baptist Churches of Christ in Virginia/' In course of time
similar unions were formed in most of the other States in which the southern
branch of the Separate Baptists had organizations. A few Separate Baptist
churches, however, refused to join in this movement, and have maintained dis-
tinct organizations until the present time. Owing largely to difficulty of com-
munication, some practically kindred associations, such as the Duck River
Association and others of similar character, have not identified themselves with
the distinctive Separate Baptist body. Individual members of these associations
have expressed their willingness to be classed with the Separate Baptists, but
no official action in that direction has been taken.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
Separate Baptists reject all creeds and confessions of faith, but the various
associations publish, in the minutes of their yearly meetings, articles of belief.
These are not always worded exactly alike, but in the main are in substantial
agreement. The declaration of the General Association, which may be taken as
an illustration, emphasizes the Scriptures as the infallible Word of God, the only
safe rule of faith and practice; the existence of three divine personages in the
Godhead; and three ordinances — baptism, the Lord's Supper, and feet washing.
The immersion of believers is considered the only proper mode of baptism.
They hold that regeneration, justification, and sanctification take place through
faith in the life, death, resurrection, ascension, and intercession of Christ; that
both the just and unjust will have part in the resurrection, and that God has
appointed a day in which He will judge the world by Jesus Christ.
The strict Calvinistic doctrines of election, reprobation, and fatality have never
been accepted by the Separate Baptist churches, the special points of emphasis
in their preaching being the general atonement of Jesus Christ and the freedom of
SEPARATE BAPTISTS
salvation for all who will come to Him on the terms laid down in His Word. In
the statements of some associations the doctrines of "adoption by the Spirit of
God" and the "perseverance of the saints" are included. The Lord's Supper
is observed in the evening and is regarded, not as a church table, but the Lord's
table. Each one who partakes is expected to follow the scriptural rule, "Let a
man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup."
In polity the Separate Baptists are thoroughly congregational, recognizing the
autonomy of the local church, the purely advisory character of the association,
and the rights of the individual Christian.
WORK
In the line of home missionary work each association, independent of any other,
conducts its own work, but the amount of money expended for this object is not
reported. No provision has as yet been made for foreign missionary work.
Although the denomination has no established institution of learning, educa-
tion is firmly believed in. Sunday schools are very generally maintained through-
out the different associations and are usually prosperous.
The denominational paper, The Messenger, is published at Kokomo, Ind.
REGULAR BAPTISTS
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification, — A general
summary of the statistics for the Regular Baptists for the year 1936 is presented
in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and
rural territory.
The membership of this denomination includes those whose names are enrolled
as communicants on the local church registers, upon profession of faith and
baptism.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations) number
266
17,186
65
5,952
9,912
1,322
60 0
59
14, 691
2,436
0.4
189
173
$234, 595
$222, 220
$12, 375
$1,356
16
$3,318
121
6
3
$10, 100
186
$24, 023
$5, 709
$1, 263
$4,584
$6, 330
$3, 315
$768
$216
$935
$903
$129
54
402
3,358
4
28
322
16
1,629
102
522
829
278
63.0
45
1,140
444
3.8
12
11
$60, 500
$58, 500
$2, 000
$5, 500
2
$1,835
6
1
1
$6,000
15
$6,841
$2,507
$424
$455
$660
$1, 510
$286
$70
$558
$371
$456
8
83
870
1
19
97
250
15, 557
62
5,430
9,083
1,044
59 8
14
13, 551
1,992
0.1
177
162
$174, 095
$163,720
$10, 375
$1, 075
14
$1,483
115
5
2
$4, 100
171
$17, 182
$3, 202
$839
$4, 129
$5, 670
$1,805
$482
$146
$377
$532
$100
46
319
2,488
3
9
225
6.0
9.5
94 0
90.5
Members number
Average membership per church,-
Membership by sex:
Male
8.8
8.4
21 0
91.2
91 6
79 0
Female _ ._
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females __
Membership by age:
Under 13 years _
13 years and over
7.8
18.2
92 2
81.8
Age not reported . __ . .
Percent under 13 years 2
Church, edifices, number
6.3
6.4
25.8
26.3
16.2
93.7
93 6
74.2
73.7
83.8
Value — number reporting
Amount reported , _, _„ ...
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936_
Average value per church _
Debt—number reporting
Amount reported __ ._. .
55.3
5.0
44 7
95 0
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported.., „
59.4
8 1
28 5
43.9
33.6
9 9
10.4
45 6
37.2
32.4
59.7
41.1
40.6
91.9
71.5
56 1
66 4
90 1
89.6
54.4
62.8
67.6
40.3
58.9
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported _.
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries .
Repairs and improvements _ .
Payment on church debt, excluding inter-
est
All other current expenses, including in-
terest __. _. .
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc....
Home missions
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
20.6
25.9
79 4
74.1
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number.
Officers and teachers
Scholars
30 1
69.9
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
194
TiEOlTLAU BAPTISTS
195
Comparative data, 1916-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of the Regular Baptists for the census
years 1936, 1926, and 1916.
TABLE 2. — COMPAKATIVE SUMMARY, 1916 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
Churches (local organizations), number
266
349
401
Increase * over preceding census:
Number __
-83
-52
Percent
—23.8
— 13.0
Members, number
17, 186
23 091
21, 521
Increase * over preceding census:
Number _ _ _
-5,905
1,570
Percent . _ _ __ .
-25.6
7.3
Average membership per church-
65
66
54
Church edifices, number
189
235
192
Value — number reporting
173
233
189
Amount reported
$234, 595
$647, 550
$141, 480
Average value per church _ _, _
$1, 356
$2, 779
$749
Debt — number reporting _.. _.__
16
22
15
Amount reported _
$3, 318
$106, 619
$1, 462
Parsonages, number _ . __
6
Value — number reporting
3
8
o
Amount reported
$10, 100
$36, 325
$3, 100
Expenditures :
nhurfihfis rapnrtfng, nmribfir
186
223
143
Amount reported
$24, 023
$55, 610
$11,855
Pastors' salaries
$5. 709
All other salaries
$1, 263
Repairs and improvements.
$4, 584
I $46, 168
$10, 231
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
$6, 330
All other current expenses, including interest
$3, 315
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$768
Home missions
$216
To general headquarters for distribution
$935
> $8, 815
All other purposes
$903
Not classified
$627
Average expenditure per church..
$129
$249
$83
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
54
65
50
Officers and teachers
402
450
264
Scholars _
3,358
4,690
2,587
* A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Regular Bap-
tists by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and membership
of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory,
membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives for
selected States the number and membership of the churches for the three census
years 1916 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13
years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of churches
and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936. Table 6 pre-
sents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, im-
provements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statis-
tics of any individual church, separate presentation in table 5 is limited to those
States in which three or more churches reported the value of edifices.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each association of the Regular
Baptists, the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by States in the pre-
ceding tables, including number of churches, membership, value and debt on
church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
275318 — 11 1-1
196
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 8. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
2
IL
£
1
AND STATE
-M'rf
O CD
J&0
S
®
O 9
^"cS
S
w 2
52
3
£
Is
s
a
o
*H
•3
S
"3
1
*t
'S.S
Jl
ll
1
EH
P
&H
P
«
Isi
fe
M
^
0
O
03
United States
266
16
250
17, 186
1,629
15, 557
5,952
9,912
1,322
60.0
54
402
3,358
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
6
2
4
276
131
145
109
167
65 3
4
28
281
Indiana --.--
10
1
9
819
73
746
190
267
362
71 2
6
51
231
Illinois
1
1
44
44
17
27
1
IS
. 45
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
38
2
36
1,723
79
1,644
612
1,050
61
58.3
6
27
248
West Virginia
39
46
2
1
37
45
2,431
3,620
559
82
1,872
3,538
883
1,188
1,462
2,049
86
383
60.4
58.0
5
20
55
137
600
1,048
North Carolina
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL
Kentucky
117
6
m
7,666
553
7,113
2,732
4,504
430
60.7
10
79
805
Tennessee
1
1
12
12
2
10
Alabama
5
1
4
514
140
374
193
321
60.1
2
12
100
PACIFIC-
Washington
3
3
81
81
26
55
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBEE AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHUBCHES, 1916 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1036
1936
1936
3916
1936
1926
1916
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States
266
349
401
17, 186
23, 091
21, 521
59
14, 691
141
218
43
2,436
0.4
.7
EAST NORTH CENTRAL
Ohio
6
10
1
6
17
1
1
19
1
4
276
819
44
1,456
1,163
81
14
1,214
75
115
68
3,094
1,763
3,714
8,609
2,582
129
93
44
7
1
134
601
Indiana. - - -
Illinois
1
2,3
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri —
Kansas __-_
1
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
38
39
46
117
1
5
56
36
57
146
17
11
64
42
59
160
43
3
2
1,723
2,431
3,620
7,666
12
514
3,387
2,191
4,262
8,745
1,120
556
1,596
2,202
3,274
6,751
12
373
127
181
338
915
West Virginia
48
8
2.1
.2
North Carolina
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky _
Tennessee
Alabama
1
140
.3
Mississippi
PACIFIC:
Washington
3
2
1
1
81
130
81
Idaho
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
REGTJLAE BAPTISTS
197
TABLE 5* — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OP CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGBAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHUBCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States ..
266
189
173
$234, 595
16
S3, 318
3
S10, 100
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
6
10
38
39
46
117
10
5
6
30
18
40
82
8
5
5
29
14
40
74
«6
5,925
7,900
44,000
41, 825
52, 410
78,085
4,450
1
1,275
Indiana
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
2
1
3
9
147
250
160
1,486
1
1
0)
0)
West Virginia
North Carolina
EAST SOUTH CENTBAL:
Kentucky
1
0)
10, 100
Other States
* Amount included in figures for "Other States/' to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
2 Includes: Illinois, 1; Tennessee, 1; Alabama, 2; and Washington, 2
TABLE 0. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
I
'S
E
SPENDI1
'TJRES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total number of chu
Churches reporting
Total amount
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and im-
provements
Payment on church
debt, excluding
interest
$a
*» s
£j §
gg~!
Ill
o
3£
*1
1
S
Home missions
T=l
g
J3 w
*§!
<D «
§ O*
S
All other purposes
United States
266
188
824, 023
$5, 709
$1, 263
84, 584
$6,330
83,315
$768
S216
£935
S903
EAST NOETH CENTBAL-
Ohio
6
3
667
180
52
25
240
130
40
Indiana
10
9
Aft
Ofift
5
in
Illinois
1
1
—
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
38
26
2.567
830
26
1,054
125
171
103
25
122
Ill
West Virginia
39
23
4 811
2 138
348
206
1,229
20
41
433
396
North Carolina
46
30
2 712
603
444
663
582
160
15
19
226
EAST SOUTH CENTEAL:
Kentucky. -
117
8fi
10, 973
319
343
2,278
5,965
1,190
408
105
202
Iflf?
Tennessee
1
1
}2 Q9(%
513
10
98
32
20
148
4
Alabama
5
4
PACIFIC.
3
3
22
13
6
3
1 Amount for Illinois combined with figures for Indiana, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
2 Amount for Tennessee combined with figures for Alabama, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any in-
dividual church.
198
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHUBCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
S
JS
1
c?
1
fc
VALUE OF
CHTJKCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDI-
TURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
Total
286
ir, 186
173
$234, 595
16
$3, 318
186
$24, 023
54
3,358
Alabama:
Mount Pleasant
5
1
6
4
20
1
16
13
26
10
25
6
3
15
4
13
8
2
1
6
1
5
7
2
5
17
1
1
3
17
7
4
5
5
1
514
44
639
180
1,700
129
814
1,009
1,671
407
1,371
565
284
1,387
170
978
581
180
40
276
12
191
269
242
340
620
43
18
81
804
563
173
118
269
504
2
1
3
2
18
(l)
0)
7,000
0)
18, 350
4
1
6
3
14
605
(J)
915
253
1,146
2
1
4
2
7
100
45
161
70
610
Illinois:
Mount Tabor
Indiana:
Mount Tabor - -
Mount Pleasant-Kichland .
Kentucky
E nterprise
1
150
Green River
Indian Bottom
11
4
15
5
15
6
2
12
4
12
8
2
15, 600
1,800
11, 700
7,700
19, 400
3,535
0)
9,800
10, 010
22, 700
6,800
(0
1
560
12
8
19
7
20
6
2
9
2
8
6
2
1
3
1
4
5
1
2
13
1,334
227
891
898
5,890
587
0)
649
0)
398
312
(>)
0)
667
0)
75
1,353
0)
(')
1,001
^Mountain
New Salem
2
2
3
171
170
435
Sardis
Union
Unassociated
3
2
5
2
5
4
1
1
4
195
100
209
95
300
194
70
80
281
North Carolina-
Blue Eidge
Little River
1
1
1
10
50
100
Mitchell's River _- „
Mountain Union . „. _
"Regular Primitive ,
Union
TJnassociated _ _
Ohio:
Enterprise
5
1
5,925
0)
1
1,275
Tennessee:
Eastern _
Virginia:
Friendship
Ketocton
6
2
4
15
1
1
2
1
5
2
1
4
1
17, 600
0)
14,300
8,800
0)
(0
(0
P)
,3«,
0)
2,625
(0
45,650
4
1
1
135
20
93
Little River
Mountain Union
Union
2
147
New Salem
Indian Bottom
1
3
10
7
2
1
2
1
(0
22
101
999
0)
0
0)
0)
5,700
Washington:
IXTew S^lfim .
West Virginia:
Friendship
Indian Creek __ „
1
250
3
210
Kyova.—
Mount Zion
1
50
Sardis _ _
Broad Run_,_ _
1
340
Combinations
i Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statis-
tics of any individual]church.
REGULAR BAPTISTS 199
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
Under this head are included a number of associations of Baptists who claim
to represent the original English Baptists before the distinction between Cal-
vinistic or Particular and Arminian or General became prominent. They are
thus distinguished from the Primitive Baptists, representing the extreme of
Calvinism, and the General, Free Will, and other Baptists, inclining more to the
Arminian doctrine; but are in general sympathy with the United Baptists and
Duck River and Kindred Associations of Baptists. Some use the term "Regular"
alone, and some the term "Regular Primitive," but so far as reported all are
included under the one head of "Regular." They are to be found chiefly in
North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and the adjoining States.
The question has arisen as to the consolidation of these three groups, but as yet
no definite action has been taken.2
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
In doctrine the Regular Baptists are essentially at one with the United Baptists
and hold that God gives no command but what he holds all men responsible for
complying therewith, compliance always being by enabling grace; and by such
enabling grace man may comply with the conditions necessary to salvation; that
man as a result of sin is completely depraved, having neither will nor power to
extricate himself from his state of death in sin and his salvation is purely or
entirely by grace as a result of God's mercy and love; since Christ was offered an
infinite sacrifice for sin, on the basis of this sacrifice the gospel of God's grace is
to be preached to all men, the lost being lost because of their unbelief.
The different confessions of faith adopted by other Baptists, such as the London
Confession, the Philadelphia Confession, and the New Hampshire Confession are
not in use. Each association has its own confession and there will be found in
numerous cases some slight difference, particularly in the case of the Ketocton
and Indian Creek Associations, including churches in northern Virginia and West
Virginia, and Big Harpeth Church in Tennessee, where the doctrine is found to
be rather more Calvinistic, and more nearly in harmony with that of the Primitive
Baptist group. There is, however, such general correspondence as to permit the
classification of these associations together. They are strict in admission to the
Lord's Supper, practicing close communion, and for the most part observing the
ceremony of feet washing.
In polity the Regular Baptists are distinctly congregational. The churches
meet for fellowship in associations and frequently send messengers to other
associations, but there is no organic union between the different associations and
the lists of churches not infrequently vary from year to year.
1 This statement, which is substantially the same as tiuat published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by E. A. Williams, of the Regular Baptists, Whitestown, Ind., and approved
by him in its present form.
2 Use of the term "Regular" has varied at different times. In the report of churches for 1890 it was ap-
plied to the great body of Baptists included in the Northern, Southern, and National Conventions. That
use, however, has dropped out and at present the term seems to be limited to the churches described above.
But some organizations of Baptists in Tennessee and adjoining States, listed under the head of Duck River
and Kindred Associations of Baptists, are in fact the same kind of Baptists as the Regular Baptists and
might properly have been included as a part of this group.
UNITED
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification, — A general
summary of the statistics for the United Baptists for the year 1936 is presented
in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and
rural territory.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have been
received into the local churches upon profession of faith and baptism by im-
mersion.
TABLE 1. — STTMMABY or STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
Clmrclies (local organizations) , number
277
27, 000
97
9,419
14, 868
2,713
63.4
203
23, 688
3,209
0.9
168
161
$179, 215
$171, 975
$7, 240
$1, 113
8
$4, 173
111
4
1
$500
188
$15,448
$4, 174
$588
$3, 737
$1, 657
$1, 589
$802
$603
$426
$194
$1, 678
$82
10
864
86
313
533
18
58.7
267
26, 136
98
9,106
14, 335
" 2, 695
63 5
203
22, 887
3,046
0.9
163
156
$167, 415
$160, 175
$7, 240
$1, 073
7
$1, 526
109
4
1
$500
181
$14, 443
$3, 826
$543
$3,554
$1, 542
$1, 380
$802
$588
$401
$194
$1, 613
$80
3.6
3.2
96.4
96.8
MerofofTF, niiTnh*?!*
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male - -
3.3
3.6
.7
96.7
96.4
99.3
Female- - _
Sex not reported
Male1? per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
100.0
97.0
94.9
13 years and over
701
163
3.0
5.1
Age not reported ._ - _
Percent under 13 years 3
Ohitrclt edifices, fniTttber
5
5
$11, 800
$11,800
3.0
3.1
6 6
6.9
97.0
96.9
93.4
93.1
100.0
Value — number reporting
Amount reported —
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936_
Average value per church
$2, 360
1
$2, 647
2
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
63.4
1.8
36.6
98 2
Number reporting "no debt". . _.
Parsonages, number _.
Value — number reporting _».__ __
Amount reported
100.0
96.3
93.5
91.7
92.3
95.1
93.1
86.8
100.0
97.5
94.1
100.0
96.1
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
7
$1,005
$348
$45
$183
$115
$209
3.7
8 5
8.3
7.7
4.9
6.9
13.2
Amount reported
Pastors* salaries ..
All other salaries , ._
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest _ ~
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions
$15
$25
2.5
5.9
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes
$65
$144
3.9
Average exoen diture Der'church
' Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Based on membership with age classification reported.
200
UNITED BAPTISTS'
201
TABLE 1.- — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TBREITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEBCENT OF
TOTM, l
Urban
Rural
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number .
73
589
4,929
5
47
294
4
15
158
1
13
67
4
34
303
69
555
4,626
5
47
294
3
10
133
1
13
67
Officers and teachers -
5.8
6.1
94.2
93.9
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers _.
Scholars
100.0
Weekday religious schools:
Churches reporting, number .
1
5
25
Officers and teachers
Scholars . _
15.8
84.2
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number ______
Officers and teachers.. _ __,
Scholars..
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of the United Baptists for the census
years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
19O6
Churches (local organizations), number
277
221
254
190
Increase l over preceding census;
Number „ ._.
56
-33
64
Percent
25.3
—13.0
33.7
Members, number _ __ __
27, 000
18, 903
22, 097
13, 698
Increase { over preceding census.
Number _
8,097
-3, 194
8,399
Percent _ _
42 8
—14.5
61.3
Average insrnberstiip psr church
97
86
87
72
Church edifices, number
168
142
82
77
Vain A — nnrnber rftpArtirif
161
139
82
75
Amount reported
$179, 215
$144, 665
$52, 147
$36, 715
Average value per church _
$1, 113
$1, 041
$636
$490
Debt — number reporting
8
10
o
2
Amount reported
$4, 173
$1, 610
$20
$115
Parsonages, number
4
Value—number reporting
1
Amount reported
$500
Expenditures :
Churches reporting number
188
147
69
Amount reported
$15, 448
$15, 094
$4,837
Pastors' salaries
$4,174
All other salaries
$588
Repairs and improvements
$3,737
I $11, 103
$3,647
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest-—
Local relief and charity Red Cross, etc
$1, 657
$1, 589
$802
TTome rnissfoTis
$603
Foreign missions
$426
I $1, 862
$1, 190
To goneral headquarters for distribution
$194
All other purposes
$1, 678
Not classified
$2,129
\verase expenditure per church
$82
$103
$70
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting number - - —
73
39
16
21
Officers and teachers. «.
589
239
92
168
Scholars
4,929
2,005
701
1,360
* A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
202
CENSUS
RELIGIOUS BODIES, 10,'JG
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the United Baptists
by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and membership
of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory,
membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives the
number and membership of the churches for the four census years 1906 to 1936,
together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and
"13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of church edifices and the
amount of debt on such property for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church
expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences,
etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church,
separate presentation in table 6 is limited to those States in which three or more
churches reported expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions, — Table 7 presents, for each association of the United
Baptists, the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by States in the
preceding tables, including number of churches, membership, value and debt on
church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
<b
n
w be
o p
««
AND STATE
n-j
P<«2«
C3 °
"3
§
"3
•a
a
f,
0
£
03
l§
^S^
M 0
||
1
n
•2
3
3
<D ^
M1^ ^
& 1-i
ti-w
B
0
£
fc
CQ
A
0
O
CO
United States
277
10
267
27, 000
864
26, 136
9,419
14, 868
2,713
63.4
73
589
4,929
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
^~"~
•Ohio
11
11
891
891
376
515
73.0
5
41
205
Wisconsin
9
45
45
20
25
WEST NORTH CENTRAL-
Missouri
14
i
13
1,225
43
1,182
397
627
201
63.3
4
a?
157
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
0
0
95
95
53
42
West Virginia
5
5,299
35Q
4,940
1,858
3,148
293
59.0
13
107
1,233
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Kentucky
134
4fi
4
130
14, 759
4,651
462
14,297
4,651
5,176
1,539
7,896
2,615
1,687
497
65.6
58.9
23
2R
205
204
1,755
1,579
Tennessee
PACIFIC:
Washington
1
1
35
35
35
1 Eatio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
UNITED BAPTISTS
203
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1S36
1936
277
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
131
United States
221
254
190
27, 000
18, 903
22, 097
13. 698
203
23, 588
3,209
0.9
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
11
?,
12
1
17
891
45
1,225
663
73
1,381
5
513
45
1,082
373
1.0
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
14
21
21
28
1
1,581
1,334
1,267
11
143
Nebraska
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia,- _
9,
95
5,299
14, 759
4,651
95
4,071
13, 476
4,271
West Virginia
67
134
46
48
119
IS
40
192
32
79
3,744
11, 557
1,302
3,565
17, 125
2,226
7,167
111
47
40
1,117
1,236
340
2.7
.3
.9
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
33
1,646
PACIFIC:
Washington _
1
3
35
56
35
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION*AND
STATE
Total
number of
churches
Number of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
277
168
161
10
$179, 215
9,200
8
$4, 173
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
11
2
14
2
67
134
46
1
10
2
500
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
12
1
32
79
34
12
1
30
75
33
9,750
} i 53,410
87,490
19, 365
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
1
5
2,647
1,026
West Virginia
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
PACIFIC:
Washington
i Amount for Virginia combined with figures for West Virginia, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any
individual church.
204 CENSUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
provements
United States
277
188
7
12
47
88
31
13
$15, 448
84, 174
271
615
874
1,696
718
$588
24
$3, 737
.', :.!„,"-"" ::,:
161
152
877
1,815
707
25
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
11
14
67
134
46
5
676
938
3,853
6,982
2,967
32
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri _
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
West Virginia _.
165
261
138
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL*
Kentucky _.
Tennessee
Other States
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief and
charity
Home
mission1'
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
$1, 657
SI, 589
94
60
381
796
253
5
$802
$803
S426
$194
$1, 678
E\ST NORTH CENTRAL.
Ohio
82
30
1,260
245
40
4
4
30
128
28
40
23
144
662
807
2
WEST NORTH CENTRAL*
Missouri
20
117
644
121
34
5
419
145
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
West Virginia
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
416
10
Tennessee -- --
Other States
* Includes- Wisconsin, 1, and Virginia, 2.
UNITED BAPTISTS
205
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHUKCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHUKCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITUEES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches re-
porting
J
Churches re-
porting
a
o
a
<!
Churches re-
porting
d
&
o
S
•<
Churches re-
porting
o
1
Total
277
27, 000
1,109
2,937
1,329
967
576
116
1,461
239
944
162
14
1,150
256
1,609
278
589
50
3,868
387
88
1,610
100
4,294
2,867
161
$179, 215
8
$4, 173
188
815,448
78
4,929
Bethel
11
34
15
9
6
3
8
3
14
2
1
12
4
19
4
8
2
28
3
1
16
2
38
34
9
39
7
9
5
3
7
1
6
1
8,250
40, 960
3,550
3,965
4,500
1,500
14, 000
C1)
3,800
10
27
9
7
5
2
8
1
9
1
919
2,951
276
100
514
0)
1,753
C1)
3
8
137
856
Bethlehem No. 1 __ __ _
1
2,647
Bethlehem No. 2 __
Blaine Union
Center Point
6
1
6
253
20
425
Central Missouri
Cumberland River
Iron Hill No. 1
Iron Hill No. 2
2
650
Laurel River
Little River
Mountain Association
2
4
6
4
2
0)
5,700
3,650
2,700
C1)
9
2
11
3
5
S97
580
895
179
7
4
2
1
2
750
404
46
30
90
Mount Zion
New Liberty
New Zion
Olive
Paint River
21
1
1
13
21,300
0)
(*)
8,865
5
876
19
2
971
0)
South Concord
South Fork
1
7
35
315
Stockton Valley
14
2
23
19
1,093
2,090
511
969
Unassociated
'Western Union
25
15
12, 750
35, 725
8,000
25
1,568
Zion
n oin b i n flLti^Ti s
i Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations/' to avoid disclosing the statistics of
any individual church.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
With the immigration of Baptists from the New England and Middle States
into Virginia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Kentucky, and the more intimate
fellowship that grew up in those isolated communities, the distinction between the
different Baptist bodies, Calvinistic or Particular, and Arminian or General,
became in many cases less marked, and a tendency toward union was apparent.
In Virginia and the Carolinas, particularly, and also in Kentucky, during the
latter part of the eighteenth and early part of the nineteenth centuries, a con-
siderable number of the Separate Baptists and those who were known as "Regu-
lar Baptists, }) claiming to represent the original English Baptists before the dis-
tinction between Particular and General became prominent, combined under the
name of "United Baptists." The Separate Baptists emphasized less strongly
the Arminian characteristics of their belief, while the Regular Baptists were
more ready to allow special customs, particularly foot washing, wherever they
were desired. This movement, which took definite form in Richmond, Va., in
1794 and in Kentucky in 1804, for a time gained strength and the associations
kept their identity; but gradually, as they came into closer relations with the
larger Baptist bodies of the North and South, many United Baptist churches
ceased to be distinct and became enrolled with other Baptist bodies.
iThis statement, which is the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious Bodies, 1926,
has been approved in its present form by Elder Aaron Stepp, moderator of the Zion Association, UnHed
Baptists, Inez, Ky.
206 CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Of late years there has developed considerable fellowship with associations still
using the name "Regular/' and with those listed in the census report as the
"Duck River and Kindred Associations of Baptists," and there has been talk of
a consolidation of these different associations. As yet no definite steps to this
end have been taken.
The name " United Baptist'7 still appears on the minutes of many associations
whose churches are enrolled with the Baptists of the Northern Convention or
the Southern Convention, chiefly with the latter, but there are some which retain
their distinctive position. In many cases, even where they are not on the rolls
of the Southern Baptist Convention, they are still in intimate relations with its
churches, attend the same meetings, and are identified with them in many ways.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
In doctrine the United Baptists hold that salvation is all of grace and in no
sense of works; yet that it is conditional upon performance of the requirements
of the Gospel which, they claim, is to be preached to all men; and, as all men
are commanded to repent, it necessarily follows that all men are given ability
to repent, being led to repentance by the goodness of God, or, on the other hand,
being led to rebellion and resistance by the devices of Satan; but that, in either
case, it is as the individual inclines the ear and heart, or yields himself to obey.
They observe the ceremony of foot washing, and are strict in their practice of
close communion. In polity they are strictly congregational.
DUCK RIVER AND KINDRED ASSOCIATIONS OF
BAPTISTS (BAPTIST CHURCH OF CHRIST)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Duck River and Kindred Associations of Baptists
(Baptist Church of Christ) for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows
also the distribution of these figures between urban and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination includes those who have been enrolled
in the local churches upon regeneration and baptism. Baptism is by immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND EURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTALS
Urban
Ruril
Clmrclies (local organizations), number
91
7,951
87
2,843
4, 347
761
65 4
31
7,377
543
0.4
74
68
$49, 615
$47, 115
$2, 500
$730
1
$1,000
50
58
$5, 333
$2. 389
$372
$1, 436
$75
$246
$382
$140
$7
$286
$92
20
141
992
4
402
101
159
243
87
7,549
87
2,684
4,104
761
65.4
17
6,989
543
0.2
70
65
$46, 815
$44, 315
$2, 500
$720
1
$1,000
Members, number
5.1
94 y
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
5.6
5 6
94.4
94.4
100 0
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females . .
65.4
14
388
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over
5 3
94 7
100 0
Age not reported
Percent tinder 13 years 2
3.5
4
3
$2, 800
$2, ROO
Glmrcli edifices, number.
Value — number reporting _ _
Amount reported
5,6
5.9
94 4
94.1
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church..
$933
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
100 0
Number reporting "no debt"
2
3
$528
$286
$117
$25
48
55
$4, 805
$2, 103
$255
$1,411
$75
$246
$332
$90
$7
$286
m~
17
111
839
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
9.9
12.0
31.5
1.7
90 1
88.0
68.5
9S 3
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding inter-
est
All other current expenses, including
interest
100. 0
86.9
64.3
Local relief and chanty, Red Cross, etc...
Horrie missions - _-
$50
$50
13 1
35.7
To general headquarters for distribution . ,
All other purposes
100.0
Average expenditure per church
$176
3
30
153
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers _ .
21.3
15.4
78.7
84 6
Scholars-
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100,
2 Based on membership with ago classification reported.
207
208
CENSUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIEiS, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Duck River and Kindred
Associations of Baptists for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPAKATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churclies (local organizations), number
91
98
105
92
Increase J over preceding census.
Number ... .
-7
-7
13
Percent 2 j>
-8.7
Members, number
7,951
7,340
6,872
6,416
Increase over preceding census.
Number
611
468
456
Percent-. _
8.3
6 8
7.1
A.vpr^,£Q •m<arn"bp'f<?hfp pp.r r»hprfih
37
75
65
70
Church edifices, number
74
76
51
86
Value — number reporting
68
75
49
86
Amount reported _
$49, 615
$51, 175
$40, 600
$44, 321
Average value per church _ . .
$730
$682
$829
$515
Debt — number reporting
1
2
3
Amount reported
$1,000
$195
$107
Expenditures :
Churches reporting number
58
46
67
Amount reported.. __ . .
$5, 333
$5, 362
$2, 518
Pastors* salaries .
$2, 389
All other salaries.
$372
Repairs and improvements
$1, 436
$3, S45
$1, 206
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest ...
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$75
$246
$382
"FTorno rmssinns
$140
Foreign missions,
$867
$1, 312
To general headquarters for distribution
$7
Ail other purposes
$286
Not classified
$650
Average expenditure per church
$92
$117
$38
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number, .
20
14
8
9
Officers and teachers
141
78
48
37
Scholars .. .
992
795
399
402
i A minus sign f— ) denotes decrease.
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Duck River
and Kindred Associations of Baptists by States. Table 3 gives for each State
for 1936 the number and membership of the churches classified according to their
location in urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for
Sunday schools. Table 4 gives the number and membership of the churches
for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936
classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5
shows the value of church edifices and the amount of debt on such property for
1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each association of the Duck
River Baptists, the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by States in
the preceding tables, including number of churches, membership, value and debt
on church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
DUCK RIVE® AND KINDRED' ASSOCIATIONS
209
TABLE 8. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OP
CHURCHES
NUMBER OS1 MEM-
BERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
S-i
§
g
PJ 03
AND STATE
'o
1-4 O
gfl
a>
cs
O "£
ft ""
JlS
S
3
o
a
,2
1
1
1
1
•i
fl o
'^"<~l
§S
s a
^^
"o
-g
P
p
PH
§
fe
CQ
§
0
O
ra
United States
91
4
W
7,951
402
7 549
2,843
4,347
761
65 4
20
141
992
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Georgia
1
1
170
170
70
100
70.0
1
13
25
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee
52
1
51
4,576
12
4 564
1 587
2 613
376
60.7
15
98
689
Alabama
31
9
9Q
2,844
220
2 624
1 001
1,458
385
68 7
4
30
278
Mississippi _.
7
7
361
361
185
176
105 1
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
STATE
NUMBER OP
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1936
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13 i
United States
91
98
105
92
7,951
7,340
6,872
8,418
31
7,377
543
0 4
Georgia
1
52
31
7
1
58
31
8
170
4,576
2,844
361
29
4,490
2,453
368
6
15
9
1
164
4,105
2,748
360
3 5
.4
.?>
.3
Tennessee
67
33
5
56
28
8
4,589
2,034
249
4,099
1,947
370
456
87
Alabama.. __
Mississippi
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OP CHUBCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
Total
number
Number
VALUE 01
EDII
7 CHURCH
ICES
DEBT ON
EDIF
CHURCH
ICES
STATE
of
churches
edifices
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
91
74
68
$49, 615
1
$1,000
Georgia
1
1
Tennessee . _
52
40
40
32, 965
Alabama
31
26
23
13, 950
Mississippi _
7
7
5
2,700
1
1,000
210 CKJSttUS1 OK R.KLIUIOUS BODIEH, ]{»:-; 6
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITUEES BY STATES, 1936
1
EXPENDITURES
3
o
bfl
fl
"3 «
o5 Q
rt
•2
M
STATE
number of
dies reportil
1
rs* salaries
1
1
urs and i
movements
aent on chui
)t, excludi
erest
TD
4-3 3
11
3 ^^s
c3
If
e missions
general he
quarters
her purpose
cs
S
3
In
o
ft
&*"d
Ja ^"d
a
a
o
Q
o
%
CD
o
o
o
O
PL,
<{
PH
PH
0
w
<!
United States __.
91
58
So, 333
82,339
$372
81,436
$75
S21C
S382
$140
$7
S286
Georgia -
1
52
]i37
3,757
2,287
347
756
133
60
65
4
105
Tennessee __
Alabama -
31
17
1,349
25
25
680
75
38
302
70
3
131
]VI ississipp i
7
4
227
77
75
20
5
50
1 Amount for Georgia combined with figures for Tennessee, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any indi-
vidual church.
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ASSOCIATIONS,
1936
ASSOCIATION
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches re-
porting
Amount
j Churches re-
_ porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Scholars
- Total
91
7,951
68
S49, 615
81,000
58
$5, 333
20
992
D uck River
21
6
6
7
27
10
1
10
2,508
261
255
420
2,817
826
70
794
22
1
4
6
19
9
1
6
23, 140
} i 3, 500
2,200
12, 950
} 24,275
3,550
18
<S
15
8
6
2,326
30
292
109
1,651
538
387
4
1
200
49
East Union
1
1,000
Ebenezer _.
Liberty
Mount Pleasant
6
/ 5
1 5
368
215
20
140
Mount Zion,__
New Liberty _
Union
i Amount for East Union Association combined with figures for Ebenezer Association, to avoid disclosing
the statistics of any individual church.
* Amount for Mount Zion Association combined with figures for New Liberty Association, to avoid dis-
closing the statistics 01 any individual church.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION '
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
Baptist principles quite early gained a strong foothold in the mountainous
sections of Tennessee, many of the early settlers being Baptists from the older
States, led by Elder George Foster from Kentucky, and others. Five churches
were organized in 1807, and these came together in 1808 and organized the Elk
River Association, one of the oldest associations in middle Tennessee.
This association was strongly Calvinistic in doctrine. There grew up an ele-
ment within it, however, which was more liberal in its belief in the atonement and
the plan of salvation. As this element increased, the opposite party became even
stricter in its theology and practice. These differences became so great that in
1 This statement, which is the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious Bodies, 1926, has
been approved in its present form by S F. Shelton, clerk, Duck River and Kindred Associations of Baptists,
Christiana, Tenn.
DUCK RIVER AND KINDRED1 ASSOCIATIONS 211
1825 the liberal minority withdrew from the association and organized the Duck
River Association. On account of this division, they were for a, time called the
"Separate Baptists," although they did not actually identify themselves with that
body. With the increase in churches, other associations have been organized,
principally in Tennessee and Alabama, which have regular affiliation with each
other.
Later discussion arose as to the legitimacy of missionary operations as then
conducted, missionary contributions being compulsory on the part of the churches;
there came another division, some withdrawing and identifying themselves with
the churches which became known as the Missionary Baptists, but leaving the
others still more closely bound together.
DOCTRINE
In doctrine, the Duck River and its kindred associations are Calvinistic,
though liberal, believing that "Christ tasted death for every man" and made it
possible for God to have mercy upon all who come unto Him on Gospel terms.
They believe that sinners are justified by faith; that the saints will "persevere
in grace," and that baptism of believers by immersion, the Lord's Supper, and the
washing of the saints7 feet are Gospel institutions and should be observed until
the second coming of Christ. While acknowledging the similarity of their doctrinal
position to that of the Separate Baptists, they have not as yet seen their way
clear to form a union with them, although an increasing sentiment appears to
exist among the churches in favor of such union. Similar discussion has arisen
with regard to the United and Regular Baptists, but no action has been taken.
ORGANIZATION
In polity they are in accord with other Baptists, believing that no one member
has a ruling voice over another. All business is transacted by a majority vote,
no one person being given any ecclesiastical power over a church or churches.
Admission to the church is by examination and vote of the church, and ordina-
tion to the ministry is by two or more ordained ministers, the candidate being ex-
pected to demonstrate his consciousness of a divine call to preach the gospel. The
minister has no right to demand a sta'ted salary s but the local church is expected
to give liberally, "that they which preach the gospel [may] live of the gospel."
The association meetings are purely for purposes of fellowship, and communi-
cation with kindred bodies is by messenger or letter. The only form of discipline
is withdrawal of fellowship, on evidence of difference of views or of conduct
unbecoming a member of the church.
WORK
While not represented by any distinctive missionary societies or benevolent
organizations, this body is not to be classed with antimissionary churches. Since
it occupies mountainous sections chiefly and represents the less wealthy com-
munities, the missionary spirit finds expression in local evangelistic work. As
it comes in contact more and more with other churches its sense of fellowship has
broadened, and with this has been apparent a desire to share in the wider work of
the general church.
275318—41 15
PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS
STATISTICS
Summary for tlie United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Primitive Baptists for the year 1936 is pre-
sented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have
been enrolled in the local churches upon profession of faith and baptism by
immersion.
TABLE I. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations) , number
1,726
69, 157
40
23,490
41, 795
3,872
56.2
220
60, 132
8, 805
0.4
1,426
1,365
$2, 180, 047
$2,116,855
§63, 192
$1, 597
47
$13, 649
1,011
20
14
$31,800
1,054
$157, 530
$69, 517
$5, 319
$38,000
$9, 382
$18, 971
$6, 034
$915
$1,489
$7, 903
$149
41
312
2,631
224
10, 892
49
3,755
6,509
628
57.7
47
9,757
1,088
0.5
186
182
$599, 122
$586, 000
$1?, 122
$3, 292
23
$4, 193
129
5
5
$11, 000
159
$49, 597
$19, 691
$2, 006
$9,435
$6, 823
$7,977
$1, 639
$233
$274
$1, 519
$312
11
130
897
1,502
58, 265
39
19, 735
35, 286
3,244
55.9
173
50,375
7,717
03
1,240
1,183
$1, 580, 925
$1, 530, 855
$50, 070
$1, 336
24
$9,456
882
15
9
$20,800
895
$107, 933
$49, 826
$3, 313
$28,565
$2, 559
$10, 994
$4, 395
$682
$1, 215
$6, 384
$121
30
182
1,734
13.0
15.7
87.0
84 3
Members, number. _ _
Avp,rj?.£rfl mprnhpr^hip P<*T clviroh
Membership by sex:
Male
16.0
15.6
16.2
84.0
84.4
83.8
J* emale
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
21.4
16.2
12 4
78 6
83.8
87 6
13 yesrs and over
A?e not reported
Percent under 13 years2
Church edifices, number
13.0
13.3
27.5
27.7
20.8
87.0
86.7
72.5
72.3
79.2
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936. _
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936_
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting .
Amount reported -_ . _
30.7
12.8
69.3
87.2
Number reporting "no debt"_
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting _,
Amount reported _
34.6
15.1
31.5
2S.3
37,7
24.8
72.7
42 0
27.2
25.5
18.4
19.2
65.4
84.9
68.5
71.7
62.3
75.2
27.3
58.0
72.8
74.5
81. 6
80.8
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number ._
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest- _. - -_
All other current expenses, including
interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc. .
Uome missions
To general headquarters for distribution. _
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
41.7
34.1
58.3
65.9
Scholars
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
212
PEIMITIVE BAPTISTS
213
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of the Primitive Baptists for the census
years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
1,726
2,267
2 142
2,878
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number
—541
125
—736
Percent... _ _
—23.9
5.8
—25.6
Members, number . . ._
69, 157
81, 374
80, 311
102,311
Increase1 over preceding census:
Number _
—12,217
1,063
—22, 000
Percent _ _ __ ._ _ _
—15 0
1.3
—21 5
Average membership per church __
40
36
37
36
Church, edifices, number
1,426
1,057
1, 097
2,003
Value — nnTnber reporting
1,365
1 037
1 580
1,953
Amount reported
$2, 180 047
$1, 730 348
$1, 601, 807
$1, 674, 810
Average value per church
$1, 597
$1 669
$1 014
$858
Debt — number reporting
47
67
45
68
Amount reported
$13, 649
$25, 734
$12, 053
$16, 207
Parsonages, number
20
Value — number reporting
14
6
7
16
Amount reported
$31, 800
$13, 313
$14, 900
$38, 295
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
1,054
776
964
ATTiQiTnt rfiportp.rj
$157, 530
$166 847
$96, 270
Pastors' salaries
$69, 517
All other salaries
$5, 319
Repairs and improvements
$38, 000
[ $140,678
$92, 329
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest...
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$9, 382
$18,971
$6, 034
Home missions
$915
To general headquarters for distribution
$1,489
> $16, 945
$3, 941
All other purposes
$7, 903
Not classified
$9, 224
Average expenditure per church
$149
$215
$100
Sunday schools:
fhnrchfif? reporting} Twrnbp-r
41
5
Officers and "teachers
312
25
Scholars
2,631
181
1 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Primitive Bap-
tists by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and member-
ship of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory,
membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives for
selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four census years
1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years
of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of church edi-
fices and the amount of debt on such property for 1936. Table 6 presents, for
1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improve-
ments, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics
of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to
those States in which three or more churches reported value and expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each association of the Primitive
Baptists, the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by States in the
preceding tables, including number of churches, membership, value of church
edifices, and expenditures.
214
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 19
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGEAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEM-
BERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
"3
1
1
P
2
3
"os
1
1
1
(§
o
"e3
%
C3
"3
S
o
f=H
2
§1
g^
CO
Males per 100
females i
Churches re-
porting
*o
|S
S
•3
2,631
United States
1,726
224
1,502
69, 157
10, 892
58, 265
11
23,490
41, 795
3,872
56.2
41
312
NEW ENGLAND:
IVTaine
2
1
12
2
9
38
62
39
2
6
1
1
3
1
1
7
S
4
1
1
37
26
8
29
Miassachusetts
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
9
1
8
31
54
35
1
6
54
4
1
131
34
98
852
2,972
1,478
25
208
2,561
147
54
6
18
180
543
210
9
77
28
80
672
2,429
1,268
16
208
2,140
147
36
106
24
11
25
276
1,007
524
12
74
934
56
1
18
42
107
23
73
576
1,800
954
13
134
1,627
91
6
31
113
22.4
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTEAL:
Ohio
47.9
55.9
54.9
1
10
69
Indiana
165
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTEAL:
Iowa
55.2
Missouri
62
4
8
421
57.4
—
....
Nebraska
TRTaTifWis
1
SOUTH ATLANTIC-
Delaware
4
10
1
202
45
211
11
304
67
79
131
165
64
54
n
32
89
1
1
3
1
13
5
24
1
50
11
6
19
22
5
4
1
6
16
3
7
~~I§9
40
187
10
254
56
73
112
143
59
50
10
26
73
1
3
1
49
155
70
9,270
1,259
6,965
289
12, 913
2,756
3,204
7,394
6,515
2, 550
1,745
359
1,371
3,637
29
59
15
13
49
70
723
140
795
25
2,637
458
389
1,668
1,072
238
157
9
265
694
......
Maryland
37.2
District of Columbia. _
Virginia..
70
8,547
1,119
6,170
264
10, 276
2,298
2,815
5,726
5,443
2,312
1,588
350
1, 106
2,943
29
39
15
2,744
447
2,096
106
4,232
949
1,258
2,635
2,458
948
643
136
453
1,333
11
25
4
5,738
782
4,689
183
7,700
1,447
1,772
4,297
3,837
1,602
982
223
768
2,132
18
34
11
788
30
180
47.8
57 2
44.7
57.9
55.0
65.6
71.0
61.3
64.1
59.2
65.5
61 0
12
69
713
West Virginia
North. Carolina
South Carolina
2
3
22
24
152
140
Georgia
981
360
174
462
220
Florida...
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
14
4
1
1
115
28
4
11
1,059
220
30
103
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
120
Louisiana
Oklahoma .. __
150
172
59.0
62.5
Texas
3
29
145
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho .
Colorado
4
1
1
PACIFIC:
California
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS
215
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
(Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1936
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
131
United States
1,726
2,267
2,142
2,878
69, 157
37
131
34
98
852
2,972
1,478
208
2,561
147
7
49
155
9,270
1,259
6,965
289
12,913
2,756
3,204
7,394
6,515
2,550
1,745
359
1,371
3,637
81,374
80, 311
102,311
220
60, 132
8,805
0.4
NEW ENGLAND.
Maine
2
12
2
9
38
62
39
6
62
4
1
4
10
202
45
211
11
304
67
79
131
165
64
54
11
32
89
4
4
15
3
8
50
74
62
11
71
5
5
6
13
214
52
295
18
401
73
114
158
201
101
91
18
41
154
4
23
46
95
53
10
59
6
2
9
198
14
279
11
420
60
55
208
242
101
97
12
27
88
2
20
4
20
57
147
118
25
114
5
12
7
12
232
58
272
16
439
60
159
244
303
115
108
38
28
236
53
211
89
116
1,204
3,962
2,300
388
2,858
170
126
70
223
9,745
1,343
9,963
490
15, 317
2,224
4,365
7,007
6,483
3,485
1,979
546
1,390
5,087
57
385
68
435
225
397
1,588
8,132
5,163
657
4,040
118
207
227
251
9, 642
2,019
10,207
606
16, 157
1,781
5,442
10, 204
9,772
3,416
2,591
781
587
7,095
37
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
131
New Jersey
34
Pennsylvania
115
1,308
5,432
2,621
344
2,636
158
98
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
9
805
2,943
1,409
208
38
29
56
1.1
Indiana
Illinois
13
.9
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
Missouri
23
1
2,501
146
7
37
.9
.7
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
61
201
9,314
673
10,481
430
15, 871
49
Maryland-
155
Virginia
coco
7,641
1,173
5,197
249
10,859
2,492
3,199
6,689
5,451
2,548
1,548
359
1,616
83
1,768
39
1,987
256
.2
.3
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina..
1
67
8
5
14
9
2
10
.4
.6
.3
,2
.2
.2
.1
.6
Georgia
Florida
1,898
2,250
8,925
7,652
3,401
2,247
398
662
2,543
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
691
1,055
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
187
Louisiana
Oklahoma
6
36
1,007
3,011
59
358
590
.6
1.2
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Washington
5
2
6
8
10
9
106
31
111
193
157
153
Oregon
Other States
>6
9
142
180
127
15
i Based on membership with age classification reported.
1 Includes 2 churches in Michigan; and 1 m each of the following-— Massachusetts, Idaho, California,
and the District of Columbia.
216 GENSfUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHUECH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total
n!umber of
churches
Number
of church
edifices
VALUE OS1 CHUECH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHUECH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
1,726
1,426
1,365
$2, 180, 047
47
$13, 849
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
12
9
38
62
39
6
62
4
4
10
202
45
211
11
304
67
79
131
165
64
54
11
32
89
15
10
8
36
58
36
6
55
3
5
8
152
36
184
11
270
56
53
103
135
56
39
9
20
67
10
10
8
35
56
34
5
52
3
4
7
145
35
180
9
259
55
49
99
129
54
33
9
20
66
19
24, 300
17,000
71,050
109, 512
66, 300
7,100
99, 295
6,900
22,500
42, 000
243,900
53, 525
357, 425
6,350
438, 190
79, 800
44, 960
137, 890
126, 992
43, 600
23, 558
5,100
28,000
61, 700
63,100
Pennsylvania
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
1
1
1
1
275
100
100
400
Illinois
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa .
Missouri
Nebraska
SOUTH ATLANTIC.
Delaware
Maryland
Virginia
3
1
5
1
11
4
2
4
2
360
254
1,392
446
4,495
1,235
295
2,720
114
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky.
Tennessee
Alabama , ,. __ „__
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
1
160
Louisiana
Oklahoma
2
7
312
991
Texas
Other States
i Includes 2 churches each in the States of Maine and New Jersey; and 1 in each of the following— Massa-
chusetts, Kansas, Idaho, Colorado, and the District of Columbia.
PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS
217
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Eepairs
and im-
provements
United States. .
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
Pennsylvania. __.
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio™
Indiana __
Illinois
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
Missouri.
Nebraska
1,726
12
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland.. 10
Virginia 202
West Virginia 45
North Carolina 211
South Carolina. 11
Georgia 304
Florida 67
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky 79
Tennessee 131
Alabama 165
Mississippi 04
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas... 54
Louisiana 11
Oklahoma 32
Texas
Other States 19
1,054
8157, 530
$69, 517
4
117
28
126
8
209
43
30
6
16
51
U3
3,046
798
4,092
5,942
3,653
813
6,052
338
11, 341
2,525
14, 42S
1,633
49, 894
3,693
3,133
10, 467
9,412
5,377
3,981
558
1,708
7,399
1,835
629
1,796
3,251
2,101
301
2,762
600
2,262
340
3,270
661
26, 257
1,452
341
5,369
4,595
2,226
2,087
383
618
3,545
2,836
$5,319
30
84
169
18
443
158
30
74
74
493
423
165
567
2
31
175
802
$38, 000
48
858
20
1,078
110
210
5,047
890
6,080
139
9,828
602
1,403
3,042
1,777
900
124
215
1,052
802
* Includes 2 churches in each of the following States^-New Jersey, Delaware, and Colorado; and 1 in
each of the following*— Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Kansas, Idaho, California, and the District of
Columbia.
218 CEisrsncrs1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 0. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
EXPENDITURES "-continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
chanty
Home
missions
To gen-
eral
head-
quarters
Allother
purposes
United States..
$9, 382
818,971
93
31
618
633
187
162
1,901
88
$6, 034
S915
SI, 489
$7, 903
29
60
229
208
230
330
77
140
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York-
100
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL.
Ohio
8
665
15
20
12
137
39
12
Indiana
Illinois
WEST NORTH CENTRAL
Iowa
Missouri
65
Nebraska
SOUTH ATLANTIC
Maryland
Virginia
320
710
1,365
248
4, 335
600
1,765
416
1,465
160
3,591
278
1,567
1,649
312
439
76
301
26
735
65
2,804
244
105
244
214
455
280
20
55
236
115
465
16
179
738
58
1,151
108
1,619
236
111
638
667
272
36
29
347
598
West Virginia.
16
25
222
302
155
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
296
52
73
130
52
5
33
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Kentucky
Tennessee -_ -
500
37
41
70
38
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL
Arkansas
10
Louisiana . . _ _. _
Oklahoma
100
419
342
1,339
1,859
Texas
35
5
Other States
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES, AND EXPENDITURES, BY ASSOCIATIONS, 1936
ASSOCIATION
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of mem-
bers
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Total
1,726
69, 157
1,365
$2, 180, 047
1,054
$157, 530
Alabama:
Antioch
14
11
2
6
8
10
12
1
14
1
3
9
7
3
5
550
463
21
99
242
423
316
31
280
10
136
260
142
140
330
8
10
2
4
6
10
12
1
4
1
3
9
7
1
5
3,300
9,050
<U
14, 572
12, 850
18,500
(lm
(*)
2,200
6,650
5,600
0)
3.800
5
7
2
2
6
5
140
1,793
W
0)
934
412
Beulah
Buttahatctae
Cane Creek
Conecuh River
Choctawhatchee
Ebenezer
Elk Rivfir (nf TermRSSflft)
1
2
8
Fellowship
Five Mile Creek
Flint River
2
5
3
1
4
0)
383
305
WB.W
Hillabee.
Hopewell __ - .
Little Vine
"fftywpr WntTimpVft
See footnote at end of table.
PK.IMITIVE BAPTISTS'
219
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBEESHIP OP CHUKCHES, VALTTE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES, AND EXPENDITURES, BY ASSOCIATIONS, 1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total
number
of
churche
Number
of mem-
bers
VALUE OF CHITECH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITUBES
Churche
reportin
Amount
Churche
reportin
Amount
Alabama— Continued.
Mount Zion ___
22
952
266
21
92
25
23
199
280
10
28
654
457
43
67
288
93
3U
260
103
137
325
269
224
15
11
48
21
28
70
166
12
1,018
64
67
39
288
1,000
445
448
847
168
259
9
390
964
251
187
200
559
252
242
805
19
$14,000
0)
8
09
12
3
1
$925
203
G)
0)
Mud Creek
New Hope
Patsaliga .
Pilgrims Rest „
1
Primitive Western Union (of
Georgia) _
1
2
2
1
1
5
2
2
2
8
0)
8
0)
(9
1,368
8
eu
Sand Mountain
3
6
1
1
7
4
5
3
9
4
2
9
4
3
14
2
5
1
1
3
2
2
1
4
1
21
1
3
2
9
24
14
13
13
3
6
1
11
22
11
4
5
14
7
4
19
4
1
2,000
3,950
09
Second Creek
Sucarnoochee
Tombigbee (of Mississippi)
Wetumpka
7
3
2
1
5
3
2
6
3
3
8
2
1
7,600
«t"°
0)
4,950
1,200
09
4,000
1,300
1,700
8,940
(9
C1)
Willis Creek
"Unassociated
Arkansas:
Little Zion
Mountain Springs
New Hope _
North Ouachita ._
1
5
4
2
8
1
(9
354
104
0so5
(9
Point Bemove
Rich Mountain, .
Salem
South Arkansas
South Ouachita- . .
Sugar Creek
California:
Union (of Oklahoma)
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
13
«
(9
(9
C9
(9
09
(9
(9
1,492
Colorado:
West Texas (of Texas)
Unassociated
1
2
2
1
3
1
18
1
2
2
8
19
7
8
9
2
5
09
0)
09
(9
1,900
0)
37,300
09
09
(I)
7,150
21,800
4,800
6,500
15, 700
(9
9,050
Delaware:
Delaware.- _
Salisbury (of Maryland)
District of Columbia:
Ketocton (of Virginia) . ,
Florida^
Antioch .
nhnntaw^atnhAA (nf Alftfuvma)
TVfniiTlt TCnnn
"Patsaliga (of Alabama)
Pilgrims Rest
1
1
6
17
4
3
10
2
6
(9
W337
1,034
378
35
3,478
(9
1,487
St. Mary's River
San Pedro
Suwannee
Georgia:
Alahabee River No. 1
Alahabee River No. 2
Bethel
Blue Ridge
Brushy Creek Union
Conecuh River (of Alabama)
Ebenezer
10
19
11
4
5
12
5
3
17
9,600
37,200
8,330
8,600
13,500
28,700
5,000
2,300
35,200
10
19
10
4
3
4
3
1
17
1,221
5,710
369
2,345
1,413
465
680
(9
2,983
F/checonnee - ..,- -„„
Euharlee
Fellowship
Friendship. .
Flint River
Harmony
Little River
Lott's Creek
See footnote at end of table.
220
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES, AND EXPENDITURES, BY ASSOCIATIONS, 1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of mem-
bers
VALTTE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
EXPENDITUEES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Georgia— Continued.
Lower Canoochee
Marietta
New Hope
Ochlochee
Ocmulgee _
Oconee
Original Upper Canoochee
Primitive Baptist Union
Primitive Western
Primitive Western Union
Pulaski
Providence
Salem
St. Mary's River (of Florida) .
Towaliga _
UpatoL
Upper Canoochee
Yellow River
Unassociated
Idaho:
Skillet Fork (of Illinois)
Illinois:
Central...
Concord
Kaskaskia _
Little Wabash
Muddy River _
Salem
Skillet Fork... _
Wabash
Unassociated
Indiana:
Blue River
Conn's Creek _ _
Danville
Little Zion
Mount Salem..
Mississnewa _ _
Patoka
Salem
White River..
White Water..
Unassociated..
Iowa:
Missouri Valley-
Western
Unassoeiated
Kansas:
Turkey Creek..
Kentucky:
Burning Spring
Eastern District (of Virginia) .
Greenfield
Highland
Mates Creek... _
New Liberty
North District
Powells Valley
Red Bird
Rock Springs _
Soldier Creek _
Spencer _
St. Clairs Bottom (of North Caro-
lina) _
858
51
685
161
593
402
70
295
215
65
35
467
1,216
405
184
107
59
204
244
72
271
104
348
599
169
17
30
111
53
740
362
459
205
227
120
62
26
567
264
399
75
240
30
224
320
200
391
103
110
13
$56, 600
0)
3,050
22, 300
4,200
12, 900
14, 700
22, 610
22, 650
0)
8,600
11, 100
13, 950
(0
32, 300
11,400
7,050
0)
(0
11, 900
6,900
2,800
11,000
7,500
14, 550
9,600
7,750
0)
10, 250
0)
20, 900
15, 500
5,512
18, 400
19, 600
0)
3,900
C1)
8,500
0)
o
C)
4,150
11, 900
2,200
3,450
2,100
0)
0)
$7, 096
565
660
4,611
320
804
708
4,120
828
1,498
(0
0)
1,430
(0
3,944
1,122
1,223
646
600
241
967
0)
774
0)
983
773
937
773
772
661
0
247
46
1,200
0)
265
141
110
55
0)
0)
0)
See footnote at end of table
PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS'
221
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBEKSHIP OF CHTJECHES, VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES, AND EXPENDITURES, BY ASSOCIATIONS, 1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of mem-
bers
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
Churches
eporting
Amount
Churches
eporting
Amount
Kentucky — Continued.
Union
4
2
2
5
3
1
2
2
2
4
2
1
2
6
11
1
1
9
7
6
2
9
1
4
5
2
2
4
9
3
3
3
4
4
11
7
4
7
1
4
2
6
4
2
7
18
16
1
10
95
173
62
189
90
18
37
26
45
66
18
3
25
314
387
2
16
370
190
155
34
482
35
143
335
87
64
47
525
93
104
98
149
54
433
541
109
245
99
147
34
57
55
19
137
423
770
30
356
2
1
1
4
3
1
2
2
2
2
1
1
C1)
0)
C1)
$3,250
1,000
0)
(1)
8
0)
0)
0)
3
1
3
$23
(0
CO
471
Unassociated
Louisiana:
Bythnia
Louisiana _
South Ouachita
Unassociated
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
5
4
0)
0)
0)
(0
(0
0)
(*)
(I)
383
905
Maine:
Unassociated - . ._
Maryland:
Baltimore _..
Ketocton. _
Salisbury . _ .. . .
Unassociated
Massachusetts:
Unassociated
Michigan:
Mount Pftlem
Mississippi:
Amite - -_
6
8
1
6,600
6,300
(0
Bethany _ -
"RnttaJiatctii6 Cof Alabama)
Fellowship
1
7
5
4
(i)
1,285
508
273
Good Hope _
8
7
6
6,750
4,950
2,900
Hopewell
Little Black
Little Vine (of Alabama)
N"ew TTope
8
1
3
5
1
2
4
9
1
I
2
4
3
9
6
4
6
1
3
2
5
3
2
7
15
13
6,350
0)
2,000
4,950
(')
(0
4,750
21,700
0)
0)
16,500
6,500
7,395
18, 000
9,000
6,800
0)
6,900
<i)
11,200
10,000
0)
11,200
12,700
72,500
6
925
Primitive
Regular Baptist
3
4
1
2
2
8
2
1
2
3
2
6
6
2
5
1
4
2
4
3
310
436
(')
(i)
(13
1,504
0)
w
(%7
CO
480
890
C1)
726
C1)
338
Cl)
746
2,300
TnmHg^ft^
Unassociated - - -
Missouri:
Center Creek
Cuivre-Siloam
Fishing River
Harmony
Little Piney
M!ount Zion
Nodaway -- _,--.
Original Mount Zion
Ozark -
Salem - •
Two Rivers
Yellow Creek
Unassociated -
Nebraska:
Missouri Valley
New Jersey:
Delaware River
New York:
Lexinsrton-Roxbury
Warwick
Unassociated ---
North Carolina:
Abbotts Creek
2
11
11
(0
1,064
2,627
Bear Creek
Black Creek--*
Carolina
Contentnea -
6
12,600
5
456
See footnote at end of table ;
222
GEN'S'TJS' OF UELIG-IOXJS BODIES, 193 ti
TABLE 7.- — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES, AND EXPENDITURES, BY ASSOCIATIONS, 1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of mem-
bers
VALUE OF CKUECH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Amount
North Carolina— Continued.
Fishers River __.
Kehukee
Little River
Lower County Line
Mayo
Mill Branch
Mountain District
Reorganized Silver Creek
Roaring River
Salem .__
Senter _
Seven Mile.
Upper County Line _
Upper Mayo
White Oak____ _._
Zion__
Unassociated
Ohio-
Miami
Muskmgum
Owl Creek _
Sandusky __
Scioto
Tates Creek
Union
Unassociated
Oklahoma:
Center Creek
First Primitive (of Oklahoma).
Panhandle and Oklahoma
Salem
Turkey Creek
Union
Washita_
Western
Unassociated
Pennsylvania*
Delaware River
Juniata__
Unassociated-
South Carolina:
Eastern District (of Tennessee) -
Mill Branch
Prince William.. .._.
Tennessee:
Big Sandy
Buffalo River
Collins River
Cumberland
Eastern District.
Elk River.
Flint River (of Alabama).
Fountain Creek
Friendship (of Georgia) ...
Greenfield..
Hiawassee
Little River
Mississippi River.
Obion
Powells Valley
Predestinarian
Regular Baptist _,
Round Lick _
See footnote at end of table.
551
393
152
75
134
240
346
392
513
53
370
41
180
26
191
157
112
74
71
176
422
169
130
50
72
119
146
36
140
69
192
210
91
1,476
297
31
25
73
421
1,158
7
176
240
685
162
16
372
$11,300
42, 425
20, 700
47,450
2,900
3,400
9,300
G)
3,500
11, 200
5,800
7,300
26, 700
4,000
18, 050
0)
29, 800
19, 550
0)
11, 000
23, 000
C1)
0)
(9
0)
7,900
(0
0)
0)
0)
0)
(0
7,500
0)
2,450
0)
5,300
1,990
CO
12, 500
.6,200
10, 600
9,900
(')
7,000
2,800
18, 500
3,050
"~7,"466'
849
1,305
1,164
490
(0
321
0)
1,322
548
1,637
0)
1,038
0)
311
P)
1,003
0)
237
655
C1)
0)
(0
(0
0)
(0
593
275
(0
446
1,362
(0
0)
0)
2,607
""""497
(0
1,414
(1)
PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS'
223
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES, AND EXPENDITURES, BY ASSOCIATIONS, 1936 — Continued
ASSOCIATION
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of mem-
bers
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Tennessee— Continued.
Second Creek
3
2
1
5
14
6
I
11
1
2
3
8
4
1
2
3
4
4
1
6
3
2
11
5
3
1
4
7
2
7
26
10
1
8
1
6
9
34
1
3
18
4
2
12
8
5
9
3
19
6
10
7
18
2
3
3
5
1
5
1
126
106
14
306
612
498
36
617
30
103
91
269
143
6
24
211
205
182
33
344
155
33
357
106
119
36
213
293
31
424
1,920
477
13
269
6
143
423
1,773
40
46
697
199
95
479
207
272
290
140
815
228
218
165
673
43
33
45
187
28
63
22
3
2
1
5
8
5
1
5
1
2
3
6
3
1
1
3
1
3
1
5
3
1
8
4
2
1
4
5
2
5
13
10
1
6
1
4
9
25
1
1
12
3
1
10
5
4
9
2
15
3
4
5
15
2
2
1
4
1
5
$1, 300
(0
0)
4,600
11, 350
24,200
C1)
6,500
(0
(0
3,300
3,400
3,500
0
0)
2,500
(0
2,600
W
4,550
8,000
(0
5,750
1,850
(')
(')
3,500
4,700
0)
33, 200
14,700
24, 300
G)
19, 150
0)
4,300
18,800
40,350
G)
(')
20,900
8,500
0)
11,550
3,600
3,450
4,350
21, 300
3,850
6,300
10,700
19, 125
(i)
(')
CO
5,000
0)
9,100
2
2
(0
(0
Sequachie Valley
Stony Creek
Tennessee and Nolachucky . _
3
8
5
1
5
$59
650
1,220
(0
959
West Tennessee .
Unassociated___ . _
Texas:
Bythnia (of Louisiana)
Duffau
East Providence
Enon _ -
2
2
7
1
(')
(0
795
0)
Friendship
Little Flock and Bosque River
Little Hope .
Mount Zion
Neches River_ _ _
2
3
3
3
(0
475
325
322
CVfnl TTarmoTiy
Panhandle and Oklahoma (of
Oklahoma)
Pilot Grove
Predestf n arian (of Tennessee) ,.
Primitive Baptist -
4
1
505
(0
Ral$Tn
Southeast Texas
Southwest Texas
5
2
893
0)
Sulphur Fork _
Unity
Wasketa
1
4
4
1
3
17
S
1
6
(')
521
700
0)
399
876
1,620
0)
898
West Providence _.
West Texas
TJnassociated _
Virginia:
Dan River ..
Eastern District
Ebenezer - - -
Kehuckee
Ketocton - --
Lower County Line
IVIayo
3
2
22
1
38
0)
911
0)
Mountain
New River No. 1
New River No 2
Piedmont
Pigg River
11
3
1
8
4
5
4
1
7
3
6
6
8
2
1
2
4
1
4
4,052
46
0)
433
272
160
96
0)
784
58
400
418
607
8
0)
932
0)
89
St Glair's Bottom
Senter (of North Carolina)
Smith's River
Staunton River
Stony Creek
Three Forks (of Powell River)
Union
Washington - -- - -
Zion
Unassociated - --
West Virginia:
Elkhorn -
Indian Creek
Juniata
Ketocton
Mates Creek
New Liberty
Pocatalico
Tygerts Valley - -
Unassociated
284,748
25,830
.
* Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
224 OENSfU'S1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
With the development of organized church life shown in the formation of be-
nevolent and particularly of missionary societies, of Sunday schools and similar
organizations, during the early part of the nineteenth century, there developed
also considerable opposition to such new ideas. The more independent church
associations were based on the principle that the Scriptures are the sole and
sufficient authority for everything connected with the religious life. The posi-
tion taken was, in brief, that there were no missionary societies in the apostles
days, and therefore there should be none today. Apart from this, however,
there seemed to many to be inherent in these societies a centralization of author-
ity which was not at all in accord with the spirit of the gospel. Sunday schools
also were considered unauthorized of God, as was everything connected with
church life that was not included in the clearly presented statement of the New
Testament writers. These views appeared particularly in some of the Baptist
bodies, and occasioned what became known as the "antimission movement.
Apparently the first definite announcement of this position was made by the
Kehukee Baptist Association of North Carolina, formed in 1765, at its meeting
with the Kehukee Church in Halifax County in 1827, although similar views
were expressed by a Georgia association in 1826. The Kehukee Association
unanimously condemned all "modern, money-based, so-called benevolent socie-
ties " as contrary to the teaching and practice of Christ and His apostles, and,
furthermore, announced that it could no longer fellowship with churches which
indorsed such societies. In 1832 a similar course was adopted by the Country
Line Association, at its session with Deep Creek Church in Alamance (then
Orange) County, N. C., and by a "Convention of the Middle States" at Black
Rock Church, Baltimore County, Md. Other Baptist associations in the North,
South, East, and West, during the next 10 years, took similar action. In 1835
the Chemung Association, including churches in New York and Pennsylvania,
adopted a resolution declaring that as a number of associations with which it
had been in correspondence had "departed from the simplicity of the doctrine
and practice of the gospel of Christ, * * * uniting themselves with the
world and what are falsely called benevolent societies founded upon a money
basis," and preaching a gospel "differing from the gospel of Christ, it would
not continue in fellowship with them, and urged all Baptists who could not
approve the new ideas to come out and be separate from those holding them.
The various Primitive Baptist associations have never organized as a denom-
ination and have no State conventions or general bodies of any kind. For the
purpose of self-interpretation, each association adopted the custom of printing
in its annual minutes a statement of its articles of faith, constitution, and rules of
order. This presentation was examined carefully by every other f association,
and, if it was approved, fellowship was accorded by sending to its meetings
messengers or letters reporting on the general state of the churches. Any asso-
ciation that did not meet with approval was simply dropped from fellowship.
The result was that, while there are certain links binding the different associa-
tions together, they are easily broken, and the lack of any central body or even
of any uniform statement of belief, serves to prevent united action. Another
factor in the situation has been the difficulty of intercommunication in many
parts of the South. As groups of associations developed in North and South
Carolina and Georgia, they drew together, as did those in western Tennessee,
northern Mississippi and Alabama, and Missouri, while those in Texas had little
intercourse with any of the others. Occasional fraternal visits were made through
all of these sections, and a quasi union or fellowship was kept up, but this has
not been sufficient to secure what might be called denominational individuality
or growth. This is apparent in the variety of names, some friendly and some
derisive, which have been applied to them, such as "Primitive," "Old School,
"Regular," "Antimission," and "Hard Shell." In general, the term "Primitive"
lias been the one most widely used and accepted.
DOCTRINE
In matters of doctrine the Primitive Baptists are strongly Calvinistic. Some
of their minutes have 11 articles of faith, some less, some more. They declare
that by Adam's fall or transgression all his posterity became sinners in the sight
i This statement, which Is the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Eeligious Bodies, 1926,
has heen approved in its present form by Elder O. H. Cayce, of the Primitive Baptists, Thornton, Ark.
PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS' 225
of God; that the corruption of human nature is total; that man cannot, by his
own free will and ability, reinstate himself in the favor of God; that God elected
or chose His people in Christ before the foundation of the world; that sinners
are justified only by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them; that the saints
will all be preserved and will persevere in grace unto heavenly glory, and that
not one of them will be finally lost; that baptism and the Lord's Supper are
ordinances of the gospel in the church to the end of time; that the institutions
of the day (church societies) are the inventions of men, and are not to be fel-
lowshiped; that Christ will come a second time, in person or bodily presence to
the world, and will raise all the dead, judge the human race, send the wicked to
everlasting punishment, and welcome the righteous to everlasting happiness.
They also hold uncompromisingly to the full verbal inspiration of the Old and
New Testament Scriptures.
Some Primitive Baptists maintain, as formulated in the London Baptist Con-
fession of Faith of 1689, that God eternally decreed or predestinated all things, yet
in such a manner that He does not compel anyone to sin, and that He does not
approve or fellowship sin. The great majority of them, however, maintain that,
while God foreknew all things, and while He foreordained to suffer, or not prevent
sin, His active and efficient predestination is limited to the eternal salvation of
all His people, and everything necessary thereunto; and all Primitive Baptists
believe that every sane human being is accountable for all his thoughts, words,
and actions.
Immersion of believers is the only form of baptism which they acknowledge,
and they insist that this is a prerequisite to the Lord's Supper. They hold that
no minister has any right to administer the ordinances unless he has been called
of God, come under the laying on of hands by a presbytery, and. is in fellowship
with the church of which ~he is a member; and that he has no right to permit
any clergyman who has not these qualifications to assist in the administering of
these ordinances. In some sections the Primitive Baptists believe that washing
the saints' feet should be practiced in the church, usually in connection with the
ordinance of the Lord's Supper. Of late years a group of churches in Georgia
have used organs in public worship, but most of the churches are earnestly
opposed to the use of instrumental music of any kind in church, services. Sunday
schools and secret societies are unauthorized. These are claimed not to be in
accordance with the teachings of the Bible.
ORGANIZATION
In polity the Primitive Baptists are congregational in that they believe that
each church should govern itself according to the laws of Christ as found in the
New Testament, and that no minister, association, or convention has any author-
ity. They believe that if, in the view of its sister churches, a church departs in
doctrine or order from the New Testament standard, it should be labored with,
and if it cannot be reclaimed, fellowship should be withdrawn from it. Admission
to the church takes place after careful examination by the pastor and church
officers, and by vote of the church. Ministers are ordained by the laying on of
the hands of pastors and elders called by the church of which the candidate is a
member. No theological training is required. The gifts of the candidate are
first tested by association with pastors in evangelistic work, and he is then
recommended for ordination. There is no opposition to education, the position
being that the Lord is able to call an educated man to preach His gospel when
it is His will to do so, and that it is the duty of the minister to study, and especially
to study the Scriptures, but they hold that lack of literary attainments does not
prevent one whom the Lord has called from being able to preach the gospel.
WORK
Notwithstanding the strong opposition to missionary societies, the Primitive
Baptists are by no means opposed to evangelistic effort, and preachers, both
regular pastors and others who are in a position to do so, travel much and preach
the gospel without charge, going where they feel that the Spirit of God leads
them, and where the way is opened in His providence. The members and friends
whom they freely serve, freely contribute to their support. Although opposed
to Sunday schools, they believe in giving their children religious training and
instruction.
COLORED PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS
STATISTICS
Summary for the "United States, with, urban -rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Colored Primitive Baptists for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have been
enrolled in the local churches upon profession of faith and baptism by immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OP STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN UEBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Clmrclies (local organizations) t number
1,009
43, 897
44
13, 318
29,919
660
44 5
1,644
39, 591
2,662
4.0
889
876
$1,643,804
$1, 544, 076
$99, 728
$1,876
98
$68, 285
625
48
44
$76,966
935
$207, 352
$108, 539
$15,003
$18, 906
$13,482
$21, 051
$7, 619
$2, 803
$457
$9, 665
$9, 827
$222
353
**y
5,226
12, 888
300
40.5
600
17, 146
668
3.4
298
291
$969, 210
$914, 826
$54, 384
$3, 331
52
$49, 754
194
35
34
$73,750
334
$117, 835
$60, 261
$8, 987
$8, 170
$9,373
$14f 120
$4,542
$1, 523
$198
$5,342
$5, 319
$353
656
25, 483
39
8,092
17, 031
3fiO
47,5
1,044
22, 445
1,994
4.4
591
585
$674, 594
$629, 250
$45, 344
$1, 153
46
$18, 531
431
13
10
$3,216
601
$89, 517
$48,278
$6, 016
$10, 736
$4,109
$6, 931
$3,077
$1,280
$259
$4,323
$4,508
$149
35.0
41.9
65 0
58.1
members, number _ ...
AvfTHgft "mATTibftrshlp p^r cTiurch
Membership by sex:
Male
39.2
43.1
45.5
60.8
56.9
54.5
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females, . ._ _.. _ ..
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
36 5
43 3
25 1
63.5
56.7
74.9
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 2 , .
Clmrch edifices, number
33.5
33 2
59.0
59.2
54.5
66 5
66.8
41 0
40 8
45 5
Value — number reporting _._
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936-
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting __
Amount reported
72.9
31 0
27.1
69.0
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting.,.. ^ „„„ . __ ~
Amount reported
95.8
35.7
56.8
55 5
59.9
43.2
69.5
67.1
59.6
54.3
43.3
55.3
54.1
4.2
64.3
43.2
44.5
40.1
56.8
30.5
32.9
40.4
45 7
56.7
44.7
45.9
Expenditures :
Churches r^port-i'Tig, number
Amount reported ______
Pastors* salaries
All other salaries -_ — - ._ - . .
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest.
Local relief and charity, Eed Cross, etc___
Home missions __ .
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution. _
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church __
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
226
COLORED PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS
227
TABLE 3. — SUMMARY OP STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEECENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
422
2,760
13, 572
13
56
460
6
29
201
1
8
32
177
1,238
6,488
8
40
335
2
8
20
245
1,522
7,084
5
16
125
4
21
181
1
8
32
41.9
44.9
47.8
58.1
55.1
52 2
Officers and teachers
Scholars . „
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers..
Scholars
72 8
27 2
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number _
Officers and teachers.
Scholars
10 0
90.0
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of the Colored Primitive Baptists for
the cjens<us years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE STJMMABY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
1,009
925
336
787
Increase : over preceding census:
"Miimhpr
84
589
—451
Percent . . -
9.1
175 3
— 57.3
MemfapTS, Timber
43, 897
43, 978
15, 144
35, 076
Increase l over preceding census:
Miimhw
81
28, 834
—19, 932
Percent
—0 2
190.4
-56.8
Av^r^ge TTi6rnbfiT*'^iip pp-r nhxirch
44
48
45
45
Glmrch edifices, number
889
91
236
501
Value — number reporting
876
87
164
501
Amount rftprtrtod
$1, 643, 804
$171, 518
$154, 690
$296, 539
Average value per church
$1, 876
$1, 971
$943
$592
Debt — number reporting
98
15
46
34
Amount reported
$68,285
$9, 793
$8,507
$6, 968
Parsonages, number
48
VahiQ — -number reporting
44
12
21
Amount reported _
$76, 966
$13, 940
$10,095
Expenditures :
Churches reporting nuTnb$T"
935
111
170
A mount reported
$207, 352
$39, 419
$22, 881
Pastors' salaries
$108, 539
All other salaries
$15, 003
Tlepairs and iTnprovfiTr?eTi^s
$18, 906
[• $28, 874
$20,000
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest-
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$13, 482
$21, 051
$7, 619
JTom.e missions
$2,803
Foreign missions
$457
\ $12, 052
$2,881
To general headquarters for distribution
$9, 665
All other purposes
$9, 827
Not classified
$493
Average expenditure per church
$222
$355
$135
Sunday schools ;
C hurches reporting, number
422
24
87
166
Officers and teachers
2,760
179
406
911
Scholars
13, 572
2,278
3,201
6,224
A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
275318 — 41 16
228
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1930
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Colored Primi-
tive Baptists by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural
territory, membership classified by sex> and data for Sunday schools. Table 4
gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four
census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as
"under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the
value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices
for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing
the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables
5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NTJMBEB AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHTJKCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TEEEITOBY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
I
1
6
?
&
*3
"o
EH
a
1
P
g
3
•3
S
r2
5
<o
»-.
!t
o
CQ
§„
&!
1
44.5
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
g
•i
-E3
o
03
United States
NEW ENGLAND:
ConnBcticut
1,009
853
656
43, 897
18,414
34
126
157
765
269
53
188
110
113
30
16
70
12
1,762
T<J66
6,043
458
2,710
2,091
94
148
10
66
1,429
25,483
13, SIS
29, 919
660
422
2,780
13, 572
I
3
6
19
12
2
1
3
6
18
12
2
34
126
157
798
298
53
188
110
144
71
15
10
1,336
62
3,649
115
4, 385
9,870
474
4*649
12, 079
674
491
175
258
3,676
9
46
58
343
100
25
80
99
455
198
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1
4
12
5
4
IS
89
27
70
77
405
82
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
1
1
33
29
"""53
75.4
50.5
EAiT NOKTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indians
Illinois
8
8
39
30
15
18
9
3
412
22
952
52
1,116
2,967
140
1,266
3,994
221
156
44
91
1,215
114
80
28
53
6
7
905
40
2,613
63
3,239
6,903
303
3,164
7,997
453
335
131
167
2,461
35
34.2
2
10
42
Jvtichi£C9.n
3
WESTNORTH CENTRAL-
Missouri
5
7
I
^ 3
4
2
3
1
31
41
15
101
1
1
11
8
65
18
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
IMCaryland.
District of Columbia
Virginia
1
72
4
119
2
1
4
1
38
68
3
81
2
118
82
1
67
138
24
17
4
7
36
1,266
50
1,887
115
2,719
3,827
16
1,939
9,988
580
343
165
192
2,247
19
45.5
7
53
278
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
84
36 4
18
2
18
139
4
35
116
6
2
.
46
145
10
98
859
28
240
780
26
10
__
328
774
55
482
4,382
111
1,343
3,779
133
57
56
1,363
Georgia. __
172
150
9
121
169
29
25
5
9
54
54
68
8
54
31
5
8
1
2
18
30
31
219
88
34.5
43.0
46.2
40 0
49.9
48 8
48.6
33.6
54.5
49.4
Florida .._
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky _
Tennessee
Alabama.
Mississippi „
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma ...
Texas
i Ratio not shown where number of females la less than 100
COLORED PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS 229
TABLE
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
NUMBER AND MEMBEBSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1036
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der 13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13 1
United States
1,009
925
336
787
43, 897
126
43,978
15, 144
35, 078
1,644
39, 591
2,662
4 0
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
3
45
81
157
35.7
New Jersey
6
157
Pennsylvania
19
13
8
8
7
5
2
798
298
188
368
126
104
, 45
3
1
749
297
170
109
144
46
.4
.3
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Illinois
18
Michigan
3
110
1
.9
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri _ -
5
144
Kansas
7
72
4
119
172
150
9
121
169
29
25
5
9
54
27
10
30
5
102
199
126
14
85
188
37
25
19
3
61
6
71
1,336
62
3,649
4,385
9,870
474
4,649
12, 079
674
491
175
258
3,676
227
114
436
119
2,626
9,251
7,086
559
2,485
15, 177
1,443
1,441
994
44
1,590
119
71
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
31
"~~32
106
32
10
21
38
13
31
9
.....
64
3
62
146
128
5
93
186
27
19
4
5
43
930
i«
10
1,135
62
191
.9
West Virginia
North Carolina
1,000
2,924
3,510
318
811
3,416
184
519
138
2,215
4,531
5,350
228
3,268
14,829
554
840
201
100
1,280
53
85
515
1
72
656
22
10
5
8
146
11
3,228
3,699
9,201
473
4,452
10, 878
564
469
140
165
3,131
216
368
601
154
1.6
2.2
5.3
.2
1.6
5.7
3.8
2.1
3.4
4.6
4.5
4.8
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
125
545
88
12
30
85
399
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
1,290
Other States
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
* Includes: Connecticut, 1; Indiana, 2; Maryland, 1; District of Columbia, I; and South Carolina, 2.
230
GEN'SOJS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OP CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT or CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 01 more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHUECH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
1,009
889
876
$1,643,804
98
$68, 285
4,480
14,800
5,000
1,000
1,100
44
$76, 966
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New Jersey
6
19
13
8
5
7
72
4
119
172
150
9
121
169
29
25
5
9
54
13
4
11
6
5
3
3
64
4
105
165
144
8
101
154
27
21
4
8
44
8
4
9
5
5
3
3
62
3
103
164
144
8
100
153
27
21
4
8
43
27
14,800
78, 350
9,027
8,500
11,700
1,800
55,994
7,400
113, 617
157, 271
497,300
10, 200
213,281
338, 605
23,854
13, 145
5,800
7,100
65,824
10, 236
4
3
2
1
2
1
4
0)
15, 500
Pennsylvania __.
EAST NORTH CENTRAL*
Ohio
Illinois— - -
1
1
1
0)
0)
C1)
WEST NORTH CENTRAL-
Missouri
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
5
614
West Virginia
North Carolina
7
7
18
2
11
20
3
2
2,598
2,425
10, 464
1,400
5,390
11, 994
174
725
4
1,700
Georgia
Florida
25
46,850
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky , _
Tennessee
Alabama
5
4,564
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTEAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas —
11
6,121
1
1
C1)
8,352
Other States
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
2 Includes: Connecticut, 1; Indiana, 2; Michigan, 1; Maryland, 1; and South Carolina, 2.
COLORED PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS
231
TABLE 6. — CHTTKCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
provements
United States
1,009
935
S207, 352
$108, 539
SI 5, 003
$18, 908
MIDDLE ATLANTIC-
New York
3
6
19
13
8
3
5
7
72
119
172
150
9
121
169
29
25
5
9
54
11
3
5
19
13
8
3
4
7
64
100
149
148
9
115
163
29
21
4
8
54
19
1,037
2,708
8,617
4,075
2,638
815
802
144
5,098
14, 702
18,083
58,492
2,497
25,084
41, 561
2,877
1,530
806
976
13, 179
1,631
603
1,050
2,712
1,310
827
159
120
87
2,232
5,847
11, 515
34,546
966
13, 731
21, 467
1,712
887
515
712
6,831
710
New Jersey
273
407
288
119
361
187
51
465
Pennsylvania __
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio . .
Illinois
150
90
50
16
770
3,109
2,105
3,594
121
1,094
5,206
294
117
30
53
1,471
120
Michigan _ _ _ _
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
Kansas _
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
358
867
647
4,626
232
2,000
3,162
207
171
50
North Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky „
Tennessee
Alabama ,
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
819
229
Other States
1 Includes: Connecticut, 1; Indiana, 2; Maryland, 1; District of Columbia, 1; West Virginia, 2; and
South Carolina, 2.
232
CEOSPSfUS1 O'F KEOGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITUBES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
EXPEND!
TUEES— CO
ntmued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Payment
on church
debt,
excluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local re-
lief and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
S13 482
$21 051
S7, 619
$2, 803
$457
$9, 665
$9, 827
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Now York
260
113
13
48
New Jersey
766
327
100
5
87
49
T>ennsylv8''niflf
2,193
2,392
107
35
91
215
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
742
1 377
45
59
254
Illinois _ _ - - -- -
200
1,065
45
11
41
180
Michigan
180
25
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
290
70
7
38
40
Kansas
15
26
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
642
415
238
189
101
153
North Carolina - . , -
1.106
1,694
373
341
151
537
677
Georgia
282
1,084
205
55
1,068
1,122
Florida
1,912
2,978
3,126
910
76
4,591
2,133
EAST SOUTH CENTEAL:
Kentucky
300
632
79
31
136
Tennessee .- -- -
1,204
3,587
972
100
731
1,665
AlafaftiTioa - ,-,...
2.393
3,300
1,581
598
144
1,748
1,962
Mississippi
115
367
65
14
1
45
57
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
25
231
31
14
5
49
Louisiana
94
52
35
30
Oklahoma
100
50
25
36
Texas - _
1,032
821
369
434
85
363
954
Other States
292
93
30
86
71
COLORED PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS 233
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The history of the Colored Primitive Baptists is the same as that of the white
Primitive Baptists up to the time of the Civil War. During slave times the
colored Primitive Baptists had full membership in the white churches, although
seats were arranged for them in a separate part of the house. Before the war
some of the colored members of the churches were engaged in the work of the
ministry, many of them being considered very able defenders and exponents of
the doctrine of the Bible. Such men were sometimes bought from their owners
and set free to go out and preach where they felt it was the Lord's will for them
to go.
After the Negroes were freed, many of them desiring to be set apart into
churches of their own, the white Primitive Baptists granted them letters certify-
ing that they were in full fellowship and good standing; white preachers organized
them into separate churches, ordained their preachers and deacons, and set
them up in proper order, throughout the South; and thus, gradually, the colored
Primitive Baptists became a separate denomination.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
The doctrinal principles and the polity of the Colored Primitive Baptists are
precisely the same as those of the white Primitive Baptists. Each local church
is an independent body and has control of its own affairs, receiving and dis-
ciplining its own members; there is no appeal to a higher court.
About the year 1900 a "progressive" move was introduced among the Colored
Primitive Baptists, and a large number of them began the organization of aid
societies, conventions, and Sunday schools, some of these organizations being
based on the payment of money — things which the Primitive Baptists have not
engaged in and which they have always protested against.
* No revision of history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this body for 1936, hence this state-
ment is the same as that published in Eeligious Bodies, vol. II, 1926. No data are available for "Work"
in 1936.
TWO-SEED-IN-THE-SPIRIT PREDESTINARIAN BAPTISTS
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists
for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of
these figures between urban and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have been
admitted to the local churches upon profession of faith and baptism by immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMAKY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Clmrclies (local organizations), number . .
16
201
13
66
107
28
61.7
2
65
33
28
37
14
136
10
38
70
28
Me inters, number
323
67.7
Average membership per church-
Membership by sex:
Male
Female
34.6
65.4
Sex not reported.
Males per 100 females a
Membership by age:
Under 13 years,. .
13 years and over
173
28
13
13
$6,600
$5,800
$800
$508
5
10
$660
$260
$120
$208
$10
$62
$66
65
108
28
11
11
$5,300
$4,500
$800
$482
4
9
$500
$160
$120
$158
37.6
62.4
Age not reported - _
Church edifices, number ...
2
2
$1, 300
$1,300
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
19.7
22.4
80.3
77.6
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936 —
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
$650
1
$160
$100
Number reporting "no debt"
Expenditures:
ChtiT"chps reporting, TiurnhBr
AiTiOTiiit reported
24.2
38.5
75.8
61.5
100.0
76.0
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding inter-
est
All other current expenses, including in-
terest .
$50
$10
24.0
Local relief and charity, Eed Cross, etc
All other purposes
$62
$56
Average expenditure per church _ >
$160
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit
Predestinarian Baptists for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
234
TWO-SEED'-IN-THE-'SPXRIT 'PKEDESTXJSTATIIAN BAPTISTS
235
TABLE 2. — COMPABATIVB SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
19S6
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
16
27
48
55
Increase l over preceding census:
Number
— 11
—21
7
Percent2 __. ._ _.
Members, number
201
304
679
781
Increase l over preceding census:
Number
—103
—375
—102
Percent
—33 9
—55 2
—13 1
Average membership per church
13
11
14
14
Church edifices, number. _ .
13
24
37
38
Value — number reporting. .
13
24
35
32
Amount reported.- _
S6 600
$19 350
$23 950
$21, 500
Average value per church
$508
$806
$684
$672
Expenditures :
C hurches reporting, number
10
20
Amount reported
$660
$473
$170
Repairs and improvements
$^60
1
Payment on church debt, excluding interest _ .
$120
> $288
$170
All other current expenses, including interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
208
$10
} $S5
Not classified _ _ .
$62
$100
Average expenditure per church __-
$66
$24
$24
* A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for the Two-Seed-in-
the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists by States, Table 3 gives for each State for
1936 the number and membership of the churches classified according to their
location in urban or rural territory and the membership classified by sex. Table 4
gives the number and membership of the churches for the four census years 1906
to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "13 years of age
and over/' so far as reported. Table 5 shows, for 1936, the value of church
edifices and the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses,
improvements, benevolences, etc.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 6 presents, for each association of the Two-
Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists, the more important statistical data
for 1936 shown by States in the preceding tables, including number of churches,
membership, value of church edifices, and expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, AND MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, BY STATES, 1936
NTJ
CI
MBER
ITJRCHE
OF
S
ND
M
MBER
EMBER
OF
S
MEK
[BERSB
IP BY
SEX
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
&
0 0
AND STATE
-w1"0
3
•S
1
3
JQ
13
"S
a
Xft
«
EH
t>
tf
EM
t>
PS
^
*
CO
^l«
United States
16
2
14
201
85
136
66
107
28
61.7
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky .
6
6
46
46
13
24
9
Tennessee
9
1
8
98
8
90
28
51
19
1
1
57
57
25
32
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less tban 100.
236
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBEESHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN- 1936, BY STATES
STATE
NUMBER OP CHUKCHES
NUMBER OP MEMBEES
MEMBEESHIP BY
AGE, 1936
1936
1936
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
13 years
and
over
Age not
re-
ported
United States
16
27
48
55
201
304
679
781
173
28
Indiana
4
3
4
58
68
41
Illinois
Missouri
1
4
3
6
19
3
2
3
1
5
3
9
19
2
10
2
12
34
19
101
252
51
32
52
14
44
28
144
279
32
175
24
Georgia
1
2
9
13
2
3
6
90
145
60
Florida
Kentucky
6
9
1
46
98
57
37
79
57
9
19
Tennessee
AJabfVT1 a -. v
Arkansas
Texas . - .._
TABLE 5. — VALUE OP CHURCHES AND CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
§3
VALUE OF
H
«
CHURCH
EXPENDITUBES
y
43
EDIFICES
0
O
o
rf w
irS «
~ bO
STATE
8
'o §5
ft
ft
rt
S
gg
°i.2
1-S.S
4gjSH
&
o
W>
y. M
o
s
4J.'an"!+a
*•• of bJt)
"3'C
p'g.
rt
,0
jl'H
q
^"•g
1
.§ ^
0"^ §
S 3.9-g
r^"!
r€3 O
18
a
i P.
o
3 P.
*a
«5 2
P.O.
S-§
§ a Js |
03 T3
o
£
£
O
4
6
§
S.H
« - «>-9
PH
o
3s
^
United States
16
13
13
$6, 600
10
$660
$260
$120
$208
$10
$62
Kentucky
6
3
3
900
4
164
122
42
Tennessee..
9
1
9
1
5,700
6
496
260
120
86
10
20
Alabama -- .-
i Amount for Alabama combined with figures for Tennessee, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any
individual church.
TABLE 6. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES, AND EXPENDITURES, BY ASSOCIATIONS, 1936
ASSOCIATION
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of
members
VALUE OP CHUECH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Total
16
_
6
3
201
13
$6, 600
10
$660
Caney Fork __ ._
79
46
76
7
3
3
3, 500
900
2,200
3
4
3
316
164
180
Drakes Creek ,.
Richland Creek-
TWO-SEEiD-IN'-THE-SPlRIT 'PEIEDESTHSTA'RIAN BAPTISTS 237
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists arose, as a distinct body
in America, in the second half of the eighteenth century, by a protest of the more
rigid against what some considered a general laxity of doctrine and looseness of
church discipline consequent upon the prevalence of Arminian doctrines as set
forth by Methodism. Its great leader was Elder Daniel Parker, a native of
Virginia, who was ordained in Tennessee in 1806 and labored in that State and
in Illinois and Texas.
This doctrine was not allowed to be taught during the dark ages. There were
a few men who contended for it; one leader by the name of Donatist who lived
250 years after Christ was here on earth in visible form; and later Peter Waldo,
the founder of the Waldenses, of medieval times. The theory of the Two-Seed
as a principle of doctrine has existed since apostolic times and farther back. The
first fountain head that broke out was back in the Garden of Eden when God
said: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and
her seed; it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel." Gen. 3: 15.
After the Reformation the leaders of this doctrine had more liberty and freedom
to preach and teach the doctrine of Two-Seed.
The denomination at present does not emphasize the extreme Calvinistic
doctrines which they stressed in its early history, when these Baptists formed
scattered churches rather than an organized denomination. They differed from
the Primitive Baptists chiefly in the degree to which they carried their theological
opinions and ecclesiastical principles and were frequently called by the same
names, "Primitive," "Old School," and "Hard Shell"; the special feature of
their belief was gradually recognized, however, and they became popularly known
as the "Two-Seed Baptists." As a result of this general similarity, the distinction
between them and the Primitive Baptists has not always been clearly drawn and
this fact probably accounts to some extent for their decreasing numbers at suc-
cessive censuses.
As distinguished from the Primitive Baptists, the Two-Seed Baptists believe
in the resurrection of the Body of Christ, which is the Church, and that the two
seed are in the spirit and not in the flesh. They emphasize the doctrine of salva-
tion by grace. They believe that God's people are a spiritual generation and
they did exist in Christ before the world was: Eph. 1: 4, "According as he hath
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy with-
out blame before him in love": Eph. 1 : 7, "In whom we have redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." Again
we find in II Tim. 1 : 9-10, "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling,
not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which
was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest
by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath
brought life and immortality to light through the gospel": Prov. 8: 22-25, "The
Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was
set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there
were no depths, I was brought forth: when there were no fountains abounding
with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought
forth." Therefore we emphasize the doctrine of salvation by grace and not by
works: Eph. 2: 8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast."
We believe that the ordinances such as communion and foot washing are taught
in the Bible and are to be observed in the visible church. We do not believe
that the work of a paid ministry is necessary to save sinners, as Christ came to
save sinners and He said He finished His work.
DOCTRINE
The phrase "Two-Seed" indicates one seed of good and one of evil, both of
them spiritual and not of the flesh, the good seed emanating from God, and the
evil seed from the devil; the earthly generation of mankind is the field in which
* This statement, which differs somewhat from that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious Bodies,
1926, has been revised by Elder B. E. Little, McMinnville, Tenn., and approved by him in its present form .
238 CENS'lTR' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
both are manifested, the field, however, being no part of either. The field has
no power of its own to resist, but must and does develop or manifest what is sown
in it, as shown in the parable of the wheat and the tares. Neither seed can change
its character, but must reproduce after its kind. We do not divide the Adamic
race, nor can we change the decrees of God; but as He declared the origin and the
destiny of the parent or progenitor in the beginning, we claim that, as He cannot
change, neither does He change either the origin or destiny of any one of His
generation. This is manifested through the visible generations of Adam. Thus,
it is the crop which is gathered and not the field, the atonement being for the
redemption of the good seed, which are the children of God. Divine justice being
satisfied, then wisdom is justified of all her children which are the good seed;
the children of God return to Him in heaven and the children of the devil are
returned back to him in the lower regions of eternity.
ORGANIZATION AND WORK
In their church government the Two-Seed Baptists are thoroughly independent,
each church controlling its own affairs. Associations are formed, but for spiritual
fellowship rather than for church management. What are ordinarily known as
church activities do not exist among them, although they believe in good works,
but not as the world looks at good works. Individuals may contribute to benev-
olences as they see fit, but organized benevolence does not exist.
INDEPENDENT BAPTIST CHURCH OF AMERICA
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Independent Baptist Church of America for
the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these
figures between urban and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination includes persons who have been admit-
ted to the local churches upon profession of faith and baptism by immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEBCENT OF
TOTAL*
Urban
Rural
Clmrclies (local organizations), number
8
129
16
50
79
1
42
42
15
27
7
87
12
35
52
Members, number
32.6
67.4
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
Female __
Males per 100 females 2
Membership by age:
Under 13 years _
13 years and over
101
28
4
4
$9, 300
$9, 300
$2, 325
$250
3
7
$1, 189
$149
$100
$146
$60
$216
$475
$43
$170
3
6
27
42
59
28
3
3
$3, 300
$3,300
$1, 100
1
$250
2
6
$715
41.6
58 4
Age not reported
ChTircli ecHfi^ps, TVTmhar
1
1
$6,000
$6,000
$6,000
y^]^p — pnTnbftr rApnrtmg
ATKTtOTiTlt- ^ported
64.5
64.5
35.5
35 5
Constructed prior to 1936
Average value per church
"O^bf, — ruimhfif reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Number reporting "no debt"
1
1
$474
$149
$100
$121
$50
$16
$29
$9
$474
Expenditures :
fihurches r6port7iig, "nnrnhfir
Amount reported . _-.,.«
39.9
100.0
100.0
82.9
60.1
Salaries, other than pastors'
Repairs and improvements
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
$25
$10
$200
$446
$34
$119
3
6
27
17.1
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc
Home missions
7 4
6.1
92.6
93.9
Foreign missions
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1936 and 1926. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for
comparison, a summary of the available statistics of the Independent Baptist
Church of America for the census years 1936 and 1926.
239
240 CENSUS OF REHLIOIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMAET, 1936 AND 1926
ITEM
1936
1926
ITEM
1936
1926
Church.es (local organizations),
number .
8
13
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number..
7
10
IncreEse * over preceding cen-
Amount reported
$1, 189
$2, 499
sus:
Nximfaflt*
—5
Salaries, other than pas-
tors' -. __
$149
Percent 2
Repairs and improve-
merits
$100
Members, number
129
222
All other current ex-
$779
Increase i over preceding cen-
sus:
penses, including in-
terest-
$146
Number
—93
Local relief and charity,
Percent
—41 9
Red Cross, etc_
$60
Average membership per
Home missions
$216
$1, 720
church
16
17
Foreign missions
$475
All other purposes _
$43
Church edifices, number
4
6
Average expenditure per
Value — number reporting
4
6
church
$170
$250
Amount reported
$9, 300
$12, 000
Average value per church.
Debt — number reporting
$2, 325
1
$2,000
1
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number..
3
6
A in o wit reported
$250
$425
Officers and teachers
6
18
Scholars
27
146
1 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
3 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present statistics the for the Independent
Baptist Church of America by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the
number and membership of the churches classified according to their location in
urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 4 gives the number and membership of the churches for the census
years 1936 and 1926, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "13
years of age and over," so far as reported. Table 5 shows the value of church
edifices and the amount of debt on such property for 1936. Table 6 presents, for
1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improvements,
benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any
individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to the State
of Minnesota, the only State in which so many as three churches reported value
and expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBEESHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBER-
SHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
*»
"S*
STATE
Q "^
£
3
a
M
£
3
o
I
1
•3
1
'o M
,CJ
O CD
CO
1
EH
p
rt
£
tf
^
(^
O
O
00
United States
8
i
7
129
42
87
50
79
3
6
27
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
~
Wisconsin
1
1
34
34
21
13
1
2
6
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota ..
5
i
4
82
42
40
25
57
2
4
21
Iowa
1
1
11
11
3
g
PACIFIC;
Washington
1
1
2
2
1
1
INDEPENDENT BAPTIST CHURCH OF AMERICA
241
TABLE 4=. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHUBCHES, 1936 AND 1926, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936 or 1926]
STATE
NUMBEB OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBEBS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
1936
1936
1926
1936
1936
13 years
and over
Age not
reported
United States ..
8
13
129
222
101
28
Minnesota
5
13
7
6
82
47
114
108
67
34
15
13
Other States. _ .
* Includes: Wisconsin, 1; Iowa, 1; and Washington, 1.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND AMOUNT OP CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHUBCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHUBCH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
8
4
_
1
4
89,300
1
8250
Minnesota
5
3
3
1
8,300
1,000
1
250
Other States 1
i Includes: Wisconsin, Iowa, and Washington.
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
STATE
Total
num-
ber of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Sala-
ries,
other
than
pastors'
Re-
pairs
and
im-
prove-
ments
Other
cur-
rent
ex-
penses,
in-
clud-
ing in-
terest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
mis-
sions
For-
eign
mis-
sions
All
other
pur-
poses
United States....
Minnesota
8
7
5
2
$1,189
764~
425
$149
$100
ioo"
$146
136
10
$60
$216
$475
___
250
$43
43
5
3
149
60
51
165
Other States *
i Includes: Wisconsin, Iowa, and Washington.
242 CENSUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
Between 1870 and 1890 some Swedish Free Baptists emigrated to the United
States and settled in different localities. A number of these came together in
June 1893 at Dassel, Minn., for their first conference, and thereafter a yearly
conference was held at different places.
At the first conference they called their body the Swedish Independent Baptist
Church, but later changed the name to Scandinavian Independent Baptist De-
nomination of America. In 1912 one section of the group was incorporated,
and the name was changed again to Scandinavian Independent Baptist Denomi-
nation of the United States of America. The others, who had not joined in this
incorporation, held conferences and about 1923 associated themselves under
the name of the Scandinavian Free Baptist Society of the United States of Amer-
ica. The two factions finally came together at a conference held at Garden
Valley, Wis., in November 1927, adopting the name Independent Baptist
Church of America.
DOCTRINE
The Independent Baptist Church of America agrees with other evangelical
bodies on many points of doctrine, believing that "Christ tasted death for every
man/7 that "He arose again," and "every soul shall arise and stand before His
judgment seat." They believe and teach also that repentance and ( baptism in
water by immersion are prerequisite to membership, as well as participation in
the Lord's Supper. They also believe in the laying on of hands at the time of
acceptation into the church. They believe in the authority and necessity of
civil government and at the General Conference held in Roseland, Minn., June 8,
1898, a resolution was adopted pledging the church to obedience and loyalty to
the Government, in all of its demands, except what is contrary to the Word of
God, as participation in war, which, according to their expressed conviction, is
contrary to the Word of God. The resolution contained a formal request that
young people of this denomination be exempt from service in case of war.
WORK
The whole object or purpose of the denomination is to carry on Christian
mission work in the United States and foreign countries; to spread the Gospel in
the precepts of Christ and His Apostles; to encourage one another to love and
good works; to build up the church according to the truth given in God's Word,
both as to membership and spiritual growth; and to await Christ's second coming.
1 This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Elder O. M. Sundell, of the Independent Baptist Church of America,
Minneapolis, Minn., and approved by him in its present form.
AMERICAN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification, — A general
summary of the statistics for the American Baptist Association for the year 1936
is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have been
admitted to the local churches upon confession of their faith and baptism by
immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEECENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
1,064
115, 022
108
44,405
61, 487
9,130
72.2
2,076
93, 955
18, 991
2.2
895
848
$1,507,798
$1, 444, 215
$63,583
$1,778
59
$122, 215
563
50
44
$69, 710
1,020
$352, 529
$174,337
$20,422
$30, 610
$18,477
$36, 152
$10, 584
$16, 175
$6,657
$10, 164
$28, 951
$346
104
18, 149
175
6,869
9,942
1,338
69.1
739
14,361
3,049
4.9
88
83
$488, 168
$483,308
$4,860
$5,882
$92, 169
48
12
10
$25, 500
102
$116, 281
$47, 164
$7, 196
$6,819
$8, 696
$19, 258
$2, 815
$3,256
$1, 980
$6,379
$12, 718
$1, 140
960
96, 873
101
37, 536
51, 545
7,792
72 8
1,337
79, 594
15, 942
1.7
807
765
$1,019,630
$960, 907
$58T723
$1,333
44
$30,046
515
38
34
$44,210
918
$236,248
$127, 173
$13,226
$23,791
$9,781
$16, 894
$7, 769
$12, 919
$4,677
$3,785
$16, 233
$257
9.8
15.8
90.2
84. 2
MPS Tubers, •nnmhfir
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
15.5
16 2
14 7
84.5
83.8
85.3
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
35.6
15 3
16.1
64.4
84.7
83.9
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years ^
Church, edifices number
9 8
9.8
32.4
33.5
7.6
90.2
90.2
67.6
66.5
92.4
Valu6' — 'number reporting
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936
Average value per church
JDebt~~number reporting
Amount reported - -
754
8 5
24.6
91.5
Number reporting "no debt"
Value number reporting
Amount reported
36 6
10.0
33.0
27.1
35.2
22.3
47.1
53.3
26.6
20.1
29.7
62.8
43.9
63.4
90.0
67.0
72.9
64.8
77.7
52.9
46.7
73.4
79.9
70.3
37.2
56.1
Expenditures:
Churches reporting number -
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc. . .
Home missions __
Foreign missions -
To general headquarters for distribution. _
All other purposes -
Averaere exoenditure oer church
' Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
275318—41-
-17
243
244
CEN'SiUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL J
Urban
Rural
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
798
6,677
50, 008
16
122
1,091
47
228
1,729
89
1,094
10, 657
4
61
609
8
65
518
709
5,583
39,351
12
61
482
39
163
1,211
11 2
16.4
21.3
88.8
83 6
78.7
Officers and teachers.. ._ _ . _
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
50.0
55 8
50 0
44.2
Scholars
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers -- - - ...
28.5
30.0
71.5
70.0
Scholars . .
* Percent not shown whore base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1936 and 1926. — -Table 2 presents, in convenient form for
comparison, a summary of the available statistics of the American Baptist Asso-
ciation for the census years 1936 and 1926.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1936 AND 1926
ITEM
1936
1936
ITEM
1936
1926
Churches (local organiza-
tions), number
1,064
1,431
Exp enditures— C ontmued .
Amount reported..
$352, 529
$482, 045
Increase 1 over preceding
Pastors' salaries , --
$174, 337
census.'
All other salaries
$20, 422
Number
—367
Repairs and improve-
Percent-
-25.6
ments ._
$30, 610
Members, nomtwr
115,022
117, 858
Payment on church
debt, excluding in-
> $351, 264
Increase * over preceding
terest .
$18, 477
census:
Number
Percent
-2,836
—2.4
All other current ex-
penses, including
interest
$36, 152
Average membership per
church -.
103
82
Local relief and char-
ity, Red Cross, etc
$10, 584
Home missions .
$16, 175
Church edifices, number
Value — number reporting.
Amount reported
Average value per
church..
895
848
$1,507,798
$1,778
1,066
1,054
$1, 832, 546
$1,739
Foreign missions
To general headquar-
ters for distribution.
All other purposes
Not classified . _ -
$6, 657
$10, 164
$28, 951
• $121,406
$9, 375
Debt— number reporting
Amount reported
59
$122,215
71
$58, 757
Average expenditure per
church
$346
$370
Parsonages, number
.50
Sunday schools :
Value— number reporting^
Amount reported
44
$69, 710
38
$76, 050
Churches reporting, num-
ber
798
918
Expenditures :
Churches re porting, num-
Officers and teachers
Scholars
6,677
50, 008
6,120
56, 228
ber
1,020
1,303
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the American
Baptist Association by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4
gives the number and membership of the churches for the census years 1936 and
1926, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of age"
and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of churches and par-
sonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents,
for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improve-
ments, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of
any individual church, separate presentation in table 6 is limited to those States
in which three or more churches reported expenditures.
AMERICAN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION
245
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEM-
BERS
MEMBERSHIP BT SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
13
o
H
a
03
.Q
£
"c3
»-j
s
"3
"o
H
5
"c3
P3
•3
%
Female
Sex not reported
1
«2
o
o
cu
S
1
Churches reporting
Officers and teachers
Scholars
United States
1,064
104
960
59
5
q
23
4
33
36
67
346
20
69
274
2
12
1
115, 022
375
3,893
358
1,127
1, 963
563
5,582
4,495
9,119
37,424
4, 057
7,773
36.545
402
1,196
80
18, 149
96, 873
44,405
81, 487
9,130
72 2| 798
6,677
50, 003
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
1
60
5
1
1
375
63
163
1,526
97
377
690
115
1,9P4
1,946
3,794
14, 261
1,347
2,614
14, 676
192
543
40
212
2,046
129
500
1,088
188
2,970
2,324
4,821
20,734
1.764
3,685
20,063
270
653
40
76 9
74 6
75 2
75.4
63 4
77.1
67.1
83.7
78 7
68 P
76.4
70 9
73 1
71.1
83 2
CO
1
43
5
5
19
2
14
28
53
297
18
62
234
1
15
1
45
344
39
35
141
15
106
190
35S
2,215
152
530
2,360
7
132
8
250
2,149
212
285
1,011
115
850
1,614
3.424
16.934
1,204
3,693
17, 403
45
859
60
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri.
3,830
358
1,137
1,481
472
4,897
3,939
8,334
32, 981
3,218
6,563
28,619
212
752
80
321
132
260
185
230
618
225
504
2,429
946
1,474
1,806
Kansas, _
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Georgia _ .. .
9
Florida
28
5
37
41
72
379
24
76
307
4
15
1
5
1
4
5
5
33
4
7
33
2
3
482
91
685
5*>6
785
4,443
839
1,210
7,926
250
444
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee-
Alabama
Mississippi ,_ __
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma .
Texas .
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Oregon
California
» Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
246
CENSUS OF KELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1936 AND 1926, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1936
1936
Under
13
years
13 years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Percent
under
13i
United States
1,064
1
1,431
115,022
117, 858
2,076
93,955
18,991
2.2
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
375
3,893
358
1,137
1,963
24
69
351
3,030
226
840
1,614
558
4,415
4,024
6,816
31, 176
3,451
5,837
30,408
122
1,087
6.4
2 2
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri _ ._
60
5
9
28
5
37
41
72
379
24
76
307
4
15
1
23
1,300
794
132
287
346
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Georgia
10
3
5
151
46
33
418
14
184
1,040
1 2
. 2
9
3 3
1.1
.5
1.3
.4
3 1
3.3
Florida .
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
563
5, 582
Tennessee
1,016
425
2,270
5,830
592
1,752
5,097
340
30
80
Alabama
36
61
560
34
97
G20
4,495
9,119
37, 424
4,057
7,773
36, 545
462
1,196
3, 043
7,028
41, 281
3,996
7,357
53, 853
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Oregon
79
0.8
California
80
i Based on membership with age classification reported.
AMERICAN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION
247
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
num-
ber of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
$69, 710
United States
1,064
895
848
$1, 507, 798
59
$122, 215
44
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
1
60
5
9
28
5
37
41
72
379
24
76
307
4
15
1
1
0)
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
43
5
9
23
4
33
28
65
324
23
51
2G9
4
13
1
40
5
8
23
4
32
27
63
305
23
49
252
4
12
1
51, 280
11,500
10,000
25,000
5,200
53, 557
20,050
76, 050
340, 693
26, 400
85,900
768, 468
8,700
} 225,000
5
1,105
Kansas
1
C)
SOUTH ATLANTIC
Georgia,..
1
1
250
100
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
4
972
Alabama
1
2
6
8
5,950
Mississippi __
2
17
2
1
24
100
21, 772
2,050
35
93,031
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
5
21
4,260
39,800
Texas
MOUNTAIN-
Colorado
PACIFIC.
Oregon
2
2,800
{ !
0,800
o;
12,900
California
C ombinations
1 Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
2 Amount for California combined with figures for Oregon, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any indi-
vidual church.
248 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6, — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
E
XPENDITURE
3
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
number
of
churches
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and
improve-
ments
United States
1,064
1,020
$352, 529
$174,337
$20, 422
$30, 610
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
60
57
14, 164
7,833
836
1,017
Kansas
5
5
1,919
1,121
94
111
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Georgia ... .
9
7
2,344
1,025
71
582
Florida . .
28
28
7,987
4,142
702
328
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky .-
5
5
803
447
77
Tennessee
37
35
9,234
5,348
619
814
Alabama
41
41
8,363
3,762
949
2,067
Mississippi
72
70
20,519
11,211
1,162
2,335
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas _ . _
379
365
89, 427
46,071
3,815
10, 482
Louisiana .
24
24
9,340
5,873
579
623
Oklahoma
76
76
23, 795
13, 523
1,580
959
Texas
307
289
145, 430
64, 737
9,282
10, 877
PACIFIC:
Oregota
15
15
14, 723
6,689
36
286
Other States
6
i 3
4,481
2,555
620
129
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All
other
purposes
United States . . .
$18, 477
200
192
275
74
$36, 152
$10, 584
$16, 175
$6, 657
$10, 164
$28, 951
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri - -
882
60
97
1,128
36
476
70
677
8,753
1,118
1,889
17, 838
2,738
390
155
845
108
126
539
70
207
544
1,347
3,215
232
1,620
5,836
1,186
300
574
20
18
49
106
74
266
552
1,693
35
339
1,984
847
100
72
12
1,750
201
19
462
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Georgia
131
517
67
744
308
1,070
2,612
153
709
3,818
250
50
Florida _
46
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL-
T"Tf>nt,nf>ky
Tennessee.-- ~ -
219
70
15
168
1,082
205
289
7,953
663
382
1,922
5,927
219
1,962
14,068
1,291
85
Alabama _
Mississippi
75
5,777
303
925
9,037
1,400
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
PACIFIC:
Oregon
Other States
252
i Includes: Ohio, 1; Colorado, 1; and California* 1.
AMERICAN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION 249
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The American Baptist Association is not a separate and distinct denomination,
but it is a separate and distinct group of Baptists. They separated themselves
from the convention groups because they regarded the methods and polity of the
convention as an innovation among Baptists. They claim that their associations
are a direct continuance of the cooperative work in missions, benevolences, etc.,
since the time of Christ and the Apostles. They sincerely believe that those
Baptists who work with the conventions, though they may be orthodox in faith,
have departed from the New Testament principles of church cooperation.
The purpose of this body is to do missionary, evangelistic, benevolent, and educa-
tional work throughout the world. They do not unionize with other religious
sects and organizations because they believe that their churches are the only true
churches; they believe also that the Lord Jesus Christ gave the commission (Matt.
28: 18-20) to the churches, and that they are, therefore, the divine custodians of
the truth, and that they only have the divine right of carrying out the commands
of Jesus as stated in the great commission, and of executing the laws of the king-
dom, and of administering the ordinances of the Gospel.
They believe that each church is an autonomous, independent body, and that
the churches are amenable only to Christ as Lord and Master. They believe
also that each church is on a perfect equality with every other like church, and
therefore should have an equal representation in all their associated work.
DOCTRINE
The American Baptist Association accepts the New Hampshire Confession of
Faith that has been so long held by American Baptists. They believe in: The
infallible verbal inspiration of the whole Bible; the Triune God; the Genesis
account of creation; the Deity of Jesus Christ; the virgin birth of Christ; the
sufferings and death of Christ as vicarious and substitutionary; the bodily resur-
rection of Christ and the bodily resurrection and glorification of His saints;
they believe in the second coming of Christ, personal and bodily as the crowning
event of the gospel age, and that His coming will be premillennial; the Bible
doctrine of eternal punishment of the wicked; that in the carrying out of the
commands of Jesus in the great commission, the churches are the only units,
all exercising equal authority, and that responsibility should be met by them
according to their several abilities; that all cooperative bodies such as conventions,
associations, etc., are only advisory bodies and cannot exercise any authority
whatsoever over the churches. They believe furthermore that salvation is
wholly by grace through faith without any admixture of law or works, and that
the church was instituted during the personal ministry of Jesus Christ on the
earth. They believe also in the absolute separation of church and State, and in
the principle of absolute religious freedom.
ORGANIZATION
They believe that in the strict sense the American Baptist Association is not
an organization, but is a cooperation of the churches composing it. But since
all the churches cannot meet in the annual meetings, churches elect three mes-
sengers who represent them in these annual meetings, and for convenience in
their deliberations the messengers when assembled in their annual meetings elect
a president, and three vice presidents; two recording secretaries; and a secretary-
treasurer. They are strictly congregational in their polity. All questions are
settled by a majority vote of the messengers present, except amendments to their
Articles of Agreement, and such questions which are required under parliamentary
law to be settled by a two-thirds majority vote of the messengers present.
The American Baptist Association proper never meets since it would be a
physical impossibility for all the churches composing it to meet at one time.
Hence the annual meetings are called "The meeting of the messengers composing
the American Baptist Association. "
1 This statement was furnished by Dr, J. E. Cobb, secretary-treasurer, American Baptist Association,
Texarkana, Ark,-Tex., and has been approved by him in its present form.
250 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
WORK
.The missionary work of the churches of the American Baptist Association is
divided into three phases: (1) Associational missions. This is missionary
work done by a group of churches composing a district association usually the
size of a county. (2) State missions. This is missionary work done by State
associations working in harmony with the churches composing the American
Baptist Association. (3) Interstate and foreign missions This is missionary
work done by all the churches hi the nation cooperating with the churches com-
posing the churches of the American Baptist Association. Interstate missions is
work done by missionaries from State to State; foreign mission work, of course, is
that done in foreign countries.
The benevolent work is usually carried on by the district and State associations.
Several States maintain orphanages and this is benevolent work. Churches and
district associations have funds to help support the poor and indigent in their
bounds.
Educational work is carried on (1) by the individual churches through their
Sunday schools and training departments. Sunday school and young people's
literature is published by the Baptist Sunday School Committee at Texarkana,
Ark.-Tex. This literature goes into practically all the States of the Union.
(2) Religious newspapers are published by individuals and churches for the dis-
semination of information concerning the work. (3) There are religious colleges
and Bible institutes where men are trained for the ministry. The medium for the
distribution of funds of the American Baptist Association is the secretary-treasurer
whose headquarters are at Texarkana, Ark.-Tex.
CHRISTIAN UNITY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION
STATISTICS
The data given for 1936 represent seven active organizations of the Christian
Unity Baptist Association, all reported as being in rural territory. The classi-
fication of membership by age shows all members reported as being "13 years of
age and over."
Four church edifices were reported with a value of $1,450. No parsonages were
reported.
The membership of this denomination consists of persons who have been ad-
mitted to the local church upon profession of faith and baptism by immersion.
The Christian Unity Baptist Association was not reported prior to 1936, hence
no comparative data are available.
State tables. — Tables 1 and 2 present the statistics for the Christian Unity
Baptist Association by States. Table 1 gives for each State the number and
membership of the churches, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 2 presents the church expenditures, showing separately current
expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. Separate presentation in table 2 is
limited to the State of North Carolina, the only State in which three or more
churches reported expenditures, in order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics
of any individual church, and for this reason no table is given showing the value
of church edifices.
TABLE 1. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX,
AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
STATE
Num-
ber of
church-
es
MEMBERSHIP
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Num-
ber
Aver-
age per
church
Male
Fe-
male
Males
per 100
fe-
males l
Churches
reporting
Officers
and
teach-
ers
Schol-
ars
United States
7
188
27
65
123
53 8
3
13
112
Virginia
1
4
2
11
125
52
11
31
26
4
45
16
7
80
36
1
1
1
6
6
1
35
60
17
North Carolina _ . .
Tennessee
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 2. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
STATE
Total
number
of
church-
es
EXPENDITURES
Church-
es
report-
ing
Total
amount
Pas-
tors'
sal-
aries
All
other
sal-
aries
Re-
pairs
and
im-
prove-
ments
Pay-
ment
on
church
debt,
exclud-
ing
inter-
est
Other
current
expen-
ses, in-
cluding
interest
All
other
pur-
poses
Aver-
age ex-
pendi-
ture
per
church
United States...
North Carolina
Other States
7
5
4
1
$451
$20
$10
$26
$380
$3
$12
$90
4
13
71
380
20
10
26
3
12
13
380
380
1 Includes: Virginia, 1, and Tennessee, 2.
251
252 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
It would be difficult to determine when and where the Christian Unity Baptist
body had its beginning, since the doctrines held by them are advocated in some
measure by various other denominations. However, there are some certainties
about this body that may be definitely stated as regards its development as a
denomination separate from other Baptist bodies. At the forty-third session of
the Mountain Union Baptist Association of Eegular Baptists convened with Big
Ridge Church of Ashe County, N. C., in the year 1909, the committee on resolu-
tions presented their report. Among other things that were disagreed upon by
the delegation from the various churches was the following resolution, viz:
"Resolved. That the churches of this association that maintain free participation
in the Lord's Supper, or what is known as open communion, if they persist m
either of these until the next session of this association, shall be dropped from this
association without further action of this body." A very heated discussion followed
and the vote was taken by a roll call of the churches and recorded m the minutes
of the session of the association. The resolution was declared approved, since
there were 26 votes cast for and only 11 against the resolution. The delegates
who opposed the adoption of the resolution shook hands with the moderator and
walked out of the association. They were for some years referred to as the open
communionists, since they believed that all Christians of whatever denomination
had a God-given right to the Lord's Supper, and that the "man examine himself
and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup/3 They were very much
in the minority and endured much persecution at the hands of the other group,
but they held to their convictions with a bold tenacity. On September 2, 1910,
delegations from Zion Hill and Macedonia churches met in an associations! con-
vention and organized themselves into a body known as the Macedonia Baptist
Association. This organization was made upon the platform of the Mountain
Union Baptist Association of 1880 with some minor changes. In this organiza-
tion were 2 churches with a membership of 223 members, of which number 5 were
ordained ministers. Rev. F. L. Sturgill was elected moderator and R. L. Hash,
clerk. There were held 6 sessions of this body and it grew to 5 churches with a
total" membership of 333, with 8 ordained ministers.
Some of the preachers left the body and joined other associations and Macedonia
Church joined the Southern Baptist Convention. Three of the churches struggled
on, holding fast to their integrity and earnestly contending for the faith of Jesus
Christ as they were led by the Holy Spirit. Rev. Eli Graham and Rev. P. L.
Sturgill were the only ministers who remained with the churches, but they held to
the doctrines (which the Christian Unity Baptist body now represents) with a
dauntless courage. They preached to the three churches, but had no association
°rin tnTyear 1932, Rev. F. Carl Sturgill was ordained to the ministry. Having
a desire for, and feeling the need of an association, these three churches decided to
reorganize the Macedonia, Baptist Association. Delegations were selected by the
churches and sent to Pleasant Home Church to form an association. ^ They met
on October 27, 1934, and proceeded to reorganize the Macedonia Baptist Associa-
tion The 3 churches had a membership of 83, of which number 3 were ordained
ministers. They adopted the old rules of decorum but changed the constitution
in regard" to reception of new churches and dropped the entire last article of the
constitution, which made provision concerning fellowship of Christian benevolent
institutions. The principal reason for its discard was that all who are born of
the Spirit of God are brothers and sisters in Christ. f
The first change in the Articles of Faith dealt with the Calvinistic doctrine of
"eternal security." It was changed from saying that "all who are regenerated
and born again by the Spirit of God shall never finally fall away," to "'all who are
regenerated and born again by the Spirit of God, and endure to the end, shall be
saved." The second change added the words "feet washing" to the article speak-
ing of church ordinances. . .
During the time since the break over the communion question in 1909 other
dissensions arose in the Mountain Union Baptist Association, chiefly the right of
women to preach. So before the time for the sitting of the reorganized Macedonia
Baptist Association in 1935, other people had either "come out" on account of
i This statement was furnished by Ker. F. Carl Sturgill, clerk-treasurer and one of the organizers of this
body, Sturgill, N. C., and approved by him in its present form.
CHRISTIAN UNITY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION 253
oppression and restriction of Christian liberty, or been "turned out" for their
views on equality, liberty, and unity of Christians. They were now ready to
cooperate with other people who had views similar to their own. Before the time
came for the sitting of the 1935 session of the Macedonia Baptist Association,
these people had got in touch with the leaders of this body, and it had been agreed
to organize a new association. The two breaks with the Mountain Union Associa-
tion were so sharp that it was suggested that a new constitution, rules of decorum,
and articles of faith be drafted, for those used by the Macedonia Baptists were
very much like those of the older association.
Delegates from six churches met with Zion Hill Church and upon a constitution,
rules of order, and articles of faith (drafted by Rev. Eli Graham, Rev. D. 0. Miller,
and Rev. F. Carl Sturgill) organized an association known as the Christian Unity
Baptist Association. The membership of the 6 churches was 152, with 7 ordained
ministers. Rev. F. L. Sturgill was chosen moderator and Rev. F. Carl Sturgill,
clerk-treasurer.
DOCTRINE
We believe — in one only true and living God and the Trinity; that the Bible is
the scriptural word of God given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit; that the Bible
is a safe rule of faith, and the New Testament interpreted by the Holy Spirit is
the only rule of practice for the Christian Church; that all mankind who are
accountable to God for sin are fallen and depraved by sin and in this state they
possess no natural ability to reinstate themselves in favor with God; that Jesus
Christ by the grace of God tasted death for every man, providing a way of salva-
tion through regeneration for the souls of all who are accountable to God for sin ;
in the redemption of the bodies of saints, infants, and idiots, the latter two not being
responsible for sin do not need regeneration of spirit; that sinners can partake of
the divine benefits of the grace of God only by faith and repentance, that they
are called, convicted, converted, regenerated, and sanctified by the Holy
Spirit, and that all who are thus born again by the Spirit of God and endure to
the end shall be saved; that baptism, by immersion in water, the Lord's Supper,
and feet washing are ordinances instituted by Jesus Christ to be practiced by
the church and that regeneration or the baptism of the Holy Ghost is the quali-
fication for participation in either ordinance; in the unity, liberty, and equality of
God's children; the church is composed of all who are born of the Spirit of God;
in a God-called ministry preaching the word of God by inspiration of the Holy
Spirit and administering the ordinance of baptism and participating in the Lord's
Supper and feet washing; and in the resurrection of the body, both of the just
and the unjust, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they
that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation, and that the joys of the
righteous and the punishment of the wicked will be eternal.
ORGANIZATION
In polity this body is congregational, each local church manages its own affairs.
The association may act as an advisory council in matters of difficulty when a
church requests such aid, but in no case may it infringe upon any internal right of
any church. It may drop from fellowship disorderly and unorthodox churches.
Each church selects its pastor annually by a majority vote of members present
at time of election; it also has a clerk to keep a record of business transactions.
Deacons are selected and set apart for ordination by the various churches, and
ministers who feel a call to ministerial work are first licensed by the church and
when they have proved their gift sufficiently, are set apart by the church for
ordination. Usually ordained authority of other churches in the body, ministers
and deacons, are called as a presbytery and they examine those set apart for
deacons or ministers as the case may be; and, if found orthodox in doctrine, they
are given a charge followed by prayer and laying on of hands.
WORK
The work of this body is in home missions, and since it is not strong enough to
send out its own workers, it cooperates with all Christian workers, frequently
holding revivals with them. It also believes in prayer meetings and Sunday
school work, and has now on hand consideration of sending out an evangelist for
full time work among its churches and to cooperate with any work for advance-
ment of the cause of Christ where the Holy Spirit leads.
GENERAL ASSOCIATION OF REGULAR BAPTIST
CHURCHES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches
in the United States of America for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which
shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination consists of persons who have been
admitted to the local church upon profession of faith and baptism by immersion.
The General Association of Regular Baptist Churches in the United States of
America was not reported prior to 1936, hence no comparative data are available.
TABLE I. — SUMMARY or STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
Tn urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
84
22, 345
266
8,192
12,386
1,767
66 1
1,233
16, 603
4,509
6 9
72
71
$1, 694, 448
$1, 688, 948
$5, 500
$23, 865
26
$179, 608
24
45
45
$175, 450
83
$340, 376
$106, 603
$33, 253
$17, 536
$25, 273
$78, 170
$4,888
$23, 168
$39, 685
$391
$11, 409
$4, 101
50
16, 786
336
6,020
9,066
1,700
66 4
1,030
12, 518
3,238
7.6
39
39
$1, 369 348
$1, 363, 848
$5, 500
$35, 111
22
$166, 438
8
20
20
$107, 700
50
$278, 188
$75,461
$27, 247
$13, 945
$23,016
$69,331
$3,895
$20, 133
$34,844
$191
$10, 105
$5,564
34
5.559
164
2,172
3,320
67
65 4
203
4,085
1,271
4 7
33
32
$325, 100
$325, 100
Members, number
75 1
24 9
Average membership per church. ..
Membership by sex:
Male
73 5
73 2
96 2
26.5
26 8
3 8
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females -
Membership by age-
Under 13 years . .
83 5
75 4
71 8
16.5
24 6
28.2
13 years and over . -~
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 2
Church edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported __ .
80 8
80 8
100 0
19 2
19.2
Constructed prior to 1936 __
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
$10, 159
4
$13, 170
16
25
25
$67, 750
33
$62, 188
$-31, 142
$6, 006
$3, 591
$2, 227
$8,839
$993
$3, 045
$4, 841
$200
$1, 304
$1, 884
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported _
92 7
7 3
Number reporting "no debt" ._
Parsonages, number- _.
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
61 4
38 G
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number .
Amount reported _
81 7
70 8
81 9
79 5
91 2
88.7
79 7
86.9
87 8
48 8
88.6
18 3
29 2
18.1
20 5
8 8
11 3
20 3
13 1
12 2
51.2
11.4
Pastors' salaries - -
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest-
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions
Foreign missions.. _ _
To general headquarters for distribution ..
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100
2 Based on membership with age classification reported.
254
GENERAL ASSOCIATION OF KEGULAE BAPTISTS
255
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL '
Urban
Rural
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
83
1,880
17, 021
36
391
4,031
5
30
327
50
1,337
13, 049
23
292
3,250
3
27
298
33
543
3,972
13
99
781
2
3
29
Officers and teachers.
71.1
76.7
28.9
23.3
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
74.7
80 6
25.3
19 4
Scholars
Weekday religious schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars _
91.1
8.9
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. —Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for 1936 for the General
Association of Regular Baptist Churches in the United States of America by
States. Table 2 gives for each State the number and membership of the churches
classified according to their location in urban or rural territory and membership
classified by sex. Table 3 gives the number and membership of the churches, the
membership classified as aunder 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over,"
and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 shows the value of churches and parsonages
and the amount of debt on church edifices. Table 5 presents the church expendi-
tures, showing separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc.
In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church,
separate presentation in tables 4 and 5 is limited to those States in which three or
more churches reported value and expenditures.
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, AND MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
Total
Urban
50
Rural
34
Total
22, 845
Urban
Rural
Male
Fe-
male
Sox
not re-
ported
Males
per
100 fe-
males
United States
84
18, 788
5,559
8,192
12,336
162
2,777
193
1,051
840
1,679
1,106
2,187
76
570
1,380
22
343
1,767
69 I
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts .
1
3
8
246
4,568
328
1,834
1,402
2,704
1,871
3,558
199
955
4,073
41
566
246
920
84
1,791
135
784
562
1,025
765
1,371
56
385
993
19
223
51.9
64.5
69.9
74.5
66 9
61.0
69 2
62 7
0)
67.5
72.0
0)
6 J 0
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York _
15
1
8
5
8
11
13
2
4
11
I
4
7
1
5
4
S
3
5
3,648
323
1,494
1,293
2,704
1,333
1,849
New Jersey __ ..
Pennsylvania
3
1
. ,.„.
8
2
2
0
340
109
EAST NORTH CENTKAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
538
1,709
199
200
1,141
157
Michigan ...
Wisconsin
67
WEST NOBTJI CENTRAL:
Minnesota.
2
6
1
3
755
2,932
41
409
Iowa
1,700
Missouri
PACIFIC:
California
1
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
56
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
'ABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
num-
ber of
churches
Num-
ber of
mem-
bers
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Under
13
years
13 years
and
over
Age
not re
ported
Percent
under
13i
Churches
reporting
Officers
and
teachers
Schol-
ars
United States
81
22,345
1,233
16, 603
4,509
6 9
83
1,880
17,021
EW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
1
15
1
8
5
8
11
13
2
4
11
1
4
246
4,, "568
328
1,834
1,402
2,704
1,871
3,558
199
955
4,073
41
566
20
126
5
166
302
160
110
125
4
24
132
1
58
228
3,253
323
1,668
1,060
2,544
1, 452
2,229
128
931
2,241
40
508
8.1
3 7
1 5
9.1
22 2
59
7.0
53
3.0
25
56
1
15
1
8
4
8
11
13
2
4
11
1
•1
13
341
37
162
92
222
211
322
31
82
294
15
58
99
2, 954
215
1,455
842
2,299
1,698
3,130
202
813
2,719
SO
485
[IDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1,189
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
IAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio _- .. .. .
40
Indiana
Illinois
309
1,204
67
Michigan
Wisconsin -
PEST NOETH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa ~_
1,700
Missouri
'ACIFIC:
California
10 2
* Based on membership with age classification reported, not shown where base is loss than 100.
''ABLE 4. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
TTnited States
IIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
84
72
71
$1,894,448
28
$179, 608
45
10
6
2
1
4
9
3
8
$175,450
45, 000
21, 000
0)
(l)
18, 500
26,000
9,000
27,000
15
8
5
8
11
13
4
11
4
5
15
7
3
4
9
11
4
11
4
4
14
7
3
4
9
11
4
11
4
»4
495, 948
152, 500
85, 000
178,000
176,000
259, 000
27, 000
220,000
23, 500
77, 500
5
2
80,055
2, 950
Pennsylvania
!AST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
3
3
4
2
4
2
1
18,901
9,450
20,420
1,381
15, 150
6,301
25,000
Illinois
Michigan
[TEST NOETH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
'ACIFIC:
California
Other States
2
28,950
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
1 Includes: Massachusetts, 1; New Jersey, I; and Wisconsin, 2.
GENERAL ASSOCIATION OF REGULAR BAPTISTS
257
TABLE 5. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPEND ITTJEES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Eepairs
and
improve-
ments
United States .. _
84
15
8
5
8
11
13
4
11
4
5
83
$340, 378
8 106, 803
S33, 253
317, 536
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
14
8
5
3
11
13
4
11
4
15
66,951
28,613
19, 792
36, 400
29,423
75, 710
12, 767
48, 096
7,950
14, 674
20,820
9,938
5,988
12, 125
13,040
16,235
5,332
12, 826
4,501
5,798
8,185
920
2,030
5,462
1, 270
9,347
670
4,661
150
552
4,644
1,535
1,655
1,560
1,355
1,430
416
3,919
217
805
Pennsylvania . .
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana.
Illinois .
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
PACIFIC:
California
Other States
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
EXPENDITURES — continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States _
$25, 273
S78, 170
$4, 888
$23, 168
S39, 885
$391
811,409
1,845
3,138
1,050
1,124
399
1,900
584
818
159
392
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
3,182
1,000
18, 272
3,884
3,448
6,304
7,737
18, 286
2, 540
11, 390
1,007
5,302
621
560
221
396
134
1,556
41
939
218
202
3,981
2,762
1,072
3,091
863
5,56$
497
4,371
522
441
5,401
4,826
4,328
3,899
2,952
11, 511
2,234
3,312
525
697
Pennsylvania
50
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
2,298
1,602
9,877
453
5,860
526
475
141
65
Illinois
j^ichigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
PACIFIC:
California _
125
10
Other States -
i Includes: Massachusetts, 1; New Jersey, 1; Wisconsin, 2; and Missouri, 1.
258 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
The General Association of Begular Baptist Churches in the United States of
America is not a convention. It is a fellowship. It is an endeavor to get back
to the old-fashioned ideals, policies, and practices of Baptists as they used to be.
The association has a very simple constitution, and has as its basis of fellow-
ship the truths expressed in the old New Hampshire Confession of Faith, with a
premillennial interpretation of the last article.
The constitution provides that any Baptist church in the United States which
subscribes to the Constitution and Confession of Faith of the Association, and
signifies in writing its desire to find fellowship with the association, may be received
into fellowship — not membership. A Baptist church cannot be a member of
anything outside itself.
The Articles of Faith briefly stated are: We believe — that the Bible is the Word
of God; in the Holy Trinity; in the personality of Satan as the author of all powers
of darkness; that man came by direct creation of God; that man is born in sin;
in the deity of Christ; the virgin birth; that the salvation of sinners is wholly of
grace, through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God; that faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation and justification; that all who are
truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ; in the everlasting
felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost; in the bodily
resurrection; the ascension; the premillennial return of Christ and His millennial
reign; and that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and
good order of human society. Two ordinances are observed — baptism by immer-
sion and the Lord's Supper!
In polity the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches is congregational,
believing that the local church has the absolute right of self-government.
There is no denominational missionary agency, but contributions are made for
mission activities through approved independent Baptist missionary agencies.
i This statement was prepared from information furnished by David Otis Fuller, D. D , secretary -treas-
urer, General Association of Regular Baptist Churches m the United States of America, Grand Rapids,
Mich
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS (GERMAN, 1728)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Seventh Day Baptists (German, 1728) for the
year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures
between urban and rural territory. All of the organizations reported in 1936, as
in previous census years, were in the State of Pennsylvania. This body appeared
with the German Baptist Brethren (Bunkers) prior to 1936.
The membership of this body comprises baptized believers who have been
enrolled as members upon personal profession of faith. Baptism is by trine
immersion, forward.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
rriM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
3
137
46
61
76
1
11
11
6
5
2
126
63
55
71
Members, number
8.0
92.0
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
Female -
Males per 100 females *
Membership by age:
Under 13 years . _--
4
133
2.9
2
12
105
4
122
3.2
2
12
105
1 3 years and, over - -
11
8.3
91.7
Percent under 13 years--
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number _ -
Officers and teachers - -
Scholars - -
100.0
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Seventh Day Baptists (Ger-
man, 1728) for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
259
27-5318 — 41-
-18
260 CENSUS or RELIGIOUS BODIES, 193 6
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations) , number
3
-1
4
-1
5
5
Increase * over preceding census:
Number . . . . . . _ ->-
Percent 2 - , - . - -
Members, number - ,. -- - - ~~
137
-7
-4.9
46
3
2
$5,000
$2,500
144
8
5.9
36
4
4
$18,000
$4,500
136
-31
-18 6
27
3
3
$33,000
$11, 000
167
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number
Percent - - - - - .-
Average membership per church
33
6
4
$40, 800
$10, 200
2
$3,600
Church edifices, number ... ...
Value — number reporting - - ..
Amount reported - - -
Average value per church - --
Debt — number reporting , - -.-
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number -
2
$382
3
$2,400
$1,000
$900
$500'
$800
3
24
144
5
$1,980
$1,605
$375
Pastors' salaries - - --- -
All other salaries - -
Repairs and improvements
$110
Payment on church debt> excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest...
Local relief and charitv, Red Cross, etc - -
$102
$50
$70
Home missions - -
Foreign missions _._ _.___._,
To general headquarters for distribution
$15
$35
All other purposes -
Not classified --.
Average expenditure per church
$191
2
12
105
$396
3
24
152
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
2
13
130
Officers and teachers - - -.
Scholars -
i A minus sign (-) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
Among the earlier settlers in the United States was John Conrad Beissel, who
with others arrived in Boston in the fall of 1720. They reached Philadelphia
October 20, 1720.
These people fled from the Palatinate in Germany on account of religious
persecution. John Conrad Beissel was a skilled baker and an adept in music.
He became converted in 1715, then 25 years of age. In due course of time he
joined the Pietists. Because of persecutions by his fellow craftsmen and church
authorities he decided to come to America and join the brotherhood on the Wis-
sahickon in the vicinity of Germantown, Pa., arriving in 1720.
Great was his surprise when he learned that the community had ceased to
exist as an organized body. Kelpius, their leader, was dead; Koster, a promi-
nent member, had returned to Germany; and others were scattered. Some
lived nearby as hermits.
Matthai, a hermit whom Beissel consulted, advised him to remain in German-
town for a time and learn the weaver's art. Acting upon this advice, he inden-
tured himself to one Peter Becker, of Germantown, who. had come from the
Schwartzenau community in Germany the year before (1719), and who later
became the founder of the German Baptist Brethren, or Dunkards.
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Miss Emma C. Monn, secretary of the Seventh Day Baptist Missionary
Board, Waynesboro, Pa., and approved by her in its present form.
SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS (GERMAN, 1728) 261
Beissel was cordially received into the devout family of his master. He sug-
gested to Becker that he call together his former companions to try to renew
their religious zeal, advice which he evidently followed.
Having finished his trade of weaver, Beissel now determined to carry out
his original purpose, and with a former companion visited the Conestoga Valley
in Lancaster County. There in the primitive forest by a spring they built a
cabin on the banks of the Muhlbach (Mill Creek), a branch of the Conestoga
River. The two men entered upon a life of seclusion and prayer. They exhorted
their neighbors when opportunity offered and imparted instruction to young
men who were sent to them. This was virtually a free school, the curriculum
strictly religious and moral.
Later others of Beissel's ship companions joined him. Religious meetings
were held regularly in the small hut in the forest and about the country as oppor-
tunity offered. They also visited different communities or settlements. Their
mode of life, earnest exhortations, and revival services aroused much attention
among the settlers.
In 1722 the Germantown Baptists began to make journeys to the scattered
ones through the Province (Pennsylvania) and to hold religious services. On
December 25, 1723, some candidates for baptism chose Peter Becker as their
baptizer. Following this they organized into a congregation. They continued
to make journeys and hold services with the other communities. In 1724 Beissel
submitted to baptism by his friend and former master, Peter Becker. Beissel
and two of his companions were then already observers of the seventh day as
the Sabbath.
The newly baptized elected Beissel as their teacher. Upon his ordination to
this office a large measure of the spirit rested upon him and he conducted all
meetings with astonishing strength. This congregation held its first love feast
December 1724.
In the year 1728 Beissel published a little book on the Sabbath. It was so
effective that the congregation now publicly adopted the Sabbath as the day for
divine services. The observance of the Sabbath brought persecution. They
were imprisoned by the authorities and fined. This congregation consisted of
both the solitary and householders.
They had been much beholden in divine work to the Germantown Baptists.
But as they embraced and taught doctrines such as celibacy and the observance
of the seventh day as the Sabbath, which were at variance with the tenets of the
Germantown Baptists or Dunkards, dissensions arose, and Beissel and hi? follow-
ers formally withdrew from them, and organized as Seventh Day Baptists in
December 1728.
In 1732 Beissel left his congregation and removed to Ephrata, a few miles
distant. Here he was joined by others of both sexes who shared his ideas and
whom he organized into the Ephrata Society. Celibacy was enjoined. Separate
houses were built for the two sexes, each of which was organized in monastic
fashion, the "brothers7 house" having its prior, the "sisters' hDuse" its pri6ress.
The society grew rapidly. Industries were organized on the communistic plan,
which flourished. But Beissel thought them out of harmony with the spiritual
purpose of the community; they were, therefore, soon greatly curtailed and kept
subordinate to the religious idea. Ephrata had, however, one of the first schools
(1735) in that part of the country, and its printing establishment (1742) was one
of the earliest and best. A Sabbath school (for Bible study) was organized there
by Ludwig Hocker, assisted by his sister (1738).
As time advanced the celibate membership diminished. Toward the close of
the nineteenth century, celibacy as a feature of the society had disappeared
entirely, the properties being under control of a board of trustees.
About 1764 a settlement of Seventh Day Baptists was made at Snow Hill,
3 miles north of Waynesboro, Franklin County, Pa. Members from Lancaster
County and other places joined them. Here, too, a Seventh Day Baptist Society
was organized (1800). Its government was similar to that of Ephrata, but the
building was more modern. Religious services were held in the saal, a large room
in the building for that purpose. Later (1829) a church was built nearby. The
last member of this society died in 1894. The property was legally transferred to
the congregation in 1900. In each of these communities the members of the
congregation and the societies met for worship.
Formerly the German language was used in religious services. Gradually came
the change to English, which is now used exclusively.
262 CENSUS OF EELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
The points of doctrine on which special emphasis is laid are: (1) The inspiration
of the Bible; (2) one God, the Father, and Jesus Christ, his Son, the Mediator; (3)
the Ten Commandments as still the rule of righteousness for all mankind; (4)
baptism by trine forward immersion ; (5) foot washing in connection with the com-
munion service; (6) the anointing of the sick; (7) the blessing of infants; (8)
observance of the seventh day as Sabbath; (9) induction to the ministry by personal
request for ordination, instead of election by the congregation as formerly. The
doctrine of nonresistance is held to be involved in the sixth commandment.
Each congregation elects delegates to the General Conference which convenes
annually the second week in June. Ministers are delegates by virtue of their
office, and are entitled to vote.
Home missionary work is under the care of the missionary board. There is no
special educational or philanthropic work.
NATIONAL BAPTIST EVANGELICAL LIFE AND SOUL
SAVING ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul
Saving Assembly of the United States of America for the year 1936 is presented
in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and
rural territory.
The membership of this denomination consists of persons who feel that it is
their duty to seek daily to save lost souls and reclaim backsliders.
This body was not reported prior to 1936, hence no comparative data are
available.
TABLE 1. — SUMMAKY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT
OF TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
28
2,300
82
966
1,334
72 4
245
1,873
182
11.6
21
20
$84, 459
$68, 834
$15, 625
$4, 223
5
$2, 787
1
6
6
$4, 650
26
$12,901
$5, 726
$1,061
$1, 597
$3,037
$329
$253
$405
$159
$293
$41
$496
26
214
950
21
1,241
59
515
726
70 9
107
952
182
10.1
15
14
$49, 059
$33, 434
$15, 625
$3,504
3
$1, 587
1
6
6
$4, 650
19
$10,624
$4, 671
$861
$962
$2, 937
$279
$179
$277
$124
$293
$41
$559
19
147
622
7
1, 059
151
451
608
74.2
138
921
Members, number
54.0
46.0
Average membership per church. .
Membership by sex:
Male
53 3
54 4
46.7
45.6
Female
Males per 100 females
Membership by age
Under 13 years
43 7
50 8
100 0
56.3
49.2
13 years and over . _
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years2
13 0
6
6
$35, 400
$35, 400
$5,~966~
2
$1, 200
Church edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported. ...
58 1
48 6
100.0
41 9
51.4
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in
1936
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
56.9
43.1
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Expenditures :
Churches reportin0" number
7
$2, 277
$1,055
$200
$635
$100
$50
$74
$128
$35
Amount reported
82.4
81.6
81.1
60.2
96.7
84,8
70 8
68 4
78 0
100.0
17.6
18 4
18.9
39.8
3.3
15.2
29.2
31.6
22.0
Pastors' salaries .
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest . _ _
Local relief ^and charity, Red Cross, etc..-
Home missions -
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
A.verE2re expenditure per church
$325
7
67
328
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers -
68.7
G5.5
31.3
34.5
Scholars __ __ -
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
263
264
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
State tables. — Tables 2, 3, and 4 present the statistics for 1936 for the National
Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Saving Assembly of the United States of
America by States. Table 2 gives for each State the number and membership
of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory
and membership classified by sex and by age. Table 3 shows the value of churches
and parsonages, the amount of debt on church edifices, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 4 presents the church expenditures, showing separately current ex-
penses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial
statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 3 and 4^is limited
to those States in which three or more churches reported value and expenditures.
TABLE 2. — NUMBEB AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHUECHES IN UBBAN AND RUBAL
TERRITOBY, AND MEMBERSHIP BY SEX AND BY AGE, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OP
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP
BY SEX
MEMBERSHIP BY
AGE
I
P
"3
1
"«
§
1
&
2
s
£
1
Femalo
|
<x> J2
Q|
8-2
3
Under 13 years
13 years and over
Age not reported
CO
8
T3
a
I
United States
28
21
7
4
1
2
2,300
1,241
1,059
966
100
4
542
181
36
28
15
5
34
13
8
1,334
145
6
755
170
81
28
17
7
83
30
12
72 4
245
1,873
215
182
10
11.8
12.2
WEST NORTH CENTRAL*
Missouri
3
1
7
2
3
4
2
1
2
2
1
3
1
3
1
1
4
2
1
2
1
245
10
1,297
351
117
56
32
12
117
43
20
245
10
522
160
24
56
32
12
117
43
20
775
191
93
69.0
30
North Dakota
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL
71.8
106.5
157
28
17
3
1,140
163
100
41
32
12.1
14 7
14 5
Oklahoma..-
160
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
12
Wyoming
Utah - -
1
6
3
12
116
37
17
9
PACIFIC:
Washington-
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100
» Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100
TABLE 8. VALUE OF CHUECHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
1
«C5
VALUE OF
CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHUECH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
•o
•S
0
S
X5
fafi
ao
be
bfl
o
0
s
a
a
.3
P)
•g
STATE
*H
<33
-Q
€
S
p^
8,
a
1
1
a
a
g
e
S
M
a
3
a
*_l
S
I
o
.*j
a
o
<K
4^
§
I
•4-3
a
3
I
S2
1
S
S
O
a
d
J3
O
a
jq
a
5
ja
Q
A
EH
13
o
^
Q
•<
Q
«i
O
O
CQ
United States
28
21
20
$84,459
5
$2, 787
6
$4,650
23
214
950
7
7
7
55,700
2
1,200
7
78
512
Other States
21
14
113
28, 759
3
1,587
6
4,650
19
136
438
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Missouri, Texas, Idaho, Utah, and Washington;
and 1 in each of the following— Montana, Wyoming, and Oregon.
BAPTIST LIFE AND SOUL SAVING ASSEMBLY
265
TABLE 4. — CHUECH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
(Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
S
43
?,
EXPENDITURES
£
o
bfl
q
o
b So
Ss
I
s
£
*o
<»
3
a
3s
*j s
o
n
Cf
r?
STATE
1
fi
!
0
*C
CB
1
03
1
|t
§1
a'S
2.2
a
1
o
1
cS
|I
a
1
0
a
03
E
1
&
§S'|
III
£
a
M
a
1
a
03
+»
O
D.
p>»c?.J2
j~3 P*9
a
s
©
§j
o
o
O
CO
0
CB
ri
o
u
f-
<!
PL,
o
•J
w
<J
United States
28
26
S12, 901
$5, 726
$1,061
$1, 597
$3,037
S329
$253
$405
8159
$293
$41
Missouri
3
3
2,715
1,720
250
300
73
100
100
160
1ft
Louisiana
7
7
3,173
1,700
345
620
100
75
111
149
40
Texas
3
3
602
505
15
38
5
20
Montana
4
4
195
51
115
10
7
12
Other States
11
19
6,216
1,750
466
562
2,937
166
96
128
21
61
29
1 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Idaho, Washington, and Utah; and 1 in each of the
following— Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Oregon.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
The National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Saving Assembly of the United
States of America was founded by A. A. Banks, November 25, 1920, in Kansas
City, Mo. The first session of the assembly was held in St. Stephen Baptist
Church of that city. For 15 years this body was affiliated with the National
Baptist Convention Unincorporated, but differences arose and in September
1936, in Birmingham, Ala., the National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Sav-
ing Assembly declared itself to be an independent organization.
This body has always done relief work and has majored in the soul saving
business. Its aim has been for each member to add one member to the kingdom
annually.
The assembly is now establishing headquarters in all of the leading cities of
the United States when suitable workers can be found to look after the work.
The intention of the founder is to make the organization world-wide. The aim
of the organization is 1,000,000 souls for Christ annually through its many
workers.
i This statement was prepared from information furnished by A. A. Banks, founder and executive captain
of the National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Saving Assembly of the United States ol America, Mus-
kogee, Okla.
GENERAL STATEMENT
The general statement of the early history of the Brethren, Bunkers, or
German Baptist Brethren, is presented very largely In the section for the Church
of the Brethren (Conservative Bunkers), the oldest and largest of these bodies.
In view of the fact that they have been popularly known, not as "German
Baptist Brethren," but as "Bunkers," or "Dunkards/' that name has been preserved.
The bodies grouped under the name German Baptist Brethren (Bunkers) in
1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906, are listed in the table following, with the principal
statistics as reported for the four census periods. One member of this group,
reported in 1916 and 1906 as Get man Seventh Bay Baptists and in 1926 as
Seventh Bay Baptists (German, 1728), has requested to be included with the
Baptists Bodies in 1936 The body known as Old Order German Baptist Brethren
in 1916 and 1906, and in 1926 as Old German Baptist Brethren, is shown in 1936
as Old German Baptist Brethren (Old Order Bunkers).
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR THE GERMAN BAPTIST BRETHREN (BUNKERS),
1936, 1926, 1916, AND 1906
DENOMINATION AND CENSUS YEAR
i~t
o
"° OJ
, — i rS
C3
H
Number of membeis
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDI-
FICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
1936
Total for the group
1,381
188, 290
1,243
S9, 900, 815
1,333
SI, 720, 956
1,104
138, 123
Church of the Brethren (Conservative
DunkGrs) -
1,143
67
163
8
1,279
153, 516
3,589
30, 636
549
158,248
1,027
60
148
8
1,206
7, 636, 440
133, 100
2, 113, 753
17, 522
11,110,013
1,105
60
160
8
1,182
1, 285, 817
10, 939
422, 093
2,107
2, 293, 622
950
113, 771
Old German Baptist Brethren (Old Or-
der Dunkers) _ - - _ - -
The Brethren Church (Progressive
Dunkers)
146
8
1,067
23, 871
481
133, 483
Church of God (New Dunkers) . _.
1936
Total for the group
Church of the Brethren (Conservative
Dunkers)
1,030
62
174
4
9
1,283
128, 392
3, 036
26, 026
144
650
133, 626
968
59
166
4
9
1,188
8, 630, 499
161, 450
2, 274, 064
18, 000
26, 000
5, 055, 835
951
53
166
3
9
1,154
I, 744, 755
18, 781
523, 681
2,400
4,005
924, 630
895
109, 891
Old German Baptist Brethren . . .
The Brethren Church (Progressive
Dunkers)
160
3
9
1,097
22, 917
144
531
136, 365
Seventh Day Baptists (German, 1728) 1..
Church of God (New Dunkers) ..
1916
Total for the group
Church of the Brethren (Conservative
Dunkers) . -
997
67
201
5
13
1,090
105, 102
3, 399
24, 060
136
929
97, 144
928
60
184
3
13
974
3, 990, 898
107, 212
896, 725
33, 000
28, 000
2, 802, 532
911
43
185
4
11
705, 725
7,120
204, 562
1,980
5,243
899
111,686
Old Order German Baptist Brethren
The Brethren Church (Progressive
Dunkers)
183
3
12
866
708
23, 728
152
799
78, 575
66, 595
German Seventh Day Baptists l ... ...
Church of God (New Dunkers)
1906
Total for the group
German Baptist Brethren Church, Con-
servative _. - _ ._
=============
815
68
202
5
76, 547
3, 388
17, 042'
167,
741
57
172
4
2, 198, 957
89, 800
472, 975
40, 800
Old Order German Baptist Brethren ...
The Brethren Church (Progressive
Dunkers)
156
2
11, 850
130
Ofirmnn Seventh Day Baptists i
!
1 Included with Baptist Bodies for 1936 Census.
266
CHURCH OF THE (CONSERVATIVE BUNKERS)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of the Brethren (Conservative Bunkers)
for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these
figures between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from
schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual
churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination comprises baptized believers who have
been enrolled as members upon personal profession of faith. Baptism is by trine
immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
1,113
153, 51 fi
134
04, 171
79, 942
9, 403
SO. 3
11, ISO
130,153
12, 174
7 9
1, 092
1,027
$7, 636, 440
$7, 101,223
$235,217 ]
$7, 436
120
$1,033,605
671
270
264
$903, 670
1,105
$1,285,817
$393, 394
$78, 213
$132, 799
$92, 730
$227, 609
$42,791
$P8, 72«S
$98, 234
$85, 591
$65 725
273
56, 248
206
24, 474
31,173
601
78 5
5,191
49, 81 1
1,246
9 4
265
252
$4, 102, 384
! $3,9S4,467
1 $117.917
| $16,279
77
$752, 850
136
120
117
$464, 900
270
$6f»4, 003
$202, 153
$44, 893
$64, 433
$72, 348
$139,112
$16,913
$24, 305
$37, 4SP
$38, 502
$21 158
$2, 461
250
5, 262
42, 553
S2
820
6,465
870
97, 268
112
39, 697
48, 769
8,802
81 4
5. 998
80, 342
10, 928
6 9
827
$3, 534, 056
$3, 416, 756
$117,300
$4, 560
43
$280, 755
535
150
147
$438, 770
835
$621,214
$191,241
$33,320
$68, 366
$20,382
$88, 497
$25, 881
$44, 423
$60, 748
$47,089
$41,267
$744
700
10, 069
71,218
165
1,308
10, 140
23 9
36 G
76.1
63 4
Members, number
Average membership per church
Membership by sex
Male
3S 1
39 0
6 4
61 9
61 0
93 6
Female
Sex not reported -
Males per 100 females
Membership by age
Under 1 3 years - -
46 4
38 3
10 2
53 6
fil.7
89.8
13 years and over
Aa;e not reported .. -
Percent under 13 years *
Church edifices, number
24 3
24 5
53 7
53 8
50 1
75 7
75 5
46 3
46 2
49. 9
Value — number reporting
Amount reported - - ,
Constructed prior to 1936. __
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1930.
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting _
64 2
72 8
20 3
44 4
44.3
51.4
24 4
51.7
51.4
57 4
48 5
78.0
61 1
39 5
35 4
38 2
45.0
37 2
35 8
27.2
79.7
55. 6
55.7
48.6
75.6
48.3
48 6
42 6
51.5
22.0
38 9
60 5
64.6
61 S
55 0
62.8
Amount reported - -
Number reportin01 "no debt"
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting _ . .
Amount reported
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
A mount reported
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries --
Repairs and improvements -
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc..-
Home missions -
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution. .
A TTpr <rp fivnpridilnrf* "ner rhnrch"
$1, 104
950
15, 331
113,771
247
2,134
16, 605
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting number
26 3
34 3
37.4
33 2
38.7
38.9
73.7
65.7
62.6
66 8
61.3
81.1
Officers and teachers ---
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting number
Scholars.-- -
i Based on membership with age classification reported.
267
268
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY. 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Weekday religious schools:
Churches reporting, number „-
15
106
1,012
7
102
666
6
51
687
4
70
566
9
55
325
3
32
100
(2)
48.1
67.9
(2)
68.6
85 0
(2)
51.9
32.1
(2)
31 4
15 0
Officers and 'teachers
Scholars
Parochial schools :
C hurches reporti ng, number ._
Officers and teachers - - --- -
Scholars _- --
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of the Brethren
(Conservative Dunkers) for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number -- .-
1,143
1,030
997
815
Increase over preceding census:
Number
113
33
182
Percent
11 0
3.3
22.3
Members, number -
153, 516
128, 392
105, 102
76, 547
Increase over preceding census:
Number
25, 124
23,290
28, 555
Percent
19.6
22 2
37.3
Average membership per church
134
125
105
94
Church edifices, number
1,092
1.254
1,340
1,186
Value — number reporting _..
1,027
968
928
741
Amount reported
$7, 636, 440
$8,630,499
$3, 990, 898
$2, 198, 957
Average value per church
$7, 436
$8, 916
$4, 301
$2, 968
Debt — number reporting
120
131
116
84
Amount reported
$1,033,605
$676, 584
$129, 705
$38, 109
Parsonages, number
270
Value — number reporting _____..
264
201
65
33
Amount reported - --
$903, 670
$923, 820
$160, 300
$56, 600
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, mini bar _ ^^^..^ ,.
1, 105
951
911
Amount reported. _ __
$1, 285, 817
$1, 744, 755
$705, 725
Pastors' salaries
$393, 394
}
4.11 other salaries
$78. 213
Repairs and improvements
$132, 799
}$1, 214, 930
$455, 581
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest-
Local relief and chanty, Red Cross, etc
$92, 730
$227, 609
$42, 794
!v
Home missions
$68, 728
Foreign missions
$98, 234
$515, 260
$250, 144
To general headquarters for distribution
$85, 591
All other purposes .
$65, 725
Not classified
$14,565
Average expenditure per church.,.
$1, 164
$1, 835
$775
Sunday schools:
nh\irnhf>.s reporting, PUTriber
950
895
899
708
Officers and teachers.
15, 331
13, 021
12, 629
9,212
Scholars _„ .
113, 771
109, 891
111, 686
66, 595
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Church of the
Brethren (Conservative Dunkers) by States, Table 3 gives for each State for
1936 the number and membership of the churches classified according to their
location in urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for
Sunday schools. Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership
of the churches for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the mem-
CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN (CONSERVATIVE BUNKERS') 269
bership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and
over." Table 5 shows the value of churches and parsonages and the amount of
debt on church edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expend-
itures, showing separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc.
In order to avoid, disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church,
separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or
more churches reported value and expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each district in the Church of
the Brethren (Conservative Dunkers), the more important statistical data for 1936
shown by States in the preceding tables, including number of churches, member-
ship, value and debt on church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL TER-
RITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEM-
BERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
3
o
£
£
«
3
£
g
,0
£
1
r2
"3
%
Female
8
«3
Pl
X
#
§
$3
a-
1""
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States
1,143
278
870
153, 516
56, 248
97, 268
64, 171
79, 942
9,403
80.3
950
4
1
183
91
101
39
27
6
7
31
26
9
11
41
2
38
15, 381
74
14
4,038
1,601
1,657
635
365
54
82
465
288
91
153
626
35
662
113,771
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
4
I
2
2
1
175
67
79
27
21
5
7
27
25
9
10
33
2
39
"166
80
19
"""S
2
17
3
2
7
3
2
5
8
1
7
4
12
450
52
40,024
16, 591
16,958
5,907
2,507
616
756
3,942
2,442
471
1,364
5,184
237
7,772
730
22, 791
7,246
1,979
34
567
73
1,942
285
167
757
238
116
1,390
1,322
149
175
1,672
567
6,043
228
222
52
22, 253
10,981
10,200
3,431
1,373
484
629
3,022
1,768
418
923
3,017
237
5,255
18," 658
6,360
1,689
204
20
16,508
7,195
7,245
2,362
1,123
287
356
1,791
1,021
209
623
2,302
96
3,620
338
8,859
2,248
868
19
251
40
823
130
75
330
104
42
668
622
56
73
742
239
2,682
246
32
82 9
354
88
33,502
12,251
13,260
4,382
2,106
335
497
3,228
1,539
490
871
4,063
209
5,867
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
239
97
107
41
28
6
9
34
31
10
14
46
2
64
30
28
14
7
1
2
7
6
1
4
13
17,771
5,610
6, 75S
2,476
1,134
132
127
920
674
53
441
2,167
21, 092
8,796
8,852
2,975
1,384
329
400
2,151
1,254
262
741
2,882
141
4,152
392
11,339
2,984
1,111
15
316
33
1,119
155
92
414
134
74
722
700
93
102
930
328
3,200
2,424
600
861
570
78 3
81 8
81.8
79.4
81 3
87.2
89.0
83 3
81 4
79 8
84 1
79 9
68.1
87.2
86 2
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana „
Illinois
Michigan. _
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL-
Minnesota. ..
"167
lowa.-
Missouri... _
North Dakota
Nebraska..
.::::
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
49
1
183
85
22
1
11
2
10
1
17
5
3
1
8
2,517
730
4,133
886
290
34
449
"""433
"~27§
60
55
990
554
125
175
1,226
292
4,535
—
District of Columbia.
Virginia
2,593
2,014
78.1
75.3
78.1
126
70
18
1
10
2
17
2
1
8
4
3
10
9
2
1
14
7
28
1,818
712
140
6
111
17
149
20
12
114
28
20
135
142
28
19
252
82
686
13,681
4,318
1,225
46
565
65
957
90
56
701
136
88
1,029
926
146
90
1,442
368
4,800
West Virginia. __
North Carolina
South Carolina
Florida
118
73
1,509
285
167
484
178
61
400
768
24
446
275
1,508
79 4
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee. .
20
3
3
-----
73.5
83.9
Alabama
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Louisiana
2
Oklahoma
11
4
3
11
12
2
1
14
8
29
4
1
1
6
4
1
1
7
4
17
13
79.7
77.6
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho _
92.5
88.9
Colorado
New ^Mexico
Arizona
71.6
79.8
72.9
83.8
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
161
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
270
CENSUS OE RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY~STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches m either 1930, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
193G
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1016
1906
CO
|l
p
h
o o
*li
CO 03
40
013
a -S
bfl <u
<} ^
12, 174
flaj
©— <
«£
t-i-C
<r> c
Pn*
7 9
8 4
8 0
8 2
8 4
5 8
8 1
8 9
5.2
8.1
6 0
.2
8 2
10 6
6 2
6 9
12 1
9 5
7 9
4 7
7.7
United States _
1,143
1,030
997
815
153.516
128, 392
105, 102
76, 547
11, 189
130, 153
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
4
239
97
107
41
28
0
9
34
31
10
14
46
49
183
85
22
11
20
3
3
109
109
121
51
28
9
40
34
19
17
57
37
102
49
18
9
24
2
5
2
14
5
4
12
12
2
2
18
9
32
8
3
142
104
123
55
27
5
8
42
37
21
65
30
78
21
5
18
2
8
1
19
9
4
10
16
4
3
16
11
32
7
1
105
90
101
48
18
7
8
41
41
17
24
62
23
59
43
14
16
1
9
3
24
5
1
7
6
.
9
9
1C
6
450
40,021
16, 591
16, 958
5,907
2,507
616
750
3,942
2,442
471
1,364
5,184
7,772
22, 791
7, 246
1,979
567
1,942
285
262
33, 671
14, 342
14, 678
6,071
1,860
580
756
3,743
2,445
570
1,388
5,237
6,613
16, 875
4,956
1,300
416
1, 573
136
162
140
653
332
152
850
1,427
137
165
1,503
444
4,303
652
185
27, 457
11, 944
12, 558
5, 029
1,421
251
531
3,688
1,868
1, 053
1, 254
4,940
5,397
12, 712
4,179
964
118
1,285
92
149
129
925
333
223
743
956
201
127
882
353
2,654
501
100
18,889
9, 076
9,949
3,848
914
253
365
2, 504
1,881
1, 311
1, 096
3,905
3,667
9,078
3, 457
744
38
2,953
1,299
1,369
283
203
55
39
298
137
1
107
535
459
1,358
614
180
45
90
22
412
34, 131
14, 460
14, 966
4,621
2,304
561
717
3,382
2,138
409
1,205
4,514
6, 956
18, 237
4,477
1,718
522
1,839
263
"2," 940
832
623
1,003
Pennsylvania,
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois -- -
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NOETH CENTRAL
Iowa
262
167
61
52
135
357
3,196
2,155
81
Missouri _
North Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Virginia -.
West Vnginia
North Carolina
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee
1,104
52
172
98
861
142
16
476
339
13
Alabama
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Arkansas
Louisiana
2
11
4
3
11
12
2
1
14
8
29
27
167
757
238
116
1,390
1,322
149
175
1,672
507
6,043
1,126
2
64
7
3
101
126
11
15
94
27
561
93
135
660
231
113
1,289
1,196
138
160
1,557
540
5,321
981
30
33
1 5
8 8
2 9
2.6
7 3
9 5
7 4
8 6
5 7
4 8
9.5
8.7
Oklahoma -
Texas - -
MOUNTAIN-
Montana
Idaho
Colorado
21
New Mexico
Arizona - -
36
453
410
1,070
281
PACIFIC
Washington -
Oregon
California
161
52
Other States
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
J Includes New Jersey, 1, Delaware, 2; District of Columbia, 1; South Carolina, 1; and Kentucky, 2.
CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN (CONSERVATIVE BUNKERS') 271
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total number of
churches
Number of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
1,143
1,092
1,027
$7, 636, 440
120
81, 033, 605
264
$903, 670
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
239
97
107
41
28
6
9
34
31
10
14
46
49
183
85
22
227
95
107
40
28
6
8
33
31
10
12
43
47
176
73
21
11
18
3
10
4
3
11
11
13
8
28
15
215
88
99
39
27
5
8
33
29
8
12
39
46
166
64
21
11
18
3
10
3
3
10
11
12
7
27
2 13
2, 638, 036
870, 600
691,867
386, 200
115, 385
8,600
29,200
198, 425
78,450
17,200
51, 900
325, 296
390, 425
777, 014
105, 875
24,100
40,800
47, 550
2,700
36,950
4,800
2,150
30, 975
63,350
123,975
23,700
448, 517
102, 400
32
15
12
1
5
1
1
2
1
373,976
259, 117
23, 142
2,900
30,060
600
600
2,600
120
60
30
25
22
1
o
2
13
6
1
8
15
8
18
7
295. 800
109, 720
71, 800
105, 500
0)
0)
(')
37, 000
15, 500
0)
23, 150
29,450
27, 500
57,500
10, 050
EAST NORTH CENTRAI:
Ohio
Indiana ._
Illinois .
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL.
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
Nebraska _ .. _
3
4
5
10
3
2
1
4
11, TOO
24,635
56, 114
92,863
705
125
1,000
6,125
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC.
Maryland .
Virginia. __
West Virginia
North Carolina
Florida
11
20
3
11
4
3
11
12
14
8
29
16
1
1
(')
0)
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Tennessee
Alabama __
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma
3
8,400
2
1
0)
(0
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Mlontana
Idaho
1
2
2
365
3,700
25,000
6
5
4
3
16
7
10,950
7,200
11,200
3,400
45, 600
42,350
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon _
California
7
3
94, §16
15,418
Other States
i Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
> Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— New York, Delaware, Kentucky, and New Mexico;
and I in each of the following— New Jersey, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Arizona, and the District
of Columbia.
272
CEN'SOT OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
United States
1,143
1,105
4
232
97
106
40
28
6
9
33
27
9
13
44
49
178
78
21
10
19
3
9
4
3
11
11
14
8
28
i 11
81,285,817
8,667
346, 816
159,351
140,371
68,174
25, 960
2,252
6,443
45, 557
10, 683
2,199
9,238
50, 721
72, 253
121,037
20, 782
7,072
5,839
6,180
192
8,111
2,637
323
11,876
8,456
15.336
7,734
101, 510
20,047
S393, 394
S78, 213
$132, 799
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York . __
4
239
97
107
41
28
6
9
34
31
10
14
46
49
183
85
22
11
20
3
11
4
3
11
12
14
8
29
12
3,338
98, 144
53, 145
40, 405
25, 926
7,545
1,204
2,460
14, 041
4,819
688
4,527
21,003
15,926
33, 286
8,980
2,265
800
2,242
1,122
24, 591
7,063
6,479
4,310
1,366
30
98
1,561
433
183
229
2,738
6,950
7,148
1,397
38
12
645
450
32, 205
16, 867
12, 822
6,126
2,763
19
1,360
7, 425
657
64
782
4,287
11, 870
10, 765
2,221
457
1,929
643
25
171
1,050
23
988
397
779
764
12, 742
2,136
Pennsylvania.
EAST NORTH CENTRAL
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa _ _ __
Missouri
North Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee
Alabama . .
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma
2,240
900
61
6,236
3,960
3,898
2,380
26, 913
6,062
207
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
27
552
308
962
266
8,478
1,020
Idaho
Colorado _ _.
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
Other States
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States — Delaware, Louisiana, and New Mexico; and 1 in each
of the following— New Jersey, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Arizona, and the District of Columbia.
GHUKCH OF THE BRETHREN (CONSERVATIVE BUNKERS') 273
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other cur-
rent ex-
penses, in-
cluding
interest
Local
relief and
chanty
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States. __
$92, 730
$227, 609
725
73, 860
24, 159
21, 929
9,409
6,149
179
777
5,181
1,266
530
1,894
6,103
11,324
25, 433
2,053
750
1,125
642
35
928
248
126
1,386
1,620
3,605
1,566
20,365
4,242
$42, 794
$68, 728
66
14, 183
12, 748
10, 021
5,355
1,323
37
507
2,909
511
235
257
1,977
1,761
6,314
624
425
302
216
55
178
125
10
695
167
940
390
5,787
610
$98, 234
210
28, 468
11,459
13, 317
7,164
1,545
35
16
5,977
445
63
136
2,948
6,048
6,383
2,364
316
1,234
261
5
463
25
$85, 591
100
28,900
9,496
11,943
2,023
1,935
88
370
2,106
527
267
546
1,453
3,328
11, 853
455
558
128
152
5
422
119
34
601
308
527
690
4,924
1,733
S65, 725
798
13, 506
11,232
9,135
5, 425
348
608
511
3,944
1,583
128
283
3,345
3,068
5,389
381
947
79
554
52
345
170
42
267
378
415
943
1,337
512
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1,600
21, 357
8,273
8,956
856
2,231
52
300
620
156
258
11,599
4,909
5, 364
1,580
755
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan. _
Wisconsin _
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota-
35
1,793
286
41
354
1,048
3,201
4,701
599
1,097
170
535
15
157
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
Nebraska
230
5,819
8,777
9,765
1,708
219
60
290
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Virginia
West Virginia.
North Carolina
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee
Alabama
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Oklahoma
3,000
Texas
MOUNTAIN.
Montana
Idaho
80
433
3,154
32
12, 101
2,661
650
441
340
475
1,930
461
421
444
716
228
6,933
610
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
Other States
274
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY DISTRICTS, 1936
DISTRICT
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALVE OF
cnimcH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHUECH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOIP
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
Total
1,143
153,516
1,027
87, 636, 440
120
$1, 033, 605
1,105
81, 285, 817
950
113,771
Californn northern
16
14
10
3
11
12
25
2,405
3,813
1, 100
246
567
1,445
4, 084
2,439
5,799
7,820
3,471
1,498
2, 153
1, 047
1,756
699
716
2,013
4,216
3,463
985
2,270
805
1, 118
519
1,364
1,389
532
5, 031
2,972
8,731
942
567
10, 253
9,984
3, 483
6, 003
11, 261
2,474
345
2,622
5, 469
7,224
6,185
4,593
1,672
3,207
766
15
13
9
3
11
11
23
21
33
46
21
13
16
12
14
5
33
20
16
9
25
8
10
11
12
19
10
29
23
38
12
7
67
48
IS
36
56
25
3
25
30
59
42
34
12
27
10
80, 000
372, 017
58, 850
7, 500
40, 800
31, 975
307, 600
87, 200
287, 500
282, 267
125, 600
73, 000
122, 550
32, 075
98, 229
23, 457
31, 610
172, 000
190,450
214, 500
19, 475
109,885
30, 000
29, 150
19, 300
51, 900
17, 600
18, 350
297, 000
134, 550
442, 250
44, 750
23, 700
626, 415
466, 975
304, 300
349, 696
888, 950
54, 750
4, 500
52, 661
299, 650
201, 975
187, 650
81, 150
123, 975
46, 300
10, 400
3
4
2
~"l
1
2
3,700
90, 610
3,700
I,~666
365
3,500
15
14
9
10
12
25
21
35
49
24
H
17
11
17
5
8
14
22
20
10
25
8
9
10
13
20
11
31
24
44
11
8
70
51
19
42
59
25
5
26
33
68
42
41
14
32
9
24, 687
78, 793
6, 779
2.277
5,839
12, 064
49, 341
21, 085
50, 760
67, 407
23, 095
16, 058
28, 411
7,531
13, 023
4, 305
4,891
28, 502
49, 801
29, 215
4, 725
24, 425
3,184
5,470
2,029
9,238
4,755
2,334
51, 094
30, 399
79, 477
11, 270
7,734
95, OOS
65, 344
54, 241
48,171
98, 175
6.762
1,338
15, 753
43, 086
30, 173
28, 810
12,205
15,336
10, 664
753
15
14
8
2
10
11
25
20
34
47
22
13
15
10
17
5
8
11
18
14
7
24
8
9
9
11
17
11
30
21
42
10
7
43
44
19
33
52
23
4
17
31
45
33
28
14
28
11
1,817
3,073
778
1Q8
565
1,070
2,914
1,803
4,169
6, 720
2,506
1,225
1, 564
936
1,453
558
595
1,457
2,809
2,778
467
1,851
532
680
327
R71
776
537
3, 549
2,660
6,187
847
3t>8
8, 988
8,256
3,209
5, 204
8,632
1,197
142
1,260
3, 420
4,206
4,267
2,515
1,442
1,898
495
California, southern and
Arizona
Colorado, eastern - _-.
Colorado, western and Utah- ..
Florida and Georgia
Idaho, and western Montana..
Illinois, northern and Wiscon-
sin
Illinoi^ southern
22
36
49
24
14
17
12
18
6
8
14
22
20
10
25
10
10
11
14
21
12
31
24
44
13
8
73
51
19
45
60
27
5
27
33
72
44
42
14
32
13
Indiana, middle
5
7
5,600
17, 542
Indiana, northern
lows middle
1
2
2,100
1,100
Iowa', northern, Minnesota
and South Dakota
lows southern
Kansas .northeastern - -
2
9,000
Kansas northwestern
Kansas southeastern
1
1
4
2
1
5
635
15, 000
28, 272
38, 068
2,750
30, 060
Kansas, southwestern _
Maryland eastern
Maryland, middle .-
Maryland western
TVCicnisan
Missouri middle
Missouri northern
1
120
Missouri, southern and Arkan-
sas
Nebraska
3
3
"s
1
6
3
" 7
5
2
~19
4
11, 730
235
North and South Carolina. ..
North Dakota and eastern
Montana ~- --
Ohio northeastern
26, 519
4,000
228, 598
8,400
Ohio northwestern .
Ohio southern ., .
Oklahoma, Panhandle of
Texas, and New Mexico
Oregon
Ponnsyl vania, eastern _
62, 950
21, 000
12, 150
" "280," 276
6,125
Pennsylvania middle
Pennsylvania, southeastern;
New Jersey; and east New
York
Pennsylvania southern
Pennsylvania, western
Tennessee
Texas and Louisiana
Virginia, eastern _.
1
4
2
3, 500
84, 788
2,400
Virginia, first
Virginia northern
Virginia second
Virginia southern
3
2
1
1
2,175
25, 000
500
137
Washington
West Virginia, first
West Virann, second
CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN ( CONSERVATIVE BUNKERS') 275
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
Among the various communities which arose toward the close of the seven-
teenth century for the purpose of emphasizing the inner life of the Christian above
creed and dogma, ritual and form, and ceremony and church polity, one of the
most influential, though not widely known, was that of the Pietists of Germany.
They did not arise as protestants against Catholicism, but rather as protestants
against what they considered the barrenness of Protestantism itself. With no
Eurpose of organizing a sect, they created no violent upheaval, but started a
ealthy wave of spiritual action within the state churches already organized.
Among their leaders were Philip Jacob Spener and August Herman Francke, who
together organized and supervised the mission, industrial, and orphan school at
Halle. They gave a great impulse to the critical study of the Bible, struck a
plane of moderation in theology, revived an interest in church history, and left a
lasting testimony in at least one organization, the Church of the Brethren.
Among the students at the Halle School was Ernst Christoph Hochmann, who,
after varying experiences of expulsion, arrest, ascetic life, and confinement in
Castle Detmold, retired to Schwarzenau, where he came into intimate association
with Alexander Mack, with whom he went on various preaching tours. In 1708,
at Schwarzenau, eight of these Pietists went from the house of Alexander Mack
to the River Eder. One of them, chosen by lot, led Alexander Mack into the
water and immersed him three times in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost. Then Alexander Mack baptized the other seven and these
eight, probably the first to receive trine immersion in the history of the Protestant
Church, organized a new congregation which became the basis of the Taufer,
Tunkers or Dunkers, Dompelaars, German Baptist Brethren, or Church of the
Brethren, as they have been variously called, as a separate church.
The members of the new organization waived the question of apostolic succes-
sion, subscribed to no written creed, differed from other Pietists in that they were
not averse to church organization, did not abandon the ordinances which Chris-
tianity, as a whole, held to be necessary for salvation, and in general gave evi-
dence that they were men of intelligence and steadfastness. Gradually they
worked out their doctrine, polity, and practice, following in many respects the
same general line as the Quakers, Mennonites, and similar bodies, though they
had no association with them, and are to be held as entirely distinct.
The church in Schwarzenau grew, and other congregations were organized in
the Palatinate, at Marienborn, Crefeld, and Epstein in Switzerland, and in West
Friesland; all suffered, at the hands of the state churches of Germany, Holland,
and Switzerland, the hardships which have been the usual lot of independents
and separatists. It was from Crefeld that the first Brethren, under the leader-
ship of Peter Becker, sailed for America, settling in Gerrnantown, Pa., in 1719.
The next year Alexander Mack, with the remaining members of the Schwarzenau
community, fled to Westervain in West Friesland, and in 1729, with 59 families, or
126 souls, crossed the Atlantic, landing in Philadelphia on September 15. The
fate of the Brethren who did not come to America is not known. In all probability
the greater number migrated, and thus the nucleus of the church was removed
from European to American soil.
After the Brethren came to America the details of the organization were devel-
oped and individual congregations increased in number — first in the immediate
vicinity of Philadelphia; then in New Jersey, southern Pennsylvania, northern
Maryland, Virginia, and the Carolinas; then reaching westward over the old
Braddock road, immediately after the Revolution, to western Pennsylvania,
and from the Carolinas into Kentucky, they were among the first to enter the
Ohio and Mississippi valleys, and from 1790 to 1825 the great central plain was
rapidly populated by Brethren.
The Brethren of colonial times (then known generally as Dunkers) were for
the most part German or Dutch farmers, although they engaged in some other
occupations, particularly weaving. They retained their own language, and this
created a prejudice against them on the part of their English neighbors, who
looked upon them as illiterate, although the Saur presses of Gerrnantown, Pa.,
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Rev. M. R. Zigler, executive secretary, Church of the Brethren (Con-
servative Dunkers), Elgin, 111., and approved by him in its present form.
275318 — 41 19
276 OENSTDH OF KESLIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
were famous in American colonial days. One private library contains over 400
different imprints of these presses, and their output of papers, almanacs, Bibles,
and religious and secular work gives evidence not only of a flourishing business,
but of a literary appreciation. This would seem to call for the organization of
schools, but, aside from the interest of certain members in the founding of Ger-
mantown Academy, there is no early school history to record.
There was also a widespread, though unjust, feeling that socially and politically
they belonged with the party that had opposed the Revolution, and the result
was a mutual dislike, which was probably increased by the fact that, though not
essentially selfish, they kept very much to themselves, mingled little with the
world, and took little part in the general movements of the times.
The Brethren shared the experience of other religious bodies organized in the
early history of this country. As conditions changed they developed different
practices and to some extent different conceptions, which resulted in the forma-
tion of separate communities. The first to withdraw were John Conrad Beissel
and his followers,1 who founded, in 1728, the famous monastic community at
Ephrata, Pa. In 1848, in Indiana, George Patton, Peter Eyman, and others
organized a small group.2 From that time there was no further division until
1881, when a comparatively small company withdrew3 in protest against certain
modifications which they felt to be inconsistent with their early history. The
next year another division took place,4 based chiefly upon objection to the form
of government which had gradually developed within the larger body. As the
years have passed there has grown up a feeling that, with a little more patience
on all sides, this division might have been avoided. Recently greetings from the
conferences of The Brethren Church and Church of the Brethren have been
exchanged, and efforts have been made to unite these two bodies. In some
localities the union is all but effected.
DOCTRINE
The Church of the Brethren in general terms is classed as orthodox trinitarian.
Baptism is by trine forward immersion, the person baptized being confirmed
while kneeling in the water. The rite of foot washing and the love feast or agape
immediately precede the communion or eucharist, the entire service being observed
in the evening. Sisters are expected to be "veiled" during prayer, and especially
at communion services. In case of illness, anointing with oil in the name of the
Lord is administered as a means of reconsecration of spirit and healing of the mind
and body. The rule of the eighteenth chapter of Matthew with respect to differ-
ences between members is observed. Plain attire, excluding jewelry for adorn-
ment, is advocated. The civil law is resorted to but little. Taking an oath is
forbidden, all affidavits being made by affirmation. Nonresistance is taught,
and all communicants are asked to be rioncombatants, not because of personal
fear nor out of a desire to be disloyal citizens, but because war is outlawed by
the teaching and example of Jesus. Any connection, direct or indirect, with the
liquor business is prohibited, and there is a corresponding insistence upon total
abstinence.
The ideal in all these ceremonies and beliefs is the reproduction and perpetua-
tion of the life and activities of the primitive Christians, and, while its effect is
manifest in a somewhat stern and legal type of religious life, mysticism or the
Pietistic temper has modified it in the direction of a quiet moderation in all
things.
ORGANIZATION
The polity of the church corresponds more nearly to the Presbyterian than to
any other specific ecclesiastical form. The local congregation, usually presided
over by the bishop of that body, is governed by the council of all the members.
The power of discipline, including trial and excommunication, rests with the local
congregation.
Ministers are elected by individual ballot by all the members of a congregation,
from members of that congregation; but one feeling the call to the ministry may
present his desires for acceptance. When appointed by the congregation, he
exercises all the duties of the ministry save those especially assigned to the bishop,
and in due time is ordained to the bishopric. The bishop of a congregation may
1 German Seventh Day Baptists, now Seventh Day Baptists (German, 1728).
2 Church of God (New Dunkers).
a Old Order German Baptist Brethren.
* The Brethren Church (Progressive Dunkers).
CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN (CONSERVATIVE D'UNKERS') 277
or may not be resident. The pastorate and a salaried ministry are being rapidly
adopted by the congregations.
The individual congregation elects delegates, lay and clerical, to a State district
meeting, connected with which there is also an "elders' meeting/' composed of
the bishops of the respective congregations. Above the State district meeting is
the general conference of all the brotherhood. To this each district meeting
elects one or more bishops as delegates, while the local churches elect other dele-
gates. The delegates elected by the State district meetings constitute the stand-
ing committee of the general conference, which prepares business for presentation
at that meeting. In the general sessions of the conference there is free discussion,
and both classes of delegates vote together on the final disposition of a matter.
Upon a proper request, a committee may be sent from the general conference to
any local congregation for the purpose of settling any difficulties that the congre-
gation itself or the bishops of the adjoining congregations may seem unable to
adjust.
WORK
Although the Brethren from the time of the earliest settlements in America
pursued a vigorous policy of church extension, moving forward into unoccupied
territory, it was not until 1885 that regularly organized missionary endeavor in
both home and foreign fields was undertaken.
Home mission work is being done in the United States and Canada. This
territory is divided into 49 districts. The general conference elects a general
board of seven members, with one member a woman. This board administers both
home and foreign missions. Each district elects a district home-mission board. These
district boards in cooperation with the general mission board constitute the home
missionary organization. About 75 enterprises are under direction of this organi-
zation. An average of about $100,000 is spent each year in equipment and
salaries. The program includes small work among foreigners, and mountaineers,
and an extensive work among distressed areas in city and rural fields.
The foreign mission enterprises of the Brethren are under the care of the general
mission board, which in 1936 carried on work in India, China, and Africa, also
supervising churches in Sweden" and Denmark. In all these countries there are
about 25 stations, occupied by 100 American missionaries, with 260 native helpers,
and 27 churches, with a membership of about 8,620. There were also reported
180 schools of various grades with about 3,700 students, and 5 hospitals treating
more than 60,000 patients. The amount contributed in 1936 for the support of
foreign missions was about $140,000; the value of property belonging to the de-
nomination in foreign countries is estimated at about $650,000, and there are en-
dowments amounting to approximately $1,500,000.
The denomination owns 6 senior colleges with an enrollment of 3,035 students
and 1 theological seminary and training school with 143 students. The property
and equipment were valued at $3,182,795 in 1936. These institutions have a total
cash endowment of $1,776,810, notes and pledges of $404,302, and annuities and
nonproductive endowment of $654,149.
The total offering of the Sunday school is over $209,000 annually, of which
$56,000 goes to missions.
Many institutes and schools of method are provided. Leadership training
is going on with large groups of people through training schools in local churches
as well as in camps. Fifty summer camps for the various age groups of children,
also for youth and adults were held in 1936 with more than 4,400 in attendance.
The church seeks to take care of her own poor and homeless by establishing
and maintaining comfortable homes for them. There are 15 such institutions in
the United States.
OLD GERMAN BAPTIST BRETHREN
(OLD ORDER DUNKERS)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Old German Baptist Brethren (Old Order
Dunkers) for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribu-
tion of these figures between urban and rural territory. No parsonages nor
Sunday schools were reported. These statistics were compiled from schedules
sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and
the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination comprises baptized believers who have
been enrolled as members upon personal profession of faith. Baptism is by trine
immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMAKY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Chutrsh^s (Infifil organization f) TRltnber
67
3,589
54
1,500
2,089
71.8
5
376
75
164
212
77 4
62
3,213
52
1,336
1,877
71.2
Members, number
10.5
89.5
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male. _ _
10 9
10.1
89.1
89 9
Female
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over
3,522
67
67
60
$133, 100
$133, 100
$2,218
53
60
$10,939
$814
$1, 435
$3, 300
$2, 366
$286
$777
$1, 961
$182
376
3,146
67
63
56
$124, 000
$124, 000
$2, 214
49
55
$9,424
$654
$1, 375
$3, 224
$1, 466
$286
$510
$1,909
$168
10 7
89.3
Age not reported
Church edifices, number . _
4
4
$9, 100
$9, 100
$2,275
4
5
$1, 515
$160
$60
$76
$900
Value— number reporting _
Amount reported. . _. _
6 8
6 8
93.2
93 2
Constructed prior to 1936 __
Average value per church
Number reporting "no debt"
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
13 8
19 7
4 2
2.3
38.0
86 2
80.3
95.8
97 7
62.0
100.0
65.6
97.3
Salaries, other than pastors* _ . .__
Eepairs and improvements
All other current expenses, including interest __-
Local relief and charity, etc
Home missions
To general headquarters for distribution
$267
$52
$379
34 4
2.7
All other purposes .
Average expenditure per church
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36.- — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Old German Baptist Brethren
(Old Order Dunkers) for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
278
OLD GERMAN BAPTIST BRETHREN
279
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations) , number . ._ _ _
67
62
67
68
Increase 1 over preceding census
Number,
5
—1
Percent 2-
Members, number
3 589
3 036
3 399
3,388
Increase l over preceding census.
Number
553
—363
11
Percent
18 2
—10 7
0 3
Average membership per church
54
49
51
50
Church edifices, number
67
66
73
66
Value —number reporting
60
59
60
57
Amount reported
$133 100
$161,450
$107, 212
$89, 800
Average value per churcn
$2 218
$2 736
$1 787
$1, 575
Expenditures •
Churches reporting, number
60
53
43
Amount reported
$10 939
$18 781
$7 120
Salaries, other than pastors' _
$814
}
Repairs and improvements. .. _ .
$1, 435
I $13 533
$5,058
Ail other current expenses, including Interest--
Local relief and charity, etc
$3,300
$2 366
Home missions __
$286
I
To general headquarters for distribution
$777
J- $5, 084
$2, 062
All other purposes _. . - .
$1, 961
)
Not classified
$164
Average expenditure per church
$182
$354
$166
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for the Old German
Baptist Brethren (Old Order Dunkers) by States. Table 3 gives for each State
for 1936 the number and membership of the churches classified according to their
location in urban or rural territory and the membership classified by sex. Table 4
gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four
census years 1906 to 1936, and membership classified by age for 1936. Table 5
shows the value of church edifices and also the church expenditures for 1936, show-
ing separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to
avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presenta-
tion in table 5 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported
value or expenditures.
280
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHUKCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY AND MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OP CHURCHES
NUMBER OP MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
Total
Urban
Rural
Total
Urban
Rural
Male
Female
Males
per 100
females 1
United States
67
5
62
3,589
876
3,213
1,500
2,089
71 8
MIDDLE ATLANTIC.
Pennsylvania
3
20
11
3
3
1
1
0
3
20
11
3
3
153
1,188
733
49
82
26
15
42
15
298
130
246
30
22
18
7
535
153
1,188
733
49
82
64
487
313
19
31
14
8
15
5
123
54
101
12
9
8
4
233
89
701
420
30
51
12
7
27
10
175
76
145
18
13
10
3
302
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio_
69 5
74 5
Indiana.
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
1
26
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
1
2
1
5
2
7
2
15
42
15
298
130
246
30
Missouri
North Dakota
1
5
2
7
2
I
1
1
3
Kansas
70 3
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Virginia
69.7
West Virginia
22"
18
North Carolina
1
1
Florida
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
1
•«
7
225
PACIFIC*
California
2
310
77.2
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHUECHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OP MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
13 years
and
over
Age not
report-
ed
United States
67
62
67
68
3,589
3,036
3.399
3,888
3,522
67
Pennsylvania .
3
20
11
3
3
5
7
2
3
i 10
4
19
11
3
3
5
4
2
5
18
13
2
4
3
6
3
3
20
13
4
3
3
6
3
153
1,188
733
49
82
298
246
30
535
275
202
967
652
70
89
295
202
33
319
1,199
659
72
90
203
289
65
235
1,204
790
102
98
106
280
114
153
1,171
733
41
82
256
246
30
535
275
Ohio
17
Indiana
Illinois
8
Michigan
Kansas
42
Virginia
West Virginia
California „ . *
Other States,.-
11
13
13
526
503
459
1 Includes 2 ehurcnes each in the States of Missouri and Maryland; and 1 m each of the following— Wis-
consin, Iowa, North Dakota, Florida. North Carolina, and Colorado.
OLD GERMAN BAPTIST BRETHREN
281
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value or expenditures]
VALUE OF
CO
m
CHUKCH
EXPENDITURES
o
s
EDIFICES
d
X)
*§
d
,
CO
>»
M
o
*o
1
bfl
d
be
d
a
2
II
"S
C8
en
STATE
JS
'o
STw
3*.
rr®
d d
o
on
g
0
a
o
o
ft
cL
d
-d o
~t^
"a"""
d
a
JS m
£7
p
CJ
3
'o In
"gs
O r?
i— i ®
£3
n
CO
o
Q.
§s
fcl'^
43
S2
S"**
"5s
9
J3
d
X5
§
09
OT
Sd
0
£3
d
d
0
d
£
d
o
*s
o
!5
d
o
pj
3
tf
0,
2s S
0
a
o
,d
a
0
o
0
U
o
O
CO
«
O
^
C
<
United States
fi7
67
fin
$133, 100
fif>
S10 939
S814
81,485
$3,300
S2 366
S?Hfi
$777
SI, 961
Ohio
19
406
9ft
19
49 600
°0
3 491
435
584
1 282
705
oc;
54
Indiana
n
11
11
27, 400
m
2 132
91
361
320
275
10
175
900
Illinois
3
3
4 500
407
50
102
145
45
Michigan
3
3
3
2,800
0
181
5
162
11
3
Kansas
5
5
14 600
4
993
44
110
418
185
5
190
Virginia
7
3
7
1
6
1
}' 13, 500
f 6
I ^
385
1, 915
"160
85
100
136
50
900
50
"517
100
202
California
Other States
15
18
a 12
20, 700
311
1,435
34
188
737
251
95
15
115
i Amount for California combined with figures for Virginia, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any in-
dividual church.
* Includes 2 churches in each of the following States — Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Maryland; and 1 in
each of the following — Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, Florida, West Virginia, and North Carolina.
3 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States — Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Maryland, and 1 in
each of the following — Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, Florida, and North Carolina.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AM) ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
Up to the latter part of the nineteenth century the history of the Bunkers 2
was one of peace. Whatever disparity of individual opinion there was did not
pass the bounds of mutual forbearance. As, however, social customs developed
along more modern lines during the latter part of that century, certain influences
were manifested among the communities which tended to lessen the emphasis
upon many of the special customs of the earlier times. Accordingly, some of
the members, fearful lest the traditions of the founders of the denomination
should be overborne, and "the Scriptures suffer violence/' and desirous of per-
petuating the type of life, as well as of belief, observed by the early Brethren,
withdrew in 1881 and formed the organization known as the "Old German Baptist
Brethren."
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
«
In certain matters of doctrine and also in some features of church organization
the Old Order Brethren are in essential agreement with the other branches.
They accept the literal teaching of the Scriptures in regard to the Lord's Supper
and foot washing; hold close communion; practice nonconformity to the world
in war, politics, secret societies, dress, and amusements; refuse to swear or take
oath under any circumstances; reject a salaried ministry; anoint with oil those
who are sick, not so much for the healing of the natural body as for spiritual
healing; strictly enjoin temperance upon all their members; and allow none to
1 This statement Is the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious Bodies, 1926, as revised
by Rev. J. M. Zimmel, publishing agent of the "Vindicator " Brookville, Ohio, and it has been approved
by him in its present form.
3 See Church of the Brethren (Conservative Dunkers).
282 CEN'STJS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
traffic in alcoholic or malt liquors. They believe that nothing but death can
break the marriage vow, and refuse to perform a marriage ceremony for any
divorced person.
WORK
Specially organized missions, Sunday schools, and ecclesiastical schools are
regarded by these Brethren as opposed to essential Christianity, but they are
charitable in deed as in word, support their own poor, and extend a helping
hand to all needy persons, whether they are or are not members of their own
religious organization.
THE BRETHREN CHURCH (PROGRESSIVE DUNKERS)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification, — A general
summary of the statistics for The Brethren Church (Progressive Dunkers) for the
year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures
between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules
sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and
the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination comprises baptized persons who have
been enrolled as members upon personal profession of faith. Baptism is by
triune immersion.
TABLE I. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number .
163
30, 636
188
12, 599
16, 868
1,169
74.7
2,316
23, 900
4,420
8.8
157
148
$2,113,753
$2, 064, 357
$49, 396
$14, 282
36
$288, 547
78
63
63
$192, 225
160
$422, 093
$136, 937
$26, 959
$39, 301
$50, 276
$72, 512
$3, 647
$21,440
$37, 998
$8, 199
$24, 824
$2, 638
57
17,067
299
7,150
9,917
106
13,569
128
5,449
6,951
1,169
78.4
811
10, 040
2,718
7.5
102
96
$558,471
$545, 775
$12, 696
$5,817
9
$17,301
62
38
38
$79,975
103
$125, 005
$55, 158
$4, 795
$13,621
$10, 107
$14,812
$1, 173
$6,233
$8,981
$4,022
$6, 103
$1, 212
35.0
55.7
65.0
44.3
MemfofTSj niTTiber,._^ .,, „ „„. „ , -
Average membership per church
Membership by sex-
Male
56 8
58.8
i3.2
41.2
100 0
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
72.1
1,505
13, 860
1,702
9.8
55
52
$1, 555, 282
$1, 518, 582
$36, 700
$29, 909
27
$271,246
16
25
25
$112, 250
57
$297, 088
$81, 779
$22, 164
$25, 680
$40, 169
$57, 700
$2, 474
$15, 207
$29, 017
$4, 177
$18, 721
$5, 214
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
65.0
58 0
38.5
35.0
42.0
61.5
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 2
Church, edifices, number
35.0
35 1
73 6
73.6
74.3
65.0
64.9
26 4
26.4
25.7
Value — -number reporting
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or m part, in 1936-
Average value per church
j) gfot — number reporting
Amount reported .. _
94.0
6.0
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported - ~
58.4
35.6
70.4
59 7
82 2
65.3
79 9
79 6
67.8
70.9
76.4
50.9
75.4
41.6
64.4
29.6
40.3
17.8
34.7
20.1
20 4
32 2
29.1
23.6
49.1
24 6
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries -
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest -.
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and chanty, Red Cross, etc
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
A vftraff A fix-nend iture ner church
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Based on membership with age classification reported.
283
284
CENSUS OF EELIGIOTJS BOT)IES? 1936
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
KuraJ
Sunday schools ;
Churches reporting number
146
2,803
23,871
32
364
2,975
8
30
299
53
1,401
14, 559
20
225
2,045
6
20
222
93
1,402
9,312
12
139
930
2
10
77
36.3
50.0
61.0
63.7
50.0
39 0
Officers and teachers
Scholars -
Summer vacation Bible schools:
Officers and teachers
61 8
68 7
38 2
31.3
Weekday religious schools :
Scholars <
74,2
25.8
i Percent not shown \\here base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36.— Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison a summary of the available statistics of The Brethren Church (Progres-
sive Bunkers) for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
r animations) number
163
-11
-6.3
30, 636
4,610
17.7
188
157
148
$2,113,753
$14, 282
36
$288, 547
63
63
$192, 225
160
$422, 093
$136,937
$26, 959
$39, 301
$50, 276
$72, 512
$3,647
$21, 440
$37,998
$8, 199
$24, 824
$2,638
146
0,803
23,871
174
-27
-13.4
26,026
1,966
8 2
150
176
166
$2,274,064
$13, 699
37
$236, 814
201
-1
-0.5
24,060
7,018
41 2
120
192
184
$896,725
$4,874
38
$114, 289
202
Increase l over preceding census:
Number
Percent -
17,042
Increase over preceding census:
Number -- -
Percent ----- ---
A v erase membership per church
84
184
172
$472,975
$2,750
29
$41,490
Value number reporting
A verasre value per church - -
Debt number reporting ._
Amount reported -
Value — number reporting
56
$258, 200
166
$523,681
$447,977
$75, 704
$3,155
160
2,445
22,917
25
$67,250
185
$204,562
$164,223
$40, 339
$1,106
183
2,402
23,728
20
$41, 700
Amount reported -.
Expenditures:
Churches reporting number
Pastors' salaries ..
All other salaries
Reoairs and. improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest.. .
All other current expenses, including interest- .
Local rehef and charity Bed Cross, etc
Home missions —
Foreign missions -
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes - —
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting number -
156
1,564
11,850
Officers and teachers
Scholars ---
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
THE BRETHREN CHURCH (PROGRESSIVE DTJNKERS)
285
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for The Brethren
Church (Progressive Bunkers) by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936
the number and membership of the churches classified according to their loca-
tion in urban or rural territory, membership by sex, and data for Sunday schools.
Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for
the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified
as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the
value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices
for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing
the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables
5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND R.TJRAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEM-
BERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
1
163
a
1
•g
(§
*3
•o
|
£
I
l§
o
"3
%
Female
£
-a
5S
d|
g
CQ
Males per 100
females 1
Churches re-
porting
T3
fl m
§**
O
Scholars
United States
57
106
. 2
20
17
27
2
1
5
1
5
1
2
""9
5
3
1
i
30, 636
17, 087
13, 569
12, 599
16, 868
1,169J 74.7
146
2
34
25
32
2
2,803
23,871
59
5,835
3,733
4,948
471
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New Jersey
?
102
6,660
4,913
8,009
525
81
1,148
458
747
46
957
433
1,242
851
107
100
562
3,695
102
2,538
2,215
3,705
525
81
756
120
747
46
228
""868"
699
107
100
432
300
36
2,789
2,053
3,326
246
28
404
186
322
21
405
176
594
154
35
51
229
1,544
66
3,702
2,860
4,383
279
53
494
272
425
25
552
257
648
247
72
49
333
2,151
16
669
484
638
32
Pennsylvania .
35
27
38
2
15
10
11
4,122
2,698
4,304
169
75.3
71.8
75.9
88.2
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
300
Illinois
Michigan
1
392
338
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa __
6
2
5
1
1
250
81.8
68.4
75 8
5
2
5
1
4
1
9
3
3
1
3
14
98
36
74
8
79
46
114
14
30
8
55
402
730
200
372
40
710
383
907
133
275
100
417
4,558
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
1
------
433
374
152
130
3,395
Maryland
4
1
12
6
3
2
1
3
1
""450
73.4
68.5
91.7
62.3
District of Columbia..
Virginia
West Virginia
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
1
PACIFIC:
Washington
3
14
1
11
68.8
71.8
California ._ _. . _.
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
286
CENSUS OF KELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches m either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1936
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
un-
der
13 *
United States
163
35
27
38
2
1
174
201
202
30, 636
26, 026
24,060
17, 042
2,316
23,900
4,420
8.8
Pennsylvania
33
30
38
3
3
3
8
3
6
4
21
6
45
28
41
4
5
3
9
3
13
5
20
7
49
29
29
7
5
3
13
4
16
5
26
1
6,660
4,913
8,009
525
81
5,222
4,825
6,278
738
148
30
1,150
655
688
842
1,656
776
5,561
3,639
5,879
581
248
45
1,269
645
1,007
976
1,675
500
3,885
2,592
3,800
716
201
68
852
471
810
616
2,166
80
567
383
528
26
3
5,781
4,377
5,634
499
78
312
153
1,847
8 9
8 0
8 6
5 0
Ohio . - - -
Indiana .
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
Iowa -.
6
2
5
4
12
6
3
1,148
458
747
957
1,242
851
107
79
32
26
58
85
16
754
426
721
899
750
46
107
315
9.5
7 0
3 5
6.1
10.2
Nebraska
Kansas _
Maryland
Virginia
407
789
West Virginia
Kentucky
Washington
3
562
15
425
73
267
2,953
608
280
317
5 3
12.6
10 7
California ,„
14
25
8
8
7
11
7
8
3,695
681
1,851
1,167
982
1,053
379
406
Other States
1 Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100
2 Includes: New Jersey, 2, District of Columbia, 1; Delaware, 1; and Tennessee, 1.
TABLE 5.- — • VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
Pennsylvania,
163
157
33~
26
37
5
5
4
11
6
3
3
14
10
148
£2, 113, 753
36
S288, 547
63
$192, 225
35
27
38
6
5
4
12
6
3
3
14
10
31
22
35
5
5
4
11
6
3
3
13
no
610, 400
281, 000
422, 721
59, 700
19,950
75, 500
81, 400
54, 000
11, 500
36, 000
341, 182
120, 400
7
6
6
41,717
57, 398
43, 660
11
9
20
2
3
2
3
50, 500
25, 300
57, 700
(0
4,625
C)
9,000
Ohio
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas.-
Maryland
1
3
1
6,500
19,591
1,500
Virginia. _ _. _ .
West Virginia.
Kentucky.-
3
2
2
6
5,000
0)
0)
40, 100
Washington
2
8
2
3,459
94,848
19,874
California
Other States
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
2 Includes: New Jersey, 2; Illinois, 2; Michigan, 1; Nebraska, 2; Delaware, 1; District of Columbia, 1;
and Tennessee. 1.
THE BRETHREN CHURCH (PROGRESSIVE BUNKERS)
287
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States bavmg 3 or more churches reporting]
%
EXPENDITURES
a
1
60
O
Sra
£1 M
gs
T3
a
•6
S3
o
•£J
0
.2
""""ci
O'O
•c
C3
tn
a
CD
o
STATE
fl
8
"a
§
*i
1
11
||
§1
|.s
It
.2
.1
"s
Si
ES
a
d
CD
§
s
"1
"3 .s
«gfl
**J3
S
CJ
2
+i
d
_«|
-2
o
cl
>>® "S
j§ § "d
C3
S
g
0
^
o
£
&
3
a
fi'"~
O
3
a
£H
3
u. s
163
160
$422, 093
S136, 937
$26, 959
$39, 301
$50, 276
$72, 512
$3, 647
$21, 440
$37, 998
$8, 199
$24,824
Pennsylva-
i
nia -
35
3
92, 150
31, 514
6,286
11, 086
8,467
16, 360
637
5, 1781 7. 77S
1,937
2,907
Ohio
f>
72, 711
22, 742
3,825
2, 893
14, 936
14, 491
588
3,778
4,930
2,058
2,470
Indiana-
38
3
77, 514
29, 394
3,746
6,866
5,365
13,460
1,177
2,338
3,909
1,170
10, 089
Iowa
fi
8,689
4,852
835
185
590
136
172
567
348
1,004
Kansas
4,184
2,584
120
139
686
10
202
199
68
176
Maryland
4
7,701
4,341
1,010
265
600
434
75
591
385
Virginia
1?
1
16, 460
6,862
592
610
3,568
1,840
90
1, 141
1,322
435
W. Virginia
fi
5,025
1,600
1,601
600
282
41
54
847
Kentucky
3
3
3,636
1,167
350
1,180
194
88
67
415
175
"Washington
6,615
3 231
336
430
450
912
330
896
30
California—-
14
14
105, 141
21, 046
8,952
12,905
11,607
19, 839
825
6,262
16, 012
1,877
5,816
Other States.
10
110
22, 267
7,604
i
907
1,141
4,683
3,424
109
1,319
1,879
326
875
1 Includes. New Jersey, 2; Illinois, 2; Michigan, 1; Nebraska, 2; Delaware, 1; District of Columbia, 1;
and Tennessee, 1.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The first Brethren came to America from Crefeld, Rhine Valley, in 1719.
They settled at what is now Germantown (Philadelphia), Pa. The first church
was organized there on Christmas Day 1723, with 23 members. The first min-
ister was Peter Becker. Ten years later Alexander Mack, their leader in Europe,
landed at Philadelphia with 59 families.
The numerical growth of the Brethren communities was slow, and by 1880,
though widely dispersed,2 the total membership was scarcely 60,000. The mem-
bership was largely agricultural and the ministry, though it numbered among
its members some men of profound learning, was for the most part uneducated.
There were no theological seminaries to which they looked for a ministry. Gradu-
ally the autonomy of the local churches was lost; strict adherence to forms of
dress and worship were rigidly enforced; any steps looking toward progress or
toward a better organization were sternly opposed; the attempt by some of the
Brethren to establish higher institutions of learning, promote missionary enter-
prise, provide for an educated and supported ministry, and above^ all ^else, the
earnest questioning of the authority of the annual conference as a legislative body,
brought on a crisis. This led, after many futile efforts to avert it, to a division in
the church. Those who advocated progress were derisively called "progressives."
Their leaders were expelled from the church. After a vain attempt to be reconciled
to the church, covering more than a year, these leaders determined to organize
independently. Others in sympathy with this "progressive" movement voluntarily
joined with it. So in 1882 the Brethren Church was organized.
DOCTRINE
In doctrine the church is thoroughly evangelical. The Brethren avoid doctrinal
controversy and there is complete unanimity in belief and practice throughout the
whole brotherhood. Perhaps the best expression of this doctrinal belief is set
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by George B. Cone, national statistician of Brethren Churches, Portis, Kans.,
and approved by him in its present form.
3 See Church of the Brethren (Conservative Dunkers).
288 OKN'S''US OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
forth in the "Message of the Brethren Ministry," adopted about 1917. These
declarations are, in part, as follows:
The authority and integrity of the Holy Scriptures; God's supreme revela-
tion made through Jesus Christ, a complete and authentic record of which
revelation is the New Testament; and the Old and New Testaments, as orig-
inally given, the infallible record of the perfect, final, and authoritative
revelation of God's will, altogether sufficient in themselves as a rule of faith
and practice;
The preexistence, Deity, and incarnation by virgin birth of Jesus Christ, the
Son of God;
The fall of man, his consequent spiritual death and utter sinfulness, and the
necessity of his new birth;
The vicarious atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ through the shedding of
His own blood;
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ in the body in which He suffered
and died and His subsequent glorification at the right hand of God;
The justification by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, of which
obedience to the will of God and'works of righteousness are the evidence and
result; the resurrection of the dead, the judgment of the world, and the life
everlasting of the just;
The personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit, who indwells the Christian
and is his Comforter and Guide;
The personal and visible return of our Lord Jesus Christ from Heaven as
King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the glorious goal for which we are taught
to watch, wait, and pray;
The Christian should "be not conformed to this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of the mind," should not engage in carnal strife, and should
"swear not at all";
The Christian should observe, as his duty and privilege, the ordinances of
our Lord Jesus Christ, among which are (a) baptism of believers by trine
immersion; (6) confirmation; (c) the Lord's Supper; (d) the communion of the
bread and wine; (e) the washing of the saints' feet; and (/) the anointing of
the sick with oil.
ORGANIZATION
The polity of the Brethren Church may be best described as congregational.
Every congregation is a church of Christ. All the congregations voluntarily
uniting for the promotion of the work committed to them form the Brethren
Church as a whole. The organization of the local congregations is very simple
and believed to be in harmony with the spirit of the New Testament teachings.
There are elders and deacons, evangelists and deaconesses. The minister in
charge of the work of a local church is the pastor. The deaconess may be a min-
ister. A local congregation is entirely free to perfect its organization by electing
any officers deemed necessary. The churches of a convenient geographical terri-
tory are formed into district conferences, of which there are nine.
WORK
The denomination maintains and supports Ashland College, located at Ash-
land, Ohio. This college has a property value of $517,127, a permanent endow-
ment of $417,081, and additional income from church organizations equivalent
to several thousand dollars annually; a strong school of education approved by the
State Board, and now a member of The North Central Association of Colleges;
a college of liberal arts; and a seminary for the training of ministers. Enrollment
in all branches reaches near the thousand mark annually.
The church expends annually around $25,000 in extension work in the home
mission field. The Foreign Mission Board expends around $45,000 in French
Equatorial Africa and Argentina, South America. On both these fields, the
smallest number of North American workers consistent with demands are used.
Native workers are being used as rapidly as good practice will justify.
In addition to the above special enterprises of church activity there is main-
tained a home for the aged ministers and members at Flora, Ind., and a fully
equipped publishing house at Ashland, Ohio. The main auxiliary organizations
of the church are its Sunday schools, Christian Endeavor societies, women's
missionary society, Sisterhood of Mary and Martha, the layman's organization,
and the Boy's Brotherhood. One of the new ventures of the denomination is
Grace Theological Seminary, temporarily located at Akron, Ohio.
Though the denomination is small numerically, aggressive work is being done,
and work is going forward in all of the accepted branches of the work of our Lord's
church in this age. We believe the church has made many forward strides in
the past decade, and is still looking ahead with zeal and determination.
CHURCH OF GOD (NEW DUNKERS)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, witli urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of God (New Bunkers) for the year 1936
is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. All of the organizations reported in 1936, as in previous
census years, were in the State of Indiana, and no parsonages were reported.
These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by
the pastor or clerk of the individual churches aod the data relate to these
churches only.
The membership of this denomination comprises baptized believers who have
been enrolled as members upon personal profession of faith. Baptism is by
immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
8
549
69
220
329
66.9
6
543
1.1
8
8
$17,522
$9, 522
1
64
64
26
38
C2)
2
62
0)
1
1
$3,000
7
485
69
194
291
66.7
4
481
0 8
7
7
$14, 522
$9,522
$5,000
$2, 075
5
7
$1, 920
$1,073
$5
$463
$300
$59
$20
$274
7
101
416
Members, number __
11.7
88.3
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
11.8
11.6
88.2
88.4
Female
Males per 100 females
Membership by age.
Under 13 years ._ _ -
13 years and over
11.4
88.0
Percent under 13 years _ _
Church edifice^, TUTrnhfir
Value — number reporting
Amount reported, __
17.1
82.9
100.0
62.5
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
$8,000
$2,190
6
8
$2, 107
$1, 219
$34
$463
$312
$59
$20
$263
8
113
481
$3,000
$3,000
1
1
$187
$146
$29
37.5
Number reporting "no debt"
Expenditures:
fhurchfrS reporting, number
Amount reported
8 9
12.0
91.1
88 0
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
"Repairs fvnd itnprnvf*TnftTits
100.0
96 2
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
$12
3.8
Local relief and charity, Ked Cross, etc...
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
$187
1
12
65
Sunday schools :
ffturches reporting niiTtb^r
Officers and teachers - -
10.6
13.5
89.4
86.5
Scholars "
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1916-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of God (New Dunkers)
for the census years 1936, 1926, and 1916. Although it is probable that this
denomination existed prior to 1916, no statistics were furnished for 1906,
289
290 GENIUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1916 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
Church.es (local organizations), number
8
-1
9
-4
13
Increase * over preceding census:
Number
Percent 2 ..
Members, number
549
-101
-15 5
69
8
8
SI 7, 522
$2, 190
650
-279
-30 0
72
9
9
$26, 000
$2, 889
1
$200
9
$4,005
I $3, 378
1 $327
$300
$445
9
95
531
929
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number
Percent
Average membership per church
71
13
13
$28, 000
$2, 154
Chiirch. edifices, number
Value — number reporting , _
Amrmnf, rftpnrtftft _ _
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
Expenditures:
^•hnrch^S rfiporti-np, rmrnhpr
8
$2, 107
$1, 219
$34
$463
11
$5, 243
$4, 743
$500
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries . .
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
Alif other current expenses, including interest
$312
$59
Local relief and charity. Red Cross, etc . _ . _
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes _ _ _ -...
$20
Not classified . _ _. „_
Average expenditure per church. _ ._ .
$263
8
113
481
$477
12
115
799
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number - - - .
Officers and teachers
Scholars - _ -
1 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease. * Percent not shown where base is less than 100
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION »
The Church of God (New Dunkers) was organized in 1848 by George Fatten,
Peter Eyman, and others, who withdrew from the German Baptist Brethren.
The church claims that "Bible things should be called by Bible names" and that
the Bible name for the church, foretold by prophecy as the new name, is "The
Church of God." It refuses to adopt a human creed or confession of faith, as
the Scriptures are given to this end and are infallibly right. Baptism (a burial
or birth of water) is administered to those who profess faith in Christ and ex-
perience sorrow for sin, that they may receive the remission of sins and the
gift of the Holy Ghost. The observance of the communion, the literal washing
of the saints' feet, and the anointing of the sick are held to be essential; and the
second Advent of the Lord, and future rewards and punishments are taught.
An annual conference is held. Home missionary work is under the care of the
mission board. There is no educational or philanthropic work.
* This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Rev. C. H. Holaday, New Castle, Ind., and approved by him in its present
form
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN
GENERAL STATEMENT
History. — Early in the nineteenth century there appeared in England and
Ireland, especially in the Anglican Church, considerable restiveness under the
general church conditions. This was occasioned largely by dissatisfaction with the
close connection between church and state, with the stereotyped forms of worship
and with the church organizations by which believers were separated from each
other and were gathered into so many different sects. As a result of this feeling,
a number of independent gatherings sprang up spontaneously, both in England
and Ireland, in which men and women who were desirous of a "spiritual commun-
ion based on New Testament religious principles'7 met together for the "breaking
of bread" and for prayer. Of such gatherings, the most important, from an
historical standpoint, was one at Dublin, Ireland. Here, in the spring of 1827,
a few Christians, some of whom had already been meeting more or less regularly
for prayer, instituted the practice of "breaking of bread," though it was not until
1829 that the first permanent meeting was formed. There were also meetings of
importance at Plymouth and Bristol, England, and the fact that the meeting at
Plymouth at the first had some prominence in members and teachers eventually
gave rise to the name "Plymouth Brethren," which has come to be their popular
designation, though it has never been adopted by the different communities, who
speak of themselves simply as "Believers," "Christians," "Saints," or "Brethren."
As the different meetings, or "gatherings," as they were often termed, learned
of each other, it was natural that there should be more or less fellowship between
them, although no regular organization was formed. A number of men of excep-
tional ability and great personal power identified themselves with the movement,
among them John Nelson Darby; George Miiller, of Bristol, whose famous
orphanages were but a development of one phase of the Brethren idea; Samuel
Prideaux Tregelles, the famous Biblical critic; Anthony Norris Groves, the mis-
sionary; and many others. These men for the most part worked along more or
less independent lines, as Miiller in his orphanages, and Groves in his missionary
work in Mesopotamia and India. In England the strongest influence was exerted
by Mr. Darby, who devoted to the development of the idea which had gained
complete ascendancy over his own mind an ability and intensity of purpose
seldom if ever surpassed. He was not only instrumental in the establishment of
a number of congregations in England, but extended his wor v into continental
Europe, visiting Switzerland, France, and Germany, where many permanent
meetings were the result of his labors. At about the same time Mr. Miiller also
visited Stuttgart, although with less success.
In the absence of any ecclesiastical organization, and in the presence of an
intense individualism and sense of personal responsibility, divisions naturally
arose, and the congregations gathered around different leaders. This did not,
however, prevent the extension of the idea and the formation of numerous meet-
ings, which exercised a powerful influence upon the religious life of the churches.
The movement first came to America as a result of the emigration of a number
of Brethren to the United States and Canada about the middle of the nineteenth
century. Mr. Darby made several visits across the Atlantic, and a number of
congregations were formed, and since that time the meetings have multiplied
rapidly. As in England, so in the United States, divisions have arisen, but no
exact classification is recognized. Some meetings are called ' "exclusive" and
others "open," but there is no one term that applies accurately to any single
division.
The doctrine of the invisible membership of the church under the sole authority
of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit has operated to prevent the collecting or
recording of statistics of the different communities of Brethren, and the tabular
statements, while as complete as it is possible to secure, probably do not include
all the individual gatherings or the full membership.
291
275318 — il 20
292 CEN'STJS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Doctrine. — In doctrine the different bodies of Brethren are in substantial
accord. They acknowledge no creeds, but look upon the Scriptures as their only
guide. They accept the general evangelical doctrines of the Trinity, the sinless
humanity and absolute Deity of Christ, and Christ's atonement by His sacrificial
death, and hold that the Holy Spirit is present in the believer and in the church,
and that believers are eternally secure. They look for the personal premillennial
coming of Christ and believe that the punishment of the unregenerate will be
eternal. The following statement, published as an answer to inquiries, sum-
marizes their general belief :
We believe in the absolute and perfect [verbal] inspiration of the Bible,
which we hold to be, not in name only, but in reality, the Word of God.
Having in it the perfect revelation of the mind of God, we refuse all
human creeds as being both unnecessary and a slur upon His Word.
We, however, have no uncertain belief in the doctrines unfolded in the
Scriptures : The fall and absolute ruin of man ; his guilty, lost, and help-
less condition; the utter worthlessness of works, law keeping, or reforma-
tion as a ground of salvation; the amazing love of God in providing a
Savior in His blessed Son; the spotless perfection of Christ, both in His
divine nature and His true humanity; atonement by the blood-shedding
of Christ on the cross, by which alone redemption has been accomplished;
His resurrection as the proof of God's acceptance of that atonement.
We also see in Scripture the absolute necessity for new birth by the
Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, and of justification by faith alone,
without the works of the law.
We see that the believer is warranted to have the fullest assurance of
his present and eternal salvation, and that this assurance comes not
through feelings or experiences, but by the Word of God.
We also see that being saved by a work [Christ's] once for all, the
believer can never be lost but is as secure as though he were in heaven
already, because of Christ's death and resurrection.
We see, however, that Scripture guards from abuse of this doctrine by
insisting upon good works as the fruit of salvation; that the believer is to
reckon himself dead to sin and to live not only a moral life, but one of
love and devotedness to Christ and of separation from the ways and
thoughts of the world.
We believe that the proper hope of God's people is not the improve-
ment of the world, but the coming of Christ for His own, to raise the
dead in Christ, and change the living, and then take them all out of the
world, which He will then purge and cleanse by judgments preparatory
to the millennium, when Israel and the nations of the earth will inhabit
it under His rule; but His church will always be in heaven.
We hold that rejectors of the gospel and all the wicked will "have their
part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone/' eternal punish-
ment, and not extinction or restoration. We therefore believe in an
earnest and affectionate presentation of the simple gospel of the grace
of God.
Organization. — The view held by the Brethren is that the church is one and
indivisible — "Christ is the head of it, the Holy Spirit the bond of union, and
every believer a member. It was begun at Pentecost and will be completed
before the second Advent." They acknowledge no ritual or definite ecclesiastical
organization and do not believe in human ordination of the ministry. They hold
that the personal gift is a sufficient authorization for the exercise of the privileges
of the ministry, and that this involves the priesthood of all believers under the
special guidance of the Holy Spirit. Hence they have no presiding officers in
their assembly meetings, but anyone who has the gift is privileged to exercise it.
Women take no part in the public ministry.
Discipline is generally regarded as "restorative in its character," and they
hold that "the solemn act of separation should be resorted to only after loving
and faithful dealing has failed to reclaim."
Considering the various denominations as unscriptural because based upon
creeds, an ordained ministry, separate church organizations, etc., they do not
fellowship with them. They observe the ordinance of baptism, usually by
immersion, meet every Sunday to "break bread" (which is the term they use to
designate the sacrament of the Lord's Supper), and have meetings for prayer
and Bible^ study, and gospel meetings for the unconverted. They own few
church edifices but meet in halls and private houses, some of which are the
personal property of individual Brethren.
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN
293
There is no special form of admission, at least no set form of words, but the
applicant is expected to give to the assembly satisfactory evidence of new birth,
of having passed through genuine repentance, and of unfeigned faith in Christ
and in the Scriptures as the Word of God, with life corresponding thereto. Giv-
ing that evidence, he is regarded as a member of the body of Christ and is accepted
as such by the meeting at the Lord's Supper. In some cases announcement of
the application is given, so that there may be conversation with the applicant
by individual Brethren.
Work. — All the branches are active in gospel work, contributing as meetings
and as individuals to the support of missionaries, though they have no missionary
societies and give no pledge of personal support to their missionaries, who have
gone into every part of the world. They have no distinctive missions like those
established by the different denominations but have formed communities corre-
sponding to those in England and America.
These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by
the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate to these churches
only.
The Plymouth Brethren bodies are eight in number. Roman numerals are used
for the sake of distinction, but they do not imply any precedence in chrono-
logical order or strength of membership ; they simply indicate the order in which
the different bodies came to the knowledge of the Bureau of the Census. A
summary of the principal statistics for these eight bodies in 1936 with six bodies
in 1926 and 1916, and for the four bodies in 1906, follows:
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR THE PLYMOUTH BRETHREN, 1936, 1926, 1916,
AND 1906
Total
Num-
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
CENSUS YEAR
berof
churches
mem-
bers
Churches
report-
Amount
Churches
report-
Amount
Churches
report-
Schol-
ing
ing
ing
1936
Total for tlie group
664
25, 806
208
$1,442,685
593
$504, 519
442
25, 241
Plymouth Brethren I
74
3,370
34
248, 632
69
77, 135
64
4,283
Plymouth Brethren II
344
15, 684
143
1, 054, 068
314
311, 645
276
.6,994
Plymouth Brethren III...
22
1,000
3
27, 000
19
16,424
14
543
Plymouth Brethren IV
56
1,909
52
46, 165
1
20
Plymouth Brethren V
67
1,766
8
7,300
51
24, 214
30
1,081
Plymouth Brethren VI___
2
34
1
5,000
2
1,213
1
50
Plymouth Brethren VII ._
38
800
3
9,000
33
17, 472
23
886
Plymouth Brethren VIII..
61
1,243
16
91, 685
53
26, 251
33
1,384
1926
Total for tlie group —
633
22, 961
156
1, 186, 612
574
637, 990
415
20, 811
Plymouth Brethren I
166
4,877
43
260, 460
152
166, 929
110
5,323
Plymouth Brethren II
Plymouth Brethren III...
307
24
13, 497
684
108
1
909, 952
5, 000
286
20
369,416
11, 931
239
14
13, 634
352
Plymouth Brethren IV
47
1 663
41
41,578
5
132
Plymouth Brethren V
83
2, 152
3
5,200
69
45, 825
45
1,332
Plymouth Brethren VI. —
6
88
1
6,000
6
2,311
2
38
1916
Total for the group
469
13, 717
47
161, 601
377
185, 954
245
11, 678
Plymouth Brethren I
161
3,896
21
51,650
127
54,030
89
4,094
Plymouth Brethren II
Plymouth Brethren III
129
17
5,928
476
25
108,751
123
13
89,694
3,723
101
5
5,884
333
Plymouth Brethren IV
72
1 389
47
17, 630
6
194
Plymouth Brethren V
80
1,820
1
1,200
57
17,899
41
1,109
Plymouth Brethren VI
10
208
10
2,978
3
64
1906
Total for tlie group
40S
10 566
4
18,200
199
8,911
Plymouth Brethren I
134
2 933
===
2,716
78
Plymouth Brethren II
128
4 75**
3
37 500
93
5,475
Plymouth Brethren III...
Plymouth Brethren IV. ,_
81
60
1,724
1,157
1
700
28
720
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN I
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Plymouth Brethren I for the year 1936 is pre-
sented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban
and rural territory.
The membership of this body comprises those persons who have been admitted
to fellowship upon their application, after careful examination as to the reality of
their faith and evidence of a Christian life.
There are no regular ministers in the Brethren assemblies, hence there are no
parsonages.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL1
Urban
Rural
ChtiTclies On<j&l orggjli^tfnns), THJTT1'r>p-r
74
3,370
46
1,475
1,895
77.8
194
3,176
5.8
36
34
$248, 632
$242, 132
$6,500
$7, 312
14
$65, 994
16
69
$77, 135
$3, 386
$4, 750
$6, 586
$23, 554
$3, 286
$14, 047
$9, 097
$1, 299
$11, 130
$1, 118
64
511
4,283
57
2,911
51
1,243
1,668
74.5
102
2,809
3.5
29
27
$231, 832
$225,332
$6,500
$8, 280
13
$61, 794
12
56
$71, 547
$3, 032
$4, 490
$6, 136
$22,939
$1, 473
$13, 395
$8, 608
$1, 299
$10, 175
$1, 278
52
449
3,669
17
459
27
232
227
102.2
92
367
20.0
7
7
$16, 800
$16,800
Members, number
86.4
13.6
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
84 3
88 0
15 7
12 0
Female __ _ - .
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
52 6
88.4
47.4
11 6
13 years and over
Percent under 13 years
Church, edifices, number
Value — number reporting - _
Amount reported -..
93 2
93 1
100 0
6 8
6.9
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part.m 1936
Average value per church
$2, 400
1
$4, 200
4
13
$5, 588
$354
$260
$450
$615
$1, 813
$652
$489
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
93.6
6 4
Number reporting "no debt"
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
92 8
89,5
94.5
93.2
97 4
44.8
95.4
94.6
100.0
9L4
7 2
10.5
5.5
6 8
2.6
55.2
4.6
5.4
Salaries, other than pastors' _
Repairs and improvements _ _. . .
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest _- _
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc.
Home missions .. _
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribu-
tion .
All other purposes
$955
$430
12
62
614
8.6
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number,
Officers and teachers ._
87.9
85.7
12.1
14.3
Scholars _ . _ . .
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
294
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN I
295
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, In convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of this body for the census years
1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906. The branches now classified as Plymouth Brethren
VII and Plymouth Brethren VIII were, prior to 1936, a part of this body.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
74
166
161
134
Increase l over preceding census:
Number
—92
5
27
Percent
—55.4
3 1
20.1
iWrp-mberg, nmnbC'T"
3,370
4,877
3,896
2,933
Increase 1 over preceding census:
T^TimhAf
—1 507
981
963
Percent
—30 9
25 2
32 8
AvAjngA TnATn'bPir$hfp pnr nhn^p.h
46
29
24
22
Church edifices, number
36
43
21
Va,]np, — rmmbfir rp.port.mg
34
43
21
Amount reported
$248, 632
$260, 460
$51, 650
Average value per church
$7,312
$6, 057
$2, 460
.Debt — number reporting
14
18
9
Amount reported
$65, 994
$63, 849
$24, 190
Expenditures :
Churches reporting number
69
152
127
Amount reported
$77, 135
$166, 929
$54, 030
Salaries other than pastors' _ _ . .
$3, 386
1
Repairs and improvements
$4,750
Payment on church debt excluding interest
$6, 586
All" other current expenses, including interest
$23, 554
]
Local relief and charity Red Cross, etc
$3, 286
!"
Home missions _
$14, 047
^Foreign missions
$9, 097
$87, 609
$29, 377
To general headquarters for distribution
$1,299
All other purposes -
$11, 130
Average expenditure per church
$1, 118
$1, 098
$425
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting number
64
110
89
78
Officers and teachers -- ~~
511
501
368
306
Scholars -
4,283
5,323
4,094
2,716
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Plymouth
Brethren I, by States. Table 3 gives for each State the number and membership
of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory,
membership by sex, and data for Sunday schools in 1936. Table 4 gives for
selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four census
years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under
13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of
church edifices and the debt on such property for 1936. Table 6 presents, for
1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improve-
ments, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics
of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to
those States in which three or more churches reported value and expenditures.
296
CENSUS OF KELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBBE AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBEE OF
CHUECHES
NUMBEE OF MEM-
BEES
MEMBEESHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
-3
o
&
Urban
15
5
A
3
o
^
p
1
K
J3
Female
Males per 100
females i
Churches re-
porting
T3
| w
G4-3
0
Scholars
United States
74
57
2
4
9
13
2
7
2
17
1
3,370
2,911
459
1,475
1,895
77.8
64
511
4,283
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
3
4
12
14
2
7
2
1
80
195
561
757
74
500
155
5
28
90
70
76
74
88
125
38
21
22
27
13
72
299
66
195
492
639
74
500
155
14
36
87
257
335
34
214
63
2
9
30
35
33
29
46
50
17
10
7
10
6
28
137
44
108
304
422
40
286
92
3
19
60
35
43
45
42
75
21
11
15
17
7
44
162
3
4
10
14
1
7
2
10
26
90
89
18
97
9
44
171
744
761
120
915
65
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
80.6
84 5
79.4
New Jersey
3
I
1
69
118
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Illinois -
Michigan
74.8
"Wisconsin
5
"~70~
"73"
18
38
~~27~
13
14
WEST NOETH CENTBAL:
M! inncsota
Iowa .,
2
1
?,
2
1
28
90
1
1
2
1
1
2
4
1
1
1
2
1
2
3
3
31
8
1
8
10
29
6
19
9
10
5
13
20
6
210
60
20
85
62
242
120
160
75
53
30
210
130
Missouri
Kansas
2
"T
i
3
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
1
1
2
4
3
1
1
1
3
76
74
15
107
District of Columbia. .-
North Carolina
^Florida
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas _. _
"si's"
Texas
1
1
1
1
21
22
MOUNTAIN:
New Mexico
Arizona -.
2
2
1
1
PACIFIC:
Washington
1
Oregon
2
6
1
6
58
299
California.. ._
i Ratio not shown where number of femalesjis less than 100.
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN I
297
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
1936
1936
1920
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Per
cent
under
13'
United States
74
166
161
134
3,370
4,877
3,896
2,933
194
3,176
5.8
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
3
4
12
14
2
7
2
1
2
1
2
7
12
13
25
5
11
5
18
5
2
2
3
5
3
8
6
13
11
25
8
7
4
19
7
9
3
5
4
1
5
4
14
10
23
6
5
3
15
7
3
3
5
6
2
4
80
195
561
757
74
500
155
5
28
90
70
156
540
520
842
155
510
148
325
75
124
GO
66
43
10
171
127
494
376
718
135
300
10S
321
104
133
59
91
54
3
83
105
421
322
548
159
18fi
73
311
122
86
57
81
36
6
54
1
9
2
104
79
186
559
653
74
500
94
5
26
90
70
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
4.6
.4
13.7
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
61
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota--
Iowa
2
Missouri
"Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
North Carolina __.
2
88
88
Georgia
Florida
4
3
125
38
2
3
123
35
27
13
72
299
183
1.6
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Arkansas „_ „„
MOUNTAIN:
Arizona
2
1
2
6
24
3
10
2
14
13
27
13
72
299
193
12
170
64
586
300
PACIFIC:
Washington
8
3
12
IS
4
"16"
10
119
57
369
245
73
Oregon __
California
155
138
Other States
10
5.2
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Includes 1 church in each of the following States — Maryland, Texas, and New Mexico, and the District
of Columbia.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHUKCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total num-
Number of
VALUE O
EDIS
F CHURCH
ICES
DEBT ON
EDIF
CHURCH
ICES
ber of
churches
edifices
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
74
36
34
8248,632
14
$e5,994
New Jersey
12
6
5
53,800
5
16, 305
Pennsylvania
14
4
4
41,000
2
13,900
Michigan
7
5
5
63,000
4
28, 569
Florida
4
4
4
7,032
California
G
3
3
20,500
1
750
Other States
31
14
1 13
63,300
2
6,470
* Includes 2 churches each in the States of New York and Oregon; and 1 each in the following States—
Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina, Texas, New Mexico, and Washington.
298
CEN'S'TJS1 0¥ RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
I
XPENDITUEE
s
STATE
Total num-
ber of
churches
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Salaries,
other than
pastors'
Repairs
and im-
provements
Payment on
church debt,
excluding
interest
United States
74
69
S77, 135
S3, 386
84, 750
$6, 586
Massachusetts
3
3
2,235
210
New York
4
4
6,468
201
2l6
75
New Jersey
12
10
14, 963
420
2,104
2,780
Pennsylvania
14
14
13, 807
1,099
223
720
Michigan ._
7
7
17, 972
540
433
2,783
Florida
4
4
1,692
120
200
100
California
6
6
4,301
520
187
48
Other States
24
i 21
15, 697
276
1,387
80
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Other cur-
rent
expenses,
including
interest
Local relief
and
charity
Home mis-
sions
Foreign
missions
To general
head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
S23, 554
S3, 286
$14, 047
$9, 097
81, 299
811, 130
Massachusetts
852
3,111
3,565
4,474
4,892
147
1,763
4,750
18
750
667
2,496
2,289
4,671
127
411
2,636
154
2,198
1,413
1,877
1,231
394
632
1,198
251
New York
New Jersey
395
298
607
1 790
2, 527
2,740
304
730
2,728
P ennsyl vania
300
75
240
Michigan
Florida
California
10
1,958
Other States
684
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States—Illinois, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arkansas,
Arizona, Oregon, and Iowa; and 1 each in the following States— Minnesota, Missouri, Maryland, Texas,
New Mexico, and Washington, and the District of Columbia.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
The more conservative Brethren, as distinct from the "Open" Brethren,
formed but one fellowship in the United States until 1885. At that time two
leaders came from England who put forth a doctrine which, it was claimed,
deprived not only the Old Testament believers, but a considerable number of
New Testament believers, of eternal life. This doctrine was strongly opposed
by a great majority, on the ground that eternal life in Christ is the common
blessing of all believers of every age, whatever other distinction may exist be-
tween them in different dispensations. Those who hold this view continue to
constitute the great body of the Brethren in the United States and are included
in this first division. They cherish the memory and publish the writings of
John Nelson Darby and other prominent writers of the earlier years of the move-
ment, although they have declined to look upon these writings in any degree as
a creed and are anxious to remain free to advance in the knowledge of the Scrip-
tures. They are regarded as more conservative than the second branch or
"Open" Brethren, although less so than others, and are ordinarily termed
"Excluslves" when any specific reference is required.
They have always been interested in general evangelistic work and are repre-
sented by over 60 evangelists in the United States and by 16 American mission-
aries and a number of native helpers, occupying 10 stations, in the foreign field,
where they have 6 assemblies or meetings, with about 200 communicant members
No statement of the amount contributed for this work is available, gifts being
made, usually, to individual missionaries and preachers, and no records are kept.
1 This statement, which is the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on "Religious Bodies,
1926, has been approved in its present form by Mr. P. D. Loizeaux, Bible Truth Depot, New York City.
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN II
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Plymouth Brethren II for the year 1936 is pre-
sented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory.
The membership of this body comprises those persons who have been admitted
to fellowship upon their application, after careful examination as to the reality of
their faith and evidence of a Christian 3ife.
There are no regular ministers in the Brethren assemblies, hence there are no
parsonages.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL l
Urban
Rural
Churclies (local organizations), number
344
15,684
46
6,370
9,153
161
69.6
258
13,897
1,529
1.8
154
143
$1,054,068
$963, 525
$90, 543
$7, 371
56
$199, 994
66
314
$311, 645
$23, 130
$21, 008
$20, 003
$103, 101
$12, 193
$61, 327
$31, 684
$6, 610
$32, 589
$993
276
2,144
16,994
13
80
799
11
33
504
264
13, 355
51
5,419
7,811
125
69.4
212
12,014
1,129
1.7
117
107
$949, 993
$864, 150
$85, 843
$8, 878
47
$195, 806
46
246
$283,822
$19, 969
$19, 289
$18,679
$93, 587
$11, 404
$55, 823
$29, 571
$5, 992
$29, 508
$1, 154
214
1,836
14, 477
10
69
674
11
33
504
80
2,329
29
951
1,342
36
70.9
46
1,883
400
2.4
37
36
$104, 075
a>QA 375
' $ii 700
$2, 891
9
$4, 188
20
68
$27, 823
$3, 161
$1, 719
$1, 324
$9, 514
$789
$5,504
$2, 113
$618
$3, 081
$409
62
308
2,517
3
11
125
76 7
85.2
23.3
14.8
Members, number
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
85.1
85 3
77 6
14.5
14.7
22.4
Female
Sex not reported „ _
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
82 2
86 5
73 8
17.8
13.5
26.2
13 years and over
Age not reported - -
Percent under 13 years '
Clnircli edifices, number
76.0
74 8
90 1
89.7
94 8
24 0
25 2
9 9
10 3
5 2
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported _
97.9
2 1
Number reporting "no debt"
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number
78.3
91.1
86 3
91.8
93.4
90.8
93.5
91.0
93 3
90 7
90.5
21 7
8 9
13.7
8 2
6.6
9.2
6 5
9.0
6 7
9.3
9 5
Amount reported _
Salaries, other than pastors' --
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
All other current expenses, including in-
terest » .
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc..
Home missions _ -
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution.
All other purposes - -
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number __
77.5
85.6
85.2
22.5
14.4
14.8
Officers and teachers -
Scholars --
Summer vacation Bible schools:
Officers and teachers
Scholars -
84.4
15.6
Weekday religious schools:
Officers and teachers
100.0
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
299
300
CEN'SiUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of this body for the census years
1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2.- — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Ch.urclies (local organizations), number
344
307
129
128
Increase over preceding census:
"NTnmher
37
178
1
Percent-. „ . _ . _. __-
12.1
138.0
0.8
Members, number . „
15, 684
13, 497
5,928
4,752
Increase over preceding census:
Number - ~
2,187
7,569
1,176
Percent —
16 2
127.7
24.7
Average membership per church . -
46
44
46
37
Churcli edifices number -- - - -
154
108
25
3
Value™ ~ number reporting
143
108
25
3
Amount reported
$1, 054, 068
$909, 952
$108, 751
$17, 500
Average value per church _ _ _
$7, 371
$8, 425
$4, 350
$5, 833
Debt — number reporting - -
56
46
10
2
Amount reported - . . _ -
$199, 994
$188, 031
$23, 950
$2,400
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number __._
314
286
123
Amount reported -
$311, 645
$369 416
$89 694
Salaries other than pastors'
$23, 130
Repairs and improvements
$21,008
$197 881
<fcOn 40*)
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest
$20,003
$103, 101
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc - -
$12, 193
Home missions
$61, 327
Foreign missions
$31, 684
$170 463
$50 261
To general headquarters for distribution
$6, 610
All other purposes
$32, 589
Not classified
$1 072
Average expenditure per church
$993
$1, 292
$729
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting} number _.
276
239
101
93
Officers and teachers - .- - -
2,144
1,340
607
§14
Scholars
16, 994
13, 634
5 884
5 475
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Plymouth
Brethren II, by States. Table 3 gives for each State the number and membership
of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory, mem-
bership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools in 1936. Table 4 gives for se-
lected States the number and membership of the churches for the four census years
1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years
of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of church
edifices and the amount of debt on such property for 1936. Table 6 presents, for
1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improve-
ments, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of
any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those
States in which three or more churches reported value and expenditures.
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN II
301
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
"3
•s
EH
344
1
ID
'<3
I
3
o
&H
a
f«
*£
P
I
.2
S
Female
2
t3
•g-2
S3 O
M
£
o
0
si
p/3
wS
J?«2
^ 1 Churches re-
°* 1 porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States
264
80
"2"
....
4
2
5
1
3
2
5
5
1
12
5
2
1
6
1
~~2~
15, 684
18
666
209
464
1,681
1,385
1,591
439
197
1,482
1,491
345
260
1,021
612
63
95
252
95
72
283
5
78
297
168
42
11
44
325
4
10
18
112
15
19
483
230
1,102
13, 355
2,329
6,370
9,153
161
69.8
2,144
16,994
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine __ _ _
1
16
3
11
33
32
29
7
9
25
27
9
7
21
12-
3
2
10
4
2
7
1
3
7
6
3
1
1
14
3
9
29
30
24
6
6
23
22
4
6
9
7
1
1
4
3
2
5
1
2
2
5
3
18
613
209
367
1,595
1,353
1,302
409
125
1,421
1,398
227
243
533
518
12
60
74
67
72
246
5
70
56
152
42
8
255
76
189
683
558
660
178
86
654
607
141
71
433
223
24
39
90
36
30
107
1
25
86
66
18
4
19
143
1
5
6
52
8
5
206
119
458
10
411
133
275
998
827
931
261
111
828
853
204
89
588
359
39
56
162
59
42
176
4
53
211
102
24
7
25
182
3
5
12
60
7
14
277
111
644
Massachusetts
53
,62 0
57.1
68.7
68.4
67.5
70 9
68.2
77.5
79 0
71.2
69.1
12
3
10
23
27
28
6
8
23
24
8
3
16
9
3
2
4
3
2
5
1
2
7
4
2
1
2
6
80
25
54
244
227
231
64
51
246
194
38
34
70
90
20
13
18
16
7
45
o
11
37
24
10
4
9
41
608
157
473
1,733
1,717
1,767
529
392
1,942
1,796
315
249
826
653
168
151
140
88
35
380
10
78
332
165
57
25
54
467
Rhode Island
C onnecticut
97
86
32
289
30
72
61
93
118
17
488
94
51
35
178
28
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
P ennsy 1 vania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio ._- _-
Indiana
....
Illinois
Michigan
31
100
"§6"
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
73.6
62.1
Missouri
North Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
55.6
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland _
District of Columbia
Vir£vn,fo
37
....
60.8
West Virginia
North Ofvrftlfrift
1
5
1
1
1
1
____
8
241
16
Georgia
::::
40.8
64.7
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
TvQuisifvn&
11
36
16
Oklahoma
2
6
1
1
1
5
1
8
309
4
Texas
—
78.6
MOUNTAIN:
IVrOTHtftTlft
Idaho
10
"~~34~
52
30
16
1
1
4
1
1
7
3
14
6
6
21
5
6
50
15
130
60
50
115
50
50
349
114
899
Wyoming
1
7
2
1
9
4
19
1
3
2
1
7
3
18
18
78
15
19
431
200
1,086
Colorado
4
2
1
1
New Mexico
Utah
PACIFIC:
Washington
74.4
107.2
71.1
Oregon.
California —
t Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
302
CENSUS OF EELIGIOUS BODIEiS, 1936
TABLE 4.— NUMBER AND MEMBEESHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVI-
SION AND STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1336
1926
1916
1906
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13 J
United States.
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
Khode Island. .
Connecticut...
MIDDLE ATLANTIC.
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania. ~
E. N. CENTRAL-
Ohio
344
307
129
128
15, 684
13,497
5,928
4,752
258
13, 897
1,529
1.8
10
3
11
33
32
29
/
9
25
27
9
19
3
7
31
34
21
7
7
16
25
9
1
3
11
19
10
3
6
9
7
8
4
2
15
10
11
5
4
8
9
666
209
464
1,681
1,385
1,591
439
197
1,482
1,491
345
260
1,021
612
63
95
252
95
283
78
297
168
42
325
112
483
230
1,102
216
857
251
307
1,613
1,526
1,215
438
165
1,054
1,273
576
154
91
571
903
475
117
97
670
434
415
195
24
728
440
465
218
53
539
286
40
532
209
426
1,505
1,105
1,360
435
103
1,379
1,465
275
158
797
578
62
92
241
95
278
78
294
167
42
324
112
274
230
1,101
180
94
7 0
20
30
"~ie
4
7
17
26
35
2
25
20
1
3
18
146
280
215
4 5
2.0
1 2
,9
6.4
1.2
1.7
11.3
1.3
3.0
3.3
Indiana
87
86
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin. ..
35
100
199
14
\V\ N, CENTRAL
Minnesota
Iowa . ..
7
21
12
3
2
30
4
7
3
7
7
18
15
0
3
10
3
5
4
9
7
5
6
5
3
2
11
184
720
736
32
77
237
66
189
119
347
318
loS
114
309
22
25
215
Missouri
North Dakota.
Nebraska
Kansas .
6
117
11
SOUTH ATLANTIC.
Maryland
Virginia
3
1
84
40
5
North Carolina
Georgia. ..
3
1
1.0
.6
Florida
6
3
6
138
E S. CENTRAL;
Tennessee
W. S. CENTRAL;
Texas
6
7
9
4
13
6
12
4
2
4
3
2
1
300
152
537
178
25
95
84
64
20
1
.3
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Washington...
Oregon
1
208
.4
California
Other States...
19
213
17
20
6
6
7
6
1,014
416
384
173
210
128
1
5
.1
2.7
31
1 Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
J Includes 2 churches in each of the following— District of Columbia and the States of Oklahoma and New
Mexico; and 1 church in each of the following States— Maine, West Virginia, Louisiana, Montana, Idaho,
Wyoming, and Utah.
PLYMOUTH BEETHEEN II
303
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND AMOUNT OP CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total num-
ber of
churches
Number of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHUBCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States.--
344
154
143
SI, 054, 068
56
8199,994
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts .. .
16
11
33
32
29
7
25
27
9
21
12
7
7
6
9
19
74
9
3
12
14
17
3
10
10
5
12
8
5
4
4
5
11
22
9
3
12
14
17
3
10
9
5
7
8
5
4
4
5
11
1 17
65, 300
27, 000
185,050
128, 600
165, 100
23, 500
105, 950
57, 125
9,543
9,350
61, 400
17, 700
3,350
28, 000
22,800
64, 300
80,000
4
2
0
8
G
2
2
4
2
2
3
1
23, 245
7,S25
49, 520
32, 444
43, 480
3,575
6,060
2, 350
950
598
8,350
4,000
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL-
Ohio .. -
Illinois
Michigan
W isconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
Missouri
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
Georgia
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Texas
1
2
5
6
300
3,440
8,452
5,405
PACIFIC:
Washington
California _
Other States
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Indiana, Minnesota, Florida, Colorado, and Oregon,
and 1 each in the following States— Khode Island, North Dakota, Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina,
Louisiana, and New Mexico.
304
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6.— CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
E
XPENDITUBE
s
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total
number of
churches
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Salaries,
other than
pastors'
Repairs
and
improve-
ments
Payment
on church
debt,
excluding
interest
United States
344
314
$311, 645
$23, 130
$21,003
$20,003
NEW ENGLAND.
Massachusetts
10
1C
14,834
1,210
1,334
989
Rhode Island
3
3
3,233
30
200
Connecticut.
11
10
11,314
120
336
42,:
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
33
31
44,413
1,726
2,665
2,702
New Jersey
32
30
35,638
1,945
1,397
2,691
Pennsylvania
29
29
37,626
2,862
2,365
5, 316
EAST NOETH CENTRAL*
Ohio
7
7
14,090
1,336
1,308
415
Indiana ,
9
9
2,400
215
115
Illinois
25
24
32,581
2,489
1,679
1,021
Michigan
27
25
31,263
4,487
1,948
1,301
Wisconsin
9
9
5,401
400
1,090
550
WEST NORTH CENTRAL*
Minnesota
/
5
2,685
160
327
Iowa
21
19
10,621
771
299
151
Missouri
12
10
9,185
769
955
925
North Dakota
3
3
1,320
100
100
Kansas
10
7
1,291
150
160
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
4
3
776
219
33
102
Virginia
7
7
6,703
361
310
731
North Carolina
3
3
636
100
Georgia
7
7
1,351
55
80
Florida
6
6
3,083
249
497
619
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL*
Texas
6
6
4,820
606
103
300
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
/
3
493
84
10
PACIFIC*
Washington
9
7
6,419
967
690
210
Oregon
4
4
5,621
1,861
California . -
19
17
17,052
1,117
933
1 152
Other States ,
18
1 14
6,796
802
273
143
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following— District of Columbia and the States of Nebraska, Ne w
Mexico, and Tennessee; and 1 church in each of the following States— Maine, West Virginia, Louisiana,
Oklahoma, Montana, and Utah,
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN II
305
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief and
chanty
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To
general
head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
$103, 101
S12, 193
453
300
305
1,270
1,091
1,021
1, 295
30
1,635
1,592
5
65
235
250
20
861, 327
__
2,237
1,721
2,119
4,179
6,206
7,251
4,192
631
8,593
6,255
1,160
838
3,717
1,634
290
519
$31, 684
$6,610
$32, 589
2,156
685
3,713
3,141
2, 516
2,063
303
549
1,822
2,512
945
320
1,984
725
25
86
NEW ENGLAND
Massachusetts -
5,317
1,138
297
436
5,890
5,594
2,970
2,217
95
4,610
2,467
50
265
634
854
210
30
Rhode Island
Connecticut
2,822
17,854
14, 198
13, 705
3,024
765
10,276
10, 701
1,201
710
2,795
3,073
575
346
422
1, 750
50
490
544
1,316
225
2,076
1,170
5, 297
2,399
1,038
4,986
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York ._
New Jersey __
Pennsylvania
70
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio -
Indiana
Illinois ._
456
Michigan .
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL-
Minnesota _~ .
Iowa - - ...
35
Missouri ..
North Dakota
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland _
Virginia
287
100
1,046
386
420
277
1,202
3
480
1,729
2.472
1,770
172
2,046
North Carolina - -
Georgia
106
47
335
52
1,335
661
1,069
150
200
706
733
59
336
200
3,700
1,064
Florida
144
200
60
325
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Texas
25
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Washington .
Oregon .
California .
1,312
195
Other States
306 CENSUS' OF IMLIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
HISTORY
Plymouth Brethren II comprise those known as "Open" Brethren, though this
designation is not accepted by themselves. In 1848 a teacher at Plymouth was
charged with heretical doctrines concerning the Person of Christ. The other
assemblies were in accord in condemning the teaching and in refusing fellowship
to the false teacher. But a sharp divergence of principle and practice developed
in the matter of fellowship with individual Christians coming from Plymouth.
Some assemblies, thereafter known as "Exclusive," put under a ban not only
Plymouth but any other assembly that received anyone who had sat under the
unsound teaching. Bethesda (Bristol) Assembly received into fellowship from
Plymouth those who had not themselves imbibed the evil doctrine. Thereupon
the "Exclusive" Assemblies put under the same ban as Plymouth, not only all
the members of the Bethesda Assembly, but all the members of any assembly
that did not repudiate fellowship with Bethesda, as well as with Plymouth.
Thus, successively, throughout the world many thereafter known as "Open"
Assemblies were declared outside the "Exclusive" circle of fellowship. Gen-
erally speaking, the "Open" Brethren, in receiving fellow believers, put emphasis
on the question, "What does the person himself hold?" They are "open" to
receive Christians that are personally sound in the faith, unless there is clear
evidence of intentional association with known evil. They reject the theory
that ecclesiastical position is in itself disqualifying; but intercommunication
with assemblies tolerating heresy has never been contemplated nor allowed.
The "Open" Brethren, inasmuch as they are for the most part "congregational"
in government, do not form a homogeneous body. Within the limits of evan-
gelical orthodoxy there is a great variety of teaching and practice among them.
As to the preaching and teaching functions, some claim that the open ministry
is preferable but not obligatory, others that it -is obligatory but of secondary
importance. Some are on terms of friendly equality with evangelical Christians
of every name. Others again are intolerant of any divergence of view. While
all divisions of the Brethren look upon discipline in general as reformative rather
than punitive* the Open Brethren are more apt to judge of individual cases by
themselves than to undertake to apply to each offender general principles of
universal application.
WOEK
This branch has entered heartily into missionary work, scores of missionaries
having gone out from the United States. In addition, there are many from
other countries who represent the Open Brethren in foreign missionary work,
besides those laboring in the home fields. While the Plymouth Brethren have
no humanly ordained ministry, there is a considerable number of persons who
give their entire time to evangelistic work either in connection with local congrega-
tions or in general missionary work.
1 This statement, which is the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious Bodies,
1926, has been approved in its present form by Mr. P. D. Loizeaux, Bible Truth Depot, New York City.
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN III
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with, urban-rural classification, — A genera]
summary of the statistics for the Plymouth Brethren III for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory.
The membership of this body comprises those persons who have been admitted
to fellowship upon their application, after careful examination as to the reality
of their faith and evidence of a Christian life.
There are no regular ministers in the Brethren assemblies, hence there are no
parsonages.
TABLE 1.-
-SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEECENT Of
TOTAL1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organisations), number
22
1,000
45
420
580
72.4
16
933
51
1.7
4
3
$27,000
$21,000
$6,000
$9,000
3
$10,500
19
$16,424
$279
$1, 126
$2,125
$4,737
$1,767
$4,470
$1,044
$10
$866
$864
14
59
543
16
837
52
343
494
69.4
7
830
6
163
27
77
86
C2)
9
103
51
1.1
Members, number _ .
83.7
16.3
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
81.7
85.2
18 3
14.8
Female
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years -
13 years and. over
89.0
11.0
Age not reported
Percent under I§ years 3 . . .
,6.8
4
3
$27, 000
$21, 000
$6,000
$9,000
3
$10,500
14
$14,626
Church edifices number
Value — number reporting „
Amount reported
100.0
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936
Average value per church
100.0
y)fiht — number reporting _
Amount reported ~
100.0
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number
5
$1,798
$279
$267
Amount reported
89.1
10.9
100.0
23.7
Salaries other than pastors7
Repairs and improvements
$859
$2,125
$4, 659
$1, 747
$3,798
$687
$10
$741
$1,045
9
49
442
76.3
100 0
98.4
98.9
85 0
65.8
.Payment on church debt excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest.—
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$78
$20
$672
$357
1.6
1.1
15.0
34.2
Home missions
Foreign missions
To ceneral headQuarters for distribution
All other purposes -
$125
$360
5
10
101
85.6
144
Averase expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Ohnrches reporting number
Officers and teachers -
Scholars - -
81.4
18.6
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
Based on membership with age classification reported.
307
275318 — 41-
-21
308
CENSUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of this religious body for the
census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906. The branch now classified as Plymouth
Brethren V was, prior to 1916, a part of this body.
TABLE 2. — -COMPAKATIVE SUMMABT, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
19161
1906
Churches (local organizations) number
22
24
17
81
Increase s over preceding census:
Number
—2
7
—64
Percent3 _ .
Mf*m'bftrsJ niiTttber
1,000
684
476
1,724
Increase 2 over preceding census:
Number . _ _ -
316
208
— 1, 248
Percent
46 2
43 7
—72.4
Average membership per church
45
29
28
21
Church edifices, number -
4
1
1
Value — number reporting
3
1
1
Amount reported -
$27, 000
$5, 000
$700
Average value per church
$9, 000
Debt — number reporting
3
1
Amount reported _ ._ . .
$10, 500
$4, 000
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number
19
20
13
Amount reported _ . . - ._._
$16, 424
$11,931
$3, 723
Salaries, other than pastors'
$279
Repairs and improvements _ _.
$1, 126
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
$2, 125
All other current expenses, including interest
$4, 737
Local relief and chanty, Red Cross, etc _ _. ...
$1, 767
Hrvrnp. missions .
$4,470
Foreign missions
$1, 044
$5, 237
$1, 163
To general head quarters for distribution
$10
All other purposes. _ _.
$866
Average expenditure per church
$864
$597
$286
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number ._ _
14
14
5
28
Officers and teachers
59
32
27
72
Scholars ___
543
352
333
720
1 Plymouth Brethren V separated from tbis branch in 1914.
2 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
3 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN IH
309
State tables. — Tables 3 and 4 present the statistics for the Plymouth Brethren
III, by States. Table 3 gives for each State the number and membership of the
churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory, mem-
bership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools in 1936. Table 4 gives for
selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four census
years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under
13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over."
Separate presentation, by States, of the value of church edifices and the debt
on such property, and also of the amount expended for current expenses and
improvements, are omitted, for the reason that these statistics are very incom-
pletely recorded in the local assemblies.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBEE OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
*s
1
£
2
§
3
O
EH
"£
&
•g
H
£
1
Female
§
ii
SS
"3.2
S
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States
22
1
1
3
2
2
2
2
2
1
?,
16
1
1
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
6
1,000
837
163
420
580
72.4
14
59
543
30
NEW ENGLAND-
Massachusetts
32
8
353
217
59
37
93
40
70
54
14
4
6
13
32
8
353
217
59
15
42
i 8
70
"~14~
6
13
6
3
123
110
28
13
43
22
27
26
7
2
3
7
26
5
230
107
31
24
50
18
43
28
7
2
3
6
1
4
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
- —
53.5
102.8
2
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
16
15
8
2
2
3
4
5
165
153
45
13
20
37
30
50
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
1
1
1
22
51
32
54
4"
Hlmois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NOETH CENTEAL:
Iowa
2
....
Missouri
1
1
1
Nebraska
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
1
1
1
1
PACIFIC:
Oreson
....
i Eatio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
310
CEN'STJS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
NTJMI
JEEOl
PCHUI
tCHES
NUMI
JER O
E- MEi
IBERS
MEMB
ERSHIP
BY AGl
:, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
1936
1926
19161
1906
1936
1926
19161
1906
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
132
United States.,.
22
24
17
81
1,000
684
476
1,724
16
933
51
1.7
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
3
1
2
7
353
35
43
184
353
New Jersey
2
2
3
5
217
201
147
148
217
Pennsylvania
2
2
2
7
59
87
110
222
59
EAST NOBTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
2
3
1
4
37
30
10
71
7
30
Illinois
2
2
2
7
93
51
36
182
42
51
lvlicb.iga.n
2
2
1
3
40
63
21
70
40
Wisconsin
1
2
1
4
70
129
35
27
70
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
3
21
Iowa _
2
2
1
5
54
23
26
150
9
45
Missouri
I
3
14
101
14
Kansas
1
3
2
33
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Florida
5
42
PACIFIC-
Washington,
3
60
Oregon _ ._ _
I
1
3
13
14
51
13
California -
5
175
Other States _
34
7
3
14
50
51
46
187
50
1 Plymouth Brethren V separated from this branch in 1914.
2 Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Includes 1 church in each of the following States— Massachusetts, Connecticut, Nebraska, and Colorado
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION >
The third branch of Brethren includes those who adopted in full the views of the
English leaders referred to in the statement for the first branch. They represent
the extreme high-church principle of Brethrenism and hold that absolute power
of a judicial kind has been delegated by Christ to the Christian assembly, so that
any decision of the assembly in entire accordance with the Scriptures must be
accepted. Accordingly, they advocate the absolute disfellpwshiping of any person
whose life or doctrinal views are not in accord with the principles of the Christian
faith as laid down in the Scriptures.
i No revision of history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this body for 1 936, hence this state-
ment is the same as that published m Religious Bodies, vol. II, 1926.
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN IV
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Plymouth Brethren IV for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. As in other Plymouth Brethren bodies, no parsonages
are reported.
The membership of this body comprises those persons who have been admitted
to fellowship upon their application, after careful examination as to the reality
of their faith and evidence of a Christian life.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churclifts (local organizations), number - ™™- -
56
1,909
34
757
1,152
65.7
26
1,781
102
1.5
52
$46, 165
$1,000
$23,962
$3,768
$2,137
$15
$5,605
$9,669
$888
1
1
20
47
1,696
36
668
1,028
65.0
20
1,574
102
1.3
44
$41,908
$744
$22,330
$3,460
$858
$15
$5,605
$8,896
$998
1
1
20
9
213
24
89
124
71.8
6
207
2.1"
8
$4,257
$265
$1,632
$308
$1,279
Members, number
88.8
11.2
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male _
88.2
89.2
11.8
10.8
Female _ _
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over
88.4
100.0
11.6
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years '
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number ^ , , „
Amount reported ""
90.8
73.7
93.2
91.8
40.1
9.2
26.3
6.8
8.2
59.9
Salaries, other than pastors'
All other current expenses, including interest-
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home rpi^ons
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes
100.0
92.0
$773
$532
8.0
A.verage expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting TrmmhpT
Officers and teachers
Scholars - -- -. -
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Based on membership with age classification reported.
311
312
CENSUS OF KELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compar-
ison, a summary of the available statistics of Plymouth Brethren IV for the
census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906. Plymouth Brethren VI separated from
this branch between 1906 and 1916.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Church.es (local organizations) number -- -
56
47
72
60
Increase J over preceding census
Number _ _ _
9
-25
12
Percent 2 _ . . _
MwftftTSj TmTTtftfiir , . ,. „ --
1,909
1,663
1,389
1,157
Increase over preceding census.
Number
246
274
232
Percent _
14 8
19 7
20 1
Average membership per church
34
35
19
19
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number . _ _.
52
41
47
Amount reported -- -- -
$46, 165
$41, 578
$17, 630
Salaries, other than pastors' - .. -- ..- -- -
$1, 009
Repairs and unprovements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest ..
All other current expenses, including interest .
$23, 962
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$3, 768
Home missions
$2, 137
Foreign missions
$15
$16, 926
$7, 357
To general headquarters for distribution
$5, 605
All other purposes
$9, 669
N"ot classified
$2, 276
Average expenditure per church
$888
$1 014
$375
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting number
1
5
6
Officers and teachers
1
9
13
Scholars - .___»___>_„
20
132
194
* A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN IV
313
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for the Plymouth Brethren
IV by States. Table 3 gives for each State the number and membership of the
churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory, and
membership by sex, in 1936. Table 4 gives for selected States the number and
membership of the churches for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with
the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of
age and over." Table 5 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing
separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid
disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation
in table 5 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported
expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL,
TERRITORY, AND MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBEP OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
Total
Urban
Rural
Total
Urban
Rural
Male
Female
Males
per 100
females1
United States
56
47
9
1,909
1,696
213
757
1,152
65.7
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
3
2
14
2
1
1
2
2
1
3
1
1
3
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
5
3
1
12
7
2
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
I"
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
5
64
60
620
195
40
16
67
98
70
13
85
78
18
45
6
33
20
14
70
29
34
234
64
19
603
195
40
16
67
98
70
13
27
78
28
30
225
86
17
5
20
41
28
5
37
30
9
15
o
15
11
4
27
14
15
93
36
30
395
109
23
11
47
57
42
8
4§
48
9
30
4
18
9
10
43
15
19
141
Connecticut
1
2
41
17
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
57.0
78.9
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL.
Minnesota
2
58
Iowa
North Dakota
1
2
18
36
Nebraska
9
6
33
20
14
27
29
34
234
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
District of Columbia, -
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee
1
43
MOUNTAIN:
Montana - -
PACIFIC:
Washington
~~"67.~6
California
* Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
314
CENSUS OF EELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBEE AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHTTKCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEMBER-
SHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHUECHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
72
1906
60
1936
1926
1916
1906
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States
56
47
1,909
64
1,663
1,389
1,157
26
1,781
102
1.5
M assachusetts
1
45
47
620
183
19
Connecticut
2
14
7
1
1
2
2
3
1
3
2
5
210
2
8
5
2
2
2
1
3
2
5
2
3
10
4
8
5
5
3
6
2
3
2
10
3
4
17
3
6
4
4
2
2
3
3
4
9
4
3
13
60
620
195
16
67
98
70
85
78
45
70
234
207
23
615
143
25
90
25
76
60
101
81
70
171
183
27
344
105
51
87
85
46
53
57
112
76
127
219
25
239
78
30
67
87
14
41
48
147
75
73
233
13
New York
New Jersey
12
16
Ohio
Indiana
67
79
63
85
77
45
70
234
166
Illinois
19
[Michigan
7
M!inneso ta
Iowa - ---
1
Nebraska
Tennessee - -
California .
Other States _-
5
36
3.0
i Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Includes 2 churches m Pennsylvania; and 1 each m the following States— Wisconsin, North Dakota,
Florida, Delaware, Maryland, Montana, and Washington, and the District of Columbia.
TABLE 5. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
*
EXPENDITURES
£
,
3
§
a) In
>>
o
ft
Is
E
o
ff
§
o 2
1
03
c«
STATE
&
$,
4J
SB
II
S
1
•O
1
ft
g
O
1^
^1
Si
1
1
•3
s
a
"3
1
ri
CS
2
rC *"i
g
a
o
a
I
1
o
e3
o
EH
J3
O
^5
_., §
g
o
o
o
O
EH
a
<J»
^
H
3
United States
56
fia
846, 165
SI, 009
S23, 962
$3, 768
$2, 137
sift
$5, 605
$9, 669
Massachusetts -
3
3
2,104
1,571
533
New York
14
14
16, 713
36
8,069
1,260
5,605
1,743
New Jersey _ -_.
7
6
4,484
120
3,164
359
327
514
Minnesota.
3
3
1,810
109
657
20
251
15
758
California
5
5
5,491
420
2,522
686
1,863
Other States
24
121
15, 563
324
7,979
910
1,559
4,791
1 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States — Connecticut, Michigan, Nebraska, and Tennessee;
and 1 each in the following States — Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota,
Delaware, Maryland, Florida, Montana, and Washington, and the District of Columbia.
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN IV 315
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
The body classified as Plymouth Brethren IV disclaims any designation what-
ever save those that the Scriptures apply to all believers, as Christians, Brethren,
etc. To accept any specific title would imply that they are a sect, which they
deny, sects or divisions being condemned in I Cor. 1: 1CK15. Nevertheless, they
do not consider that all the doctrines or practices of Brethren in religious denom-
inations, from whom they have separated, are those of Christ or His Apostles.
This division among the Plymouth Brethren was due to a cleavage occurring in
1890 from doctrinal differences in England and partly reproduced in the United
States, in regard to the great subject of eternal life. These Brethren hold that,
save in the sense that they recognize the principles and commandments given in
the Scriptures as governing believers who form the house of God, they have no
doctrines peculiar to themselves. They believe that all Scripture is the written
Word of God, is profitable for teaching, and should be followed in its entirety by
Christians, as regulating doctrine and conduct. From it they have learned that
Christ's death and resurrection alone suffice for salvation; that, having ascended
into heaven, He has sent down the Holy Ghost to indwell all true believers; that,
as thus indwelt by the Spirit, believers form the one church, or body of Christ,
of which He is the head; that, according to I Thessalonians 4, the Lord is coming
personally to take His people to be with Himself.
They have meeting rooms and regular hours for coming together to partake of
the Lord's Supper, for prayer, reading the Scriptures, and preaching. They
provide, through collections regularly made, for persons in need, for those who
preach the gospel, and for those who minister amongst them. These meetings
are scattered mostly through the Northern States. Very few are found in the
South. They are much more numerous in the British Empire.
* No revision of history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this body for 1936, hence this statement
is the same as that published in vol. II of the Eeligious Bodies, 1926, prepared from information given
by the Gospel Book and Tract Depot, 65 Bible House, Astor Place, New York City.
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN V
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Plymouth Brethren V for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory.
The membership of this body comprises those persons who have been admitted
to fellowship upon their application, after careful examination as to the reality
of their faith and evidence of a Christian life.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL I
Urban
Rural
ChnrGh<?s (local orga/nizatioTis),, tmTyifyAr
67
1,766
26
732
1,022
12
71.6
77
1,689
4.4
8
8
$7, 300
$7,300
$913
7
51
$24, 214
$1,801
$833
$423
$10, 374
$1, 013
$3,084
$830
$275
$5, 581
$475
30
114
1,081
51
1,475
29
595
868
12
68 5
55
1,420
3 7
3
3
$5, 100
$5, 100
$1, 700
2
41
$22, 977
$1, 801
$770
$361
$10, 207
$775
$2, 752
$780
$50
$5, 481
$560
21
77
839
16
291
18
137
154
Members, number „
83.5
16.5
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male . .
81.3
84.9
18 7
15 1
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females _. _.
89 0
22
269
7 6
5
5
$2,200
$2, 200
$440
5
10
$1,237
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over
84.1
15.9
Percent under 13 years
Church edifices, number. ._ _
Value — number reporting . .
Amount reported . ._
69.9
69.9
30.1
30.1
Constructed prior to 1936
Average value per church. __ __
Number reporting "no debt"
Expenditures.
Churches reporting, number .
Amount reported __ _
94.9
100.0
92.4
85.3
98.4
76.5
89,2
94.0
18.2
98.2
5.1
Salaries, other than pastors'
Repairs and improvements
$63
$62
$167
$238
$332
$50
$225
$100
$124
9
37
242
7.6
14.7
1.6
23.5
10.8
6.0
81.8
1.8
Payment on church debt, excluding interest. _
All other current expenses, including interest.
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc _,
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes ,
Average expenditure per church . _ _ .
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
67.5
77.6
32.5
22,4
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
316
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN V
317
Comparative data, 1916-36, — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Plymouth Brethren V for
the census years 1936, 1926, and 1916.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1916 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
Clmrclies (local organizations), number . „_
67
83
80
Increase l over preceding census:
Number _ .
— 16
3
Percent2
Members, number
1, 766
2,152
1,820
Increase l over preceding census:
Number
—386
332
Percent
—17 9
18 2
Average membership per church
26
26
23
Church edifices, number
8
3
1
Value — number reporting
8
3
1
Amount reported _ . _
$7, 300
$5, 200
$1,200
Average value per church _ _
$913
$1, 733
$1, 200
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number
51
69
57
Amount reported
$24 214
$45, 825
$17 899
Salaries, other than pastors'...
$1,801
|
Repairs and improvements
$833
Payment. <rn church dp.ht, ^.TO, Uncling intft?pst.
$423
> $21, 129
$8, 130
All other current expenses, including interest
$10, 374
J
Local re lief and charity, Bed Cross, etc
$1, 013
TTomp, missions
$3 084
Foreign missions
$830
$24, 696
$9, 769
To general headquarters for distribution
$275
All other purposes
$5, 581
Average expenditure per church
$475
$664
$314
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number - - -
30
45
41
Officers and teachers -- - ____
114
133
114
Scholars _„ ,
1,081
1,332
1,109
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
318
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics of the Plymouth Brethren
V by States. Table 3 gives for each State the number and membership of the
churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory, mem-
bership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools in 1936. Table 4 gives
for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the three
census years 1916 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as
"under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 presents, for
1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improve-
ments, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics
of any individual church, separate presentation in table 5 is limited to those
States in which three or more churches reported expenditures.
TABLE 3.— NTTMBEK AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES^
NUMBER OF MEM-
BERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
3
"o
H
a
C3
•s
1
Si
1
B
S
1
3
«
^o
13
a
£
03
£
2
*s
as
xft
o
02
g
S
«3«2
S
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
1
"o
1
United States..
67
51
16
1,766
1,475
291
732
1,022
1
19
75
15
62
43
2
124
37
5
35
152
80
14
9
20
9
16
6
5
57
5
53
10
168
12
71.6
30
114
1,081
NEW ENGLAND:
Vermont
1
2
7
2
3
3
1
6
4
1
1
2
6
2
3
3
1
3
3
3
34
125
33
106
69
3
209
79
11
61
260
140
18
16
36
17
27
7
9
96
13
102
20
272
3
34
115
33
106
69
3
117
68
40
209
140
18
16
36
17
2
..._._
9
72
"272"
2
15
50
18
44
26
1
85
30
6
26
108
60
4
7
16
8
11
1
4
39
8
49
10
104
Massachusetts
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1
.„.
1
1
2
1
10
1
1
2
1
9
3
2
4
275
21
35
33
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana .- .-
Illinois
92
11
11
21
51
68.5
6
1
14
5
113
55
Michigan
12
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
4
6
9
2
5
9
2
2
1
7
6
7
48
58
48
Iowa
71.1
Missouri
SOUTH ATLANTIC*
Dist of Columbia...
Virginia
1
?
1
2
Georgia
1
2
2
1
1
2
1
....
25
7
9
1
3
35
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Kentucky
1
1
1
....
1
2
1
4
30
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Texas - -
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho.. -r
1
Colorado
2
2
4
9
2
1
3
1
4
36
New Mexico —
4
30
20
PACIFIC:
Washington
4
2
4
26
5
15
161
26
107
Oregon
California
fi
61.9
* Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100»
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN V
319
TABLE 4, — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1916 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches m either 1936, 1926, or 1916]
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
1936
1936
1926
1916
1936
1926
1916
Under
13 years
13 years
and
over
Percent
under
13i
United States
67
83
80
1,766
2,152
1,820
77
1,689
4 4
Massachusetts
2
7
3
3
6
4
4
6
2
3
7
4
4
8
4
4
6
2
3
7
4
3
8
3
4
9
4
3
34
125
106
69
209
79
61
260
140
53
210
207
82
220
58
46
279
110
38
233
96
47
254
29
17
268
105
20
31
11
102
85
226
258
34
125
106
65
387
79
§1
242
116
New York
Pennsylvania
Ohio
4
22
Illinois
10.5
Michigan
Minnesota _
Iowa
18
24
6 9
17.1
Missouri _
Kansas „ __
Florida ...
2
1
4
2
5
216
5
3
7
3
8
15
2
I
7
3
6
13
17
9
102
20
272
263
40
22
165
36
290
334
17
9
102
Idaho
Washington
Oreeon._
20
271
255
California
1
8
.4
3.0
Other States ._
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— New Jersey, Virginia, Kentucky, Colorado, and
New Mexico; and 1 each in the following States— Vermont, Indiana, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Texas, and the
District of Columbia.
TABLE 5. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Salaries,
other than
pastors'
Eepairs and
improve-
ments
Payment
on church
debt,exclud-
ing interest
United States
67
51
__
3
4
5
3
5
i 24
$24, 214
81,801
$833
$423
New York
7
3
6
6
4
5
36
2,300
1,911
1,109
3,817
1,352
5,132
8.593
118
Pennsylvania
156
180
3J5
72
710
368
Illinois
Iowa
378
200
Washington
C alif ornia
Other States _
137
423
* Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— New Jersey, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Florida, Virginia, and Colorado; and 1 eaeh in the following States— Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Georgia,
Kentucky, Idaho, New Mexico, and Oregon, and the District of Columbia.
320
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
EX
PENDITURES-
—continued
STATE
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To general
head-
quarters
All
other
purposes
United States
$10 374
$1,013
S3, 084
$830
$275
85, 581
New York
1,336
107
177
75
487
Pennsylvania
865
758
80
52
Illinois
500
96
333
Iowa
200
15
20
2,889
Washington
900
50
75
25
30
California
2,350
480
827
315
450
Other States
4,223
280
1,232
315
275
1,340
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
HISTORY
About 1914 a cleavage occurred in England over a question of discipline, result-
ing in the separation of the "Lowe Party/7 or, as they were known in this country,
the "Continental Brethren. " The remaining body of Brethren, as constituted
in the United States, have for convenience been designated Plymouth Brethren
V; in common with the other groups they claim no denominational name or creed
except that of Christians or Brethren; they believe and maintain, however, that
they stand upon the same ground, as to principles and practice, which was taken
by the original company with whom the movement began 100 years ago.
Their meetings (commonly called "gatherings") are most numerous in the
United States and Canada, though a few companies remain in England and in
France.
They are strictly orthodox in their views and look with suspicion upon cults
which depart from the simple interpretation of Scripture. They claim that the
Lord Jesus Christ was God and man in one Person; that His work upon the cross
is the sinners' only hope; that in the performance of this work He glorified God
and that, by reason of so doing, He Himself was and is glorious.
The ordinances of baptism and of the Lord's Supper are observed, and the true
church is held to consist of all those who repose faith in the Person and the work
of Christ, wherever they may be found. They believe in the premillennial coming
of the Lord and cherish the hope that the day of His advent is near.
They do not ordain or appoint evangelists or teachers, but individuals who feel
led to undertake service of this kind usually receive support and fellowship as
they go about in the different gatherings, as enjoined by the Scriptures; but no
guaranties are given them. They are held to be responsible to the Lord for their
movements and the precise character of their ministry. In such matters the
gatherings do not interfere.
WORK
In some meetings there is considerable activity along the lines of missionary
and evangelistic work, visiting of jails, hospitals, etc.
This body has three tract depots and publishing houses, one in St. Louis, Mo.,
and two in Canada — one in Toronto, Ontario, and another in Montreal, Quebec.
From these centers large quantities of evangelical and other literature are dis-
tributed. Thousands of almanacs, tracts, etc., are sent without charge to mission
workers and tract distributors, the expense being met by voluntary contributions.
"The Young Christian," a monthly magazine, is published in St. Louis, as is
also a weekly paper, "Messages of Love," for Sunday school use. A Spanish
edition of the same is published in Pasadena, Calif.
1 Nb revision of the history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this "body for 1936, hence this
statement is the same as that published in Eeligious Bodies, vol. n, 1926.
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN VI
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Plymouth Brethren VI for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. As in other Plymouth Brethren bodies, no parsonages
are reported.
The membership of this body comprises those persons who have been admitted
to fellowship upon their application, after careful examination as to the reality
of their faith and evidence of a Christian life.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OP
TOTAL l
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
2
34
17
12
22
1
4
4
1
3
1
30
30
11
19
Members, number
Average membership per church
Membership by sex.
Male
Female - -
Membership by age.
Under 13 years
13 years and over..
34
1
1
$5,000
$5,000
1
$1,700
4
30
1
1
$5,000
$5,000
1
$1,700
1
$1, 180
$200
$100
$550
$330
Clmrcli edifices, number
Value — number reporting - .
""Ioo."o
Amount reported
Average value per church _ _ _ __
Dgbt; — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Expenditures :
Churches reporting number
2
$1, 213
$200
$100
$550
$330
$28
$5
$607
1
5
50
1
$33
Amount reported
2.7
97.3
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest...
All other current expenses, including interest..
Home missions
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes
$28
$5
$33
Averase expenditure per church
$1,180
1
5
50
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
Scholars - - - —
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
321
322
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1916-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Plymouth Brethren VI for
the census years 1936, 1926, and 1916.
TABLE 2.— COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1916 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
Churches (local organizations), number __
2
6
10
Increase 1 over preceding census:
f^tTm'ber
-4
—4
Percent1
Members, number .
34
88
208
Increase l over preceding census-
Number
-54
-120
Percent* --- .
-57.7
17
15
21
1
1
Value — number reporting - - - - -
1
1
Amount reported - - - - -
$5, 000
$6, 000
Average value per church
$5, 000
$6,000
Debt — number reporting-
1
1
Amount reported - - - - -- - - -
$1,700
$1, 800
Expenditures:
f hnrcliP-s rpportinp iTum'her _ -
2
6
10
Amount reported
$1,213
$2, 311
$2, 978
Repairs and improvements
$200]
Payment on church debt excluding interest
$300>
$1, 073
$1 664
All other current expenses, including interest „
$550)
TToTne missions
$3301
To general headQuarters for distribution . _ . _ _
$28 }
$1,238
$1, 314
All other purposes
$5J
Average expenditure per church , „. . ...
$607
$385
$298
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number _._
1
2
3
Officers and teachers - . -
5
5
6
Scholars - - - -. -
50
38
64
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base isl ess than 100.
The data given for 1936 represent 2 active assemblies of the Plymouth Brethren
VI, with 34 members. There is one assembly each in the States of Connecticut
and Michigan. Connecticut reports 30 members, 11 of whom are males and 19
females, all over the age of 13 years. Michigan reports 4 members, 1 male and 3
females, all over 13 years.
State table. — Table 3 gives for this body, by States, the number and member-
ship of the churches for the census years 1916, 1926, and 1936.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1916 TO 1936, BY STATES
STATE
NT7MBEB OF CHTJBCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
1936
1926
1916
1936
1936
1916
United States
2
6
10
34
30
88
208
_.
13
39
24
79
Connecticut ^^,m_ ,.„„,, ^ . „
1
1
1
2
2
3
1
2
2
1 7
26
13
25
24
New York
Michigan . .
1
4
California
Other States -
1 Pennsylvania and Illinois.
PLYMOUTH BEETHKEK VI 323
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
Another company of Brethren began a separate existence in the year 1906.
The reason for this separation was not doctrinal but ecclesiastical. A question
of church order arose between meetings in Alnwick and Glanton, Northumber-
land, England, ^identified with the company known as Plymouth Brethren IV.
The local meeting in Alnwick had been in a divided state for years, and experi-
enced Brethren in Glanton sought to introduce harmony, with the entire concur-
rence of many meetings in their locality. Failing in this, they at length began
to receive into their fellowship those in Alnwick whom they considered worthy
and repentant for their share in the confusion. The action of Glanton was
repudiated by leading men in London, and after many conferences on the subject
neither would submit. London regarded Glanton as having interfered with
local responsibility. As a consequence, a world-wide division ensued, which
affected many in the United States. As stated above, it is purely an ecclesias-
tical question, and neither doctrine nor practice is involved in it.
i No revision of history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this body for 1936 hence this statement
is the same as that published in Religious Bodies, vol.'JI, 1926.
275318 — il 22
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN VII
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Plymouth Brethren VII for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory.
The membership of this body comprises those persons who have been admitted
to fellowship upon their application, after careful examination as to the reality
of their faith and evidence of a Christian life.
There are no regular ministers in this denomination, hence there are no par-
sonages.
Plymouth Brethren VII was, prior to 1936, part of Plymouth Brethren I,
hence no comparative data are available. This new branch failed to furnish his-
tory, doctrine, or description of its organization for the census of 1936.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
CKurclies (local organizations), number
38
800
22
351
437
12
80.3
16
535
249
2 9
3
3
$9, 000
$9, 000
$3,000
1
$2, 100
1
33
$17, 472
$460
$1, 038
$6, 249
$1, 384
$3, 857
$1, 358
$423
$2, 703
$529
23
87
886
29
641
22
274
355
12
77 2
12
506
123
2 3
2
2
$7,500
$7, 500
$3,750
1
$2,100
9
159
18
77
82
"Mrf*Tnb*xrs, Timnhftr . .
80.1
19.9
Average membership per church _
Membership by sex-
Male
78 1
81 2
21.9
18.8
Female _~ . _, -
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
(2)
4
29
126
P)
1
1
$1,500
$1, 500
$1, 500
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over
94.6
49.4
5.4
50.6
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 3 _
CJiureli edifices, number
Value — number reporting-
Amount reported
83 3
83 3
16.7
16.7
Constructed prior to 1936
Average value per church -.
Debt — number reporting
Arrmmit, reported
100 0
Number reporting "no debt"
1
$3, 329
$100
$820
$406
$330
$1, 022
$390
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number
26
$14, 143
$360
$218
$5, 843
$1, 054
$2,835
$968
$423
$2,442
$544
17
70
701
Amount reported -
80.9
78.3
21 0
93 5
76 2
73.5
71 3
100 0
90.3
19.1
21.7
79.0
6.5
23.8
26.5
28.7
Salaries other than pastors'
Repairs and improvements
All other current expenses, including interest-
Local relief^and charity, Bed Cross, etc
Home missions -
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes
$261
$476
6
17
185
9.7
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number _ ._
Officers and teachers
Scholars -
79.1
20.9
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
3 Based on membership with age classification reported.
324
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN VII
325
State tables. — Tables 2 and 3 present the statistics for 1936 of the Plymouth
Brethren VII by States. Table 2 gives for each State the number and member-
ship of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural terri-
tory, the membership by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 3 gives for
selected States the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses,
improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial
statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in table 3 is limited to
those States in which three or more churches reported expenditures.
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
3
o
EH
38
1
1
5
3
11
2
2
3
6
1
3
§
X2
£
75
5
9
1
*3
1
1
d
03
•e
t>
1
§
o
•a
S
Female
£
rd
c-2
§s
a
3
to
Males per 100
females 1
Churches re-
porting
73
§I
If
|S
O
Scholars
United States
29
"I"
5
3
10
2
2
1
2
1
2
800
641
159
351
437
12
80,3
23
87
886
NEW ENGLAND-
New Hampshire
Massachusetts
2
16
111
84
270
6
35
108
89
36
43
~"I6~
111
84
253
6
35
26
39
36
35
2
1
8
48
39
119
3
18
49
41
11
14
1
8
63
45
151
3
17
59
48
25
17
1
2
2
9
1
16
10
32
4
101
70
426
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
1
17
78 8
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Illinois
Michigan
1
3
3
1
1
5
9
10
2
2
30
109
86
50
10
Wisconsin _
2
4
1
82
50
8
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Mmnesota-
MOUNTAIN.
Arizona
PACIFIC-
C alifornia
12
1 Ratio not shown where mimher of females is less than 100.
TABLE 3. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
STATE
Total number of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches report-
ing
Total amount
Salaries, other
than pastors'
Repairs and im-
provements
Other current
expenses, in-
cluding interest
T3
a
&
•s§
U
3°
3
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general head-
quarters
tL
a
e,
"o
<i
United States
New York
38
33
$17,472
$460
$1, 038
$6,249
$1, 384
$3,857
$1,358
$423
$2,703
5
3
11
3
6
10
4
3
11
3
6
16
3,484
1,981
6,084
1,727
2,469
1,727
101
2,067
580
2,300
338
545
1,284
820
540
330
125
456
211
261
260
45
853
New Jersey
300
60
100
100
845
Pennsylvania
423
1, 384
226
30
210
TVisconsin
320
512
105
Minnesota ._
709
593
418
21
Other States
^ Includes: Massachusetts, 1; Illinois, 2; Michigan, 2; and Arizona, 1.
PLYMOUTH BRETHREN VIII
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Plymouth Brethren VIII for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. As in other Plymouth Brethren bodies, no parsonages
were reported.
The membership of this body comprises those persons who have been admitted
to fellowship upon their application, after careful examination as to the reality
of their faith and evidence of a Christian life.
Plymouth Brethren VIII was, prior to 1936, part of Plymouth Brethren I,
hence there are no comparative data. This new branch has failed to furnish
history, doctrine, or description of its organization for the census of 1936.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
(/hnrdies (local organizations) , number -
61
1,243
20
519
724
71.7
26
1,054
163
2.4
16
16
$91, 685
$91, 685
$5, 730
7
$26,517
8
53
$26, 251
$1. 949
$746
$2, 794
$7, 884
$929
$5, 208
$2, 376
$626
$3, 739
$495
32
167
1,384
48
1,005
21
408
597
68.4
14
831
160
1.7
11
11
$81, 685
$81, 685
$7, 426
6
$26, 217
5
42
$21, 652
$962
$538
$2, 794
$7, 520
$358
$4,287
$1,887
$1
$3, 305
$516
26
140
1,136
13
238
18
111
127
87.4
12
223
3
5.1
5
5
$10,000
$10, 000
$2, 000
1
$300
3
11
$4, 599
$987
$208
Members , rrn mher „. ,
80.9
19.1
Average membership per church _ _ _
Membership by sex:
Male
78 6
82 5
21.4
17.5
'Wfi'mft.lpf
TVfalfiS pfir TOO fgrn alp 5
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over
78.8
96.3
21.2
3.7
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years a
C1>mrc"h ach'fines, numf-yer
Value — number reporting
Amount reported...
89.1
89.1
10 9
10.9
Constructed prior to 1936.. _ _
Average value per church
"Dfiht— — nnmbfir reporting
Amount reported ___
98.9
1.1
Number reporting "no debt"
Expenditures:
Ohiirnhfis rftporting nnmbfir
Amount reported. . __
82.5
49.4
72 1
100 0
95.4
38.5
82.3
79.4
.2
88.4
17 5
50.6
27.9
Salaries, other than pastors' _
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest. _
All other current expenses, including interest. .
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$364
$571
$921
$489
$625
$434
$418
6
27
248
4.6
61.5
17.7
20.6
99.8
11.6
Home missions __ _ _. .
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number. _ > . .
Officers and teachers
83.8
82.1
16.2
17.9
Scholars.-
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Based on membership with age classification reported.
326
PLYMOUTH BKETHEEN VIII
327
State tables, —Tables 2, 3, and 4 present for 1936 the statistics of the Plymouth
Brethren yill by States. Table 2 gives for each State for 1936 the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership by sex and age, and data for Sunday schools. Table
3 gives the value of church edifices and the amount of debt on such property.
In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, sepa-
rate presentation in table 3 is limited to the State of California, which was the
only State reporting value of three or more edifices. Table 4 presents the church
expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences,
etc. Separate presentation in this table is limited to those States in which three
or more churches reported expenditures, in order to avoid disclosing the financial
data of any individual church.
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX AND AGE, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES,
1936
GEOGEAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER
OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP
BY SEX
MEMBERSHIP BY
AGE
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
1
fr
a
S
£
2
3
tf
O
B
Urban
£
3
»2
"3
S
Female
Males per 100
females »
Under 13 years
-73
a
a
2S
Ig
CO
1— 1
2
•e
ss
§£
p.
&
<j
Percent under
132
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
61
48
13
1,243
1,005
238
519
724
71.7
26
1,054
42
167
8
163
2.4
32
2
6
167
1,884
3
9
1
1
3
3
1
12
3
1
3
9
1
1
3
3
1
7
1
—
75
175
8
24
40
104
13
217
50
47
24
44
80
6
26
57
39
10
204
75
175
8
24
40
104
13
162
6
44
80
6
26
32
10
200
55
44
47
24
57
7
....
29
72
2
7
15
48
3
99
17
17
12
20
36
2
12
34
11
4
79
46
103
6
17
25
56
10
118
33
30
12
24
44
4
14
23
28
6
125
33
"IT
9
27
62
214
Pennsylvania
E, N. CENTRAL:
Ohio
69.9
8
Indiana
24
1
1
2
2
5
24
20
23
195
Illinois
37
95
13
3
9
Michigan
5
2
1
1
1
2
"i"
Wisconsin
W. N, CENTRAL:
Minnesota
83.9
8
206
44
47
3
6
3.7
6
1
1
1
1
2
19
3
11
3
13
8
171
13
105
33
119
75
Iowa
Missouri
Kansas
1
24
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
1
2
1
2
1
1
2
1
2
44
Virginia
16
6
64
District of Colum-
bia
Florida
26
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
9
1
48
38
10
1
2
18
PACIFIC:
"Washington
6
1
9
4
1
8
Oreson
1
6
1
40
1
335
California
63.2
....
159
45,
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
8 Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
328
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — VALUES OF CHURCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHUKCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total num-
ber of
churches
Number of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHUECH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
61
16
16
5
i 11
891, 685
7
826, 517
California,
9
52
5
11
23,160
68, 525
3
4
8,017
18, 500
Other States
i Includes 2 churches each in the States of Minnesota and Virginia; and 1 each in the following States-
New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho.
TABLE 4. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
I
XPENDITURE
s
STATE
Total num-
ber of
churches
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Salaries,
other than
pastors'
Repairs
and im-
provements
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
United States
61
53
$26, 251
$1,949
$74.6
$2, 794
New York
3
3
908
5
Pennsylvania
9
8
2,743
426
52
Michigan _ _ _
3
3
3,468
35
1,300
Minnesota
12
11
5,481
334
106
800
Iowa .-_
3
3
1,021
412
25
W ashingt on
6
4
724
California
9
8
3,584
82
220
594
Other States
16
i 13
8,322
695
303
100
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local relief
and charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To general
head-
quarters
All other
purposes
Unite d States
$7, 884
535~
1,168
1,500
8929
$5, 208
82, 876
8626
83, 739
New York- _ --
70
464
438
2,115
200
69
359
1,493
145
171
195
596
60
172
350
687
153
361
Pennsylvania
101
Michigan _-
Minnesota
1,222
40
36
1,590
1,793
10
40
258
284
427
312
1,944
Iowa
Washington
20
12
786
California
65
521
Other States
i Includes 2 churches in Virginia, and 1 in each of the following States-— Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin,
Missouri, Kansas, Florida, Maryland, Idaho, and Oregon, and the District of Columbia.
RIVER BRETHREN
GENERAL STATEMENT
In the latter part of 1750, about 30 Mennonite families in Canton Basel, Swit-
zerland, after a long period of persecution, during which they suffered both
imprisonment and loss of property, decided to emigrate westward. They went
first to England, and in the fall of 1751 set sail for America. The voyage across
the Atlantic was disastrous; one of the ships with all their goods was lost, and
they landed destitute. One company, including John and Jacob Engle and
others whose names are uncertain, settled near the Susquehanna, in the western
part of Lancaster County, Pa., in the spring of 1752.
In 1770, as a result of the labors of some members of the Lutheran, Mennonite,
and Baptist churches, who were grieved at what they considered the formalism
which then characterized the churches, there was, in that region, a notable
revival, which was attended by many conversions. It was conducted principally
by Messrs. Otterbein, Boehm, Bochran, and the Engles, representing the different
bodies. Subsequently difference of views arose in regard to the form of baptism,
some holding that the applicant should make choice of the method, while others
claimed that trine immersion was the only proper form. The result was that
they mutually agreed to work independently, in accordance with their various
interpretations of the Scriptures.
The believers in trine immersion had no regular organization, but were in the
habit of designating the various communities as brotherhoods. There was thus
the Brotherhood down by the River, meaning in the southern part of Lancaster
County; also the Brotherhood in the North, the Brotherhood in Dauphin, the
Brotherhood in Lebanon, the Brotherhood in Bucks and Montgomery, etc. The
outlying brotherhoods looked to the brotherhood in the southern part of Lan-
caster County as the home of the organization, and it was probably due to this
fact that the general term " River Brethren" was given to the entire body.
Another explanation has been given by some, namely, that they were in the habit
of baptizing in the river. With the development of these brotherhoods it seemed
advisable to select some one to perform the duties of the ministerial office, and the
choice fell upon Jacob Engle, who thus became their first minister.
In course of time dissensions arose concerning what would now be called minor
points, which ultimately caused divisions. In 1843 the body known as "Yorker"
or, as some have termed them, "Old Order" Brethren, withdrew, and in 1853
the body known as "Brmsers," but later as "United Zion's Children," also
withdrew.
The three bodies grouped under the name "River Brethren," in 1936, 1926,
1916, and 1906, are listed in the following table, with the principal statistics as
reported for the four census years.
329
330 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR THE RIVER BRETHREN, 1936, 1926, 1916, AND 1906
DENOMINATION AND CENSUS YEAR
Total number of
churches 1
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
EXPENDI-
TURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
1
CQ
1936
Total for the group
121
7,026
103
$498, 300
98
S96, 838
01
9,208
Brethren in Christ
90
7
24
119
5,495
291
1,240
5,697
4,320
472
905
5,389
3,805
432
1,152
4,569
86
429,500
77
5
16
98
89, 881
1,900
5,057
99,084
92,901
500
5,683
34, 752
83
8,517
Old Order or Yorker Brethren
United Zion's Children
17
94
68,800
426, 860
8
70
eT
691
5,444
5,057
1926
Total for the group
Brethren in Christ - -
81
10
28
112
72
348,860
74
6
18
102
Old Order or Yorker Brethren
United Zion's Children - .-
22
91
78,000
286,000
218,875
7
67
387
5,458
1916
Total for the croup
Brethren in Christ . . .
72
9
31
110
64
69
3
30
31, 841
400
2,511
58
4,631
Old Order or Yorker Brethren
United Zion's Children .--.
27
92
67,125
165, 850
143,000
9
41
ioT
827
2,812
2,695
1906
Total for the group
BTetftrfiT* ii> Christ
73
9
28
3,397
423
749
72
=====
""
Old Order or Yorker Brethren
United Zion's Children
20
22,850
2
117
BRETHREN IN CHRIST
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Brethren in Christ for the year 1936 is presented
in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and
rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to
the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate
to the'se churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have
been admitted to the local churches upon profession of faith. Baptism is by
trine immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMAEY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
CjiTjTchss (loo&l OT'gftTnzgt^'Tns) nTiTiftw
90
5,495
61
2,297
3,118
80
73.7
209
5,192
94
3.9
88
86
$429, 500
$423,500
$6,000
$4,694
7
$9,264
67
12
9
$28,900
77
$89,881
$8,592
$3,848
$5, 863
$3,719
$18, 572
$2,227
$7,467
$17, 002
$8, 375
$14, 216
$1, 167
83
1,078
8,517
27
2,180
81
859
1,241
80
69.2
110
2,070
63
3,315
53
1,438
1,877
Members, number ^ ^ „ _ _
39.7
60.3
A vfiragft •mfiTn'beFship per church
Membership by sex:
Male.
37.4
39.8
62.6
60.2
Female _
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
76.6
99
3,122
94
3.1
62
61
$188, 100
$186, 100
$2,000
$3,084
2
$1,050
51
7
5
$10, 700
55
$49, 163
$2, 180
$1,376
$4,542
$34
$8,334
$1, 596
$4,407
$9, 708
$7,434
$9, 552
$894
60
679
4,847
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
52.6
39.9
47.4
60.1
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years *
5.0
26
25
$241,400
$237,400
$4,000
$9,656
$8,214
16
5
4
$18,200
22
$40, 718
$6,412
$2,472
$1,321
$3,685
$10,238
$631
$3,060
$7,294
$941
$4,664
$1,851
23
S99
3,670
Glitircli eclificftS) DTiTnber
Value — number reporting
A Tn nn n t reported , , ,-
56.2
56.1
66.7
43.8
43.9
33.3
C onstructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936-
4.verage value per church
33ebt~~number reporting
Amount reported -_
88.7
11.3
Number reporting "no debt'*
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
ATTI ount reported ,„ „ r , , „
63.0
37.0
Expenditures :
Churches reporting number
Amount reported
45.3
74.6
64.2
22.5
99.1
55.1
28.3
41.0
42.9
11.2
32.8
54.7
25.4
35.8
77.5
,9
44.9
71.7
59,0
57.1
88.8
67.2
Pastors* salaries - -
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest
All other current expenses, including
interest
Local relief and charity, Eed Cross, etc—
TTorne "misfttQ"ns
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution ~
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting number
37.0
43.1
63.0
56,9
Scholars -
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
331
332
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL l
Urban
Rural
Summer vacation Bible schools;
Churches reporting, number.—
6
58
569
3
13
202
3
26
403
1
8
102
3
32
166
2
5
100
Officers and teachers - -
70.8
29.2
Parochial schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers— -
50.5
49.5
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36.— Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Brethren in Christ for the
census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
oe 1 or anizations) number
90
81
72
73
Increase l over preceding census:
Number — -
9
9
—1
Percent 3 -
5,495
4,320
3,805
3,397
Increase over preceding census:
Number -
1,175
515
19 K
408
19 n
Percent
61
53
53
47
Church edifices, number
88
78
64
73
Value number reporting
86
72
64
72
$429, 600
$348, 860
$218, 875
$143, 000
Average value per church -
$4, 994
$4, 845
$3,420
$1, 986
Debt number reporting -
7
2
1
2
$9,2fi4
$5,172 i
$215
$475
12
Value number reporting - - -
9
4
4
4
Amount reported - ----
$28, 900
$12, 750
$9,000
$8, 000
Expenditures :
77
74
69
$89, 881
$92, 901
$31, 841
$8, 592
All other salaries -
$3, 848
<M ff A 7Q
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest —
Local relief and charity Red Cross, etc
$5, 863
$3, 719
$18, 572
$2, 227
1"
Home missions -
$7, 467
*to "709
$16 362
Foreign missions _____._.—
To general headquarters for distribution
$8, 375
All other purposes -
$14, 216
dMftl
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools t
Churches reporting number -
$1, 167
83
63
58
39
Officers and teachers
1,078
694
617
455
8,517
5,057
4,631
2,695
i A minus sign (-) denotes decrease. * Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables, — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Brethren in
Christ by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and member-
ship of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural terri-
tory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives
BRETHKEN IN CHRIST
333
for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four
census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as
"under "13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value
of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936.
Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current
expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the
financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and
6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value and
expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BT SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
1
p
a
&
i3
|j
"3
1
1
,
o
-3
S
Female
2
t3
-S-2
= 1
Males per 100
females !
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States..
90
27
1
15
3
1
1
63
1
35
7
2
1
5
1
6
1
5,495
213
3,626
395
135
85
119
88
365
10
7
32
124
296
2,180
3,315
2,297
85
1,509
158
59
33
45
28
178
4
1
8
62
127
3,118
80
73.7
66.4
74.1
66 7
83
2
45
9
3
2
5
3
7
1
1
1,078
8,517
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
2
50
10
3
2
5
56
1,525
116
31
51
157
2,101
279
104
34
119
36
278
10
128
2,037
237
76
52
74
60
187
6
6
24
62
169
30
644
94
40
24
38
37
82
5
9
124
5.429
817
202
257
209
182
539
40
48
Pennsylvania- _ .
80
EAST NORTH CEISTTKAL:
Ohio _
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
3
7
1
2
1
52
87
.__-_-
255
Kansas
95.2
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
Florida
1
1
1
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
K'p.ntnfiVy
1
1
2
32
124
41
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma _ . __
1
1
4
16
59
158
512
PACIFIC:
California
4
2
-—
75.1
* Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100
334
CENSUS OF BELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
port-
ed
Per-
cent
un-
der
13i
TJnited States.
90
81
72
73
5,495
4,320
3,805
3,397
209
5,192
94
3.9
New York
2
50
10
3
2
5
3
7
4
34
1
45
10
2
2
3
3
8
4
3
2
34
12
3
3
3
2
7
2
4
2
32
11
3
3
3
3
10
1
5
213
3,626
395
135
85
119
88
365
296
173
38
2,775
348
86
92
97
60
436
201
187
69
2,275
406
138
47
77
31
498
114
150
58
1,872
517
138
93
61
47
450
51
110
6
159
5
1
207
3,408
355
134
85
2.8
4.5
1.4
.7
Pennsylvania
59
35
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
4
12
10
9
3
115
76
355
287
170
3.4
Iowa
Kansas
2.7
3.0
1.7
California
Other States
i Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Includes 1 church in each of the following States— Florida, Virginia, Kentucky, and Oklahoma.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OP CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
TTnited States
Pennsylvania
90
88
86
S429, 500
7
3
$9, 264
9
3
1
2
1
$28,900
13,000
2,700
2,200
5,500
50
10
5
3
7
4
11
49
10
5
3
7
4
10
48
9
5
3
7
4
»10
243, 650
25,000
6,900
26,500
29,450
31, 000
67,000
4,650
Ohio
Michigan
Iowa
2
314
Kansas
California
1
1
2,800
1,500
Other States
2
5,500
* Includes: New York, 2; Indiana, 2; Illinois, 2; Florida, 1; Virginia, 1; Kentucky, 1; and Oklahoma, 1.
BBETHKEN IN CHRIST
335
TABLE 6. — CHUKCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
as
EXPENDITURES
a
0
•go
ca
£
c3
STATE
3er of ch
I
.1
1
1
"~*JS
S
•gf
||
C3
O
m
a
en
a
o
P
o1
o
Q
3
2
fl
CS
3
a g
co Q
o-i
M
g be
a
•3
_o
"a
•afi
0.
a
S
o
o3
^
3?
i— i
S
o
S
2
o a
2
J3
.8
o
a
3
•1
"o
'3
gSg
§1
a
"S
§!
FH
,q
0
§
P3
o
es'O-S
o
o
o
O
•—>
0
PH
«J
«
PH
o
J
w
fs,
<<
United States..
90
77
$89, 881
$8, 592
$3, 848
$5, 863
S3, 719
S18, 572
83, 227
$7,487
817, 002
$8,375
§14,218
Pennsylvania
Ohio „
50
10
40
10
49, 297
9,363
4,082
343
2,270
576
2,488
901
3,634
31,207
1 653
905
344
3,600
1 531
10, 516
1 346
1,809
906
8,786
1 763
Indiana
3
3
2 358
300
110
632
133
272
478
106
'327
Michigan _
fi
2,157
446
67
174
177
72
193
187
119
722
Kansas
7
7
8 060
1,002
477
603
1 329
261
538
2 275
1 575
California
4
4
5,029
1,219
238
773
1,030
82
436
634
447
170
Other States
11
18
13,617
1,200
220
814
85
2,544
430
897
1,566
4,988
873
i Includes: New York, 2; Illinois, 1; Iowa, 2; Florida, 1; Kentucky, 1; and Oklahoma, 1.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
At first the organization of the River Brethren was simple, but as their num-
bers increased a more permanent form became necessary, and about 1820 the
present ecclesiastical organization was adopted. During the Civil War some of
the members, although proclaiming the doctrine of nonresistance, were drafted
for military service, and it became evident that the denomination must secure
legal recognition as a religious organization holding that doctrine. Steps to
secure such recognition were taken at a private council held in Lancaster, Pa., as
early as 1862, at which time those who remained after the separation of the other
two branches, and who constituted the great majority of the Brethren, decided
to adopt the name "Brethren in Christ" instead of "River Brethren," which was
done the following year. In 1904 the organization was incorporated according
to the laws of the State of Pennsylvania as "a religious body for the worship of
Almighty God," with headquarters at Harrisburg.
DOCTRINE
The Brethren in Christ have not accepted any historical creed or confession,
but have certain generally recognized doctrines to which they adhere. They
believe that the church is "built on faith in an almighty, triune, eternal, self-
existent God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." They accept the doctrines of
the immortality of the soul; redemption through Jesus Christ as the Son of God,
who makes atonement for the sins of the world; and regeneration through the
influence of the Holy Spirit, developing into holy living. They hold that trine
immersion is the only proper form of baptism, practice confession of sins to God
and man, and observe the sacrament of the Eucharist, accompanying it by the
ceremony of feet washing. The recognition of Christ, not only as Savior, but
as Lord and Master and King, involves, in their view, the acceptance of the
tenets and principles of His government. Accordingly, they believe that, inas-
much as He is Prince of Peace, His kingdom is of peace, and as His subjects,
they should abstain from the employment of carnal forces which involve the
taking of human life. For this reason the doctrine of nonresistance, in a qualified
sense, is a feature of their belief. They consider Freemasonry and all other
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. n of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by J. H. Martin, secretary of the general executive board, Church of the
Brethren in Christ, Lancaster, Pa., and approved by him in its present form.
336 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
secret societies to be anti- Christian; they believe in prayer veiling for women,
and they advocate the wearing of modest apparel, with nonconformity to the
fashions of the world.
ORGANIZATION
The ecclesiastical organization of the denomination includes the local church,
a system of district councils, and a general conference. The officers of the
church are bishops, ministers, and deacons. The bishops preside at all council
meetings, officiate at marriages and in the observance of the sacraments, and
exercise all functions of the ministry. The ministers are specifically the teach-
ing body, but also do parish visiting, and by request of the bishop, in his absence,
administer the sacraments. No salaries are paid, and whatever is necessary for
their support is raised by voluntary contributions. The deacons have charge of
the business affairs of the churches, serve at the communion table, look after the
poor, and also do some visiting in the parish. Officers are elected by the con-
gregations or the councils, but are ordained by a bishop. The membership of
the district councils and of the general conference, which meets annually, includes
laymen as well as ministers.
WORK
The activities of the church are under the care of a general executive board of
seven persons, appointed by the annual general conference. The home missionary
work, under the immediate direction of the home missionary board of 7 persons,
was carried on in 1936 by 58 workers, who conducted general evangelistic services
and cared for 23 missions, while $8,980 was contributed for their support. The
value of mission property in the United States is approximately $45,000.
The foreign missionary work is under the immediate direction of the foreign
missionary board of 7 persons, carried on in the South African and Indian fields
by 42 workers, at 7 stations, while $20,745 was contributed for the support of
this work during 1936. In Southern Rhodesia there are 40 missionary out-
schools and 8 in Northern Rhodesia, with about 1,445 converts to the Christian
faith.
The missionary activities have extended into Canada with approximately 12
congregations comprising a membership of 950. The Sunday schools are made
up of about 1,250 pupils. The church property is valued at $29,000. The educa-
tional interests are represented by the Ontario Bible School with an enrollment
of 30 students and property value, $13,000. The Canadian church has assisted
in contributing $2,541 to foreign missions and $1,397 to home missions during the
year 1936.
The educational interests of the denomination in the United States are repre-
sented by 3 schools — Messiah Bible College, Grantham, Pa., with an enrollment
of 165 students, property value of $109,000, and an endowment of $86,340;
Beulah College, Upland, Calif., with an enrollmeit of 102 students, property
value, $15,000, and an endowment of $15,600; and Bethany Bible School,
Thomas, Okla., with an enrollment of 28 students, property value, $4,348, and an
endowment of $2,000. A printing house is located at Nappanee, Ind., with the
property valued at $30,000. There are 3 philanthropic institutions with about
150 inmates, holding property valued at $150,000, which are supported mainly by
contributions from members of the church.
OLD ORDER OR YORKER BRETHREN
STATISTICS
The data given for 1936 represent seven active churches of the Old Order or
Yorker Brethren, all reported as being in rural territory. The classification of
membership by age was reported by all of the seven churches, none of which
reported any members under 13 years of age. These statistics were compiled
from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual
churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have
been admitted to the local churches upon profession of faith and baptism by
immersion.
There were no church edifices, parsonages, nor Sunday schools reported, and
the churches in the State of Pennsylvania were the only ones reporting expendi-
tures for the year 1936.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 1 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of this denomination for the census
years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 1. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1930
1926
1916
1906
Clmrclies (local organizations), number .
7
10
9
9
Increase 1 over preceding census:
KTvjrnher
—3
1
Percent 2
Members, number.. „_
291
472
432
423
Increase 1 over preceding census-
Number
181
40
9
Percent
_«JQ O
9 3
2 1
Average membership per church
42
47
48
47
Expenditures:
Churches reporting number
5
6
3
Amount reported „
$1, 900
$500
$400
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries .
Repairs and improvements
$250
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest
Local relief and chanty, Red Cross, etc . .
$700
Home missions
$225
Foreign missions
[ $200
$150
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes -
$975
Not classified
$300
Average expenditure per church
$380
$83
S133
1 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease. 2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
337
338
CENSUS OF KELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
State table. — Table 2 presents the statistics of the Yorker Brethren by States,
giving the number and membership of the churches for the four census years
1906 to 1936 and the total membership for 1936 classified by sex.
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX IN 1936, BY STATES
STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Male
Fe-
male
Males
per 100
females
United States
7
10
9
9
291
472
432
423
115
176
65.3
Pennsylvania _ _.
5
1
8
1
6
2
5
2
1
236
11
406
28
351
39
356
39
5
90
4
146
7
61.6
0)
Ohio
Indiana
Iowa_. _ _ _.
1
1
1
1
44
38
42
23
21
23
(0
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
In 1843 a number of the River Brethren withdrew from the main body, claiming
that the original doctrines of the founders were being departed from, particularly
in regard to nonresistance and nonconformity to the world. Most of those who
withdrew resided in York County, Pa., whence they received the name of "York-
ers," or "Yorker Brethren." They are also known as the Old Order Brethren,
and thus are sometimes confused with the Old Order German Baptist Brethren.
They have no church edifices, and the services are frequently held in large barns.
* This statement, which is the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious Bodies, 1926,
has been approved in its present form by Rev. Samuel H. Sherer, Mount Joy, Pa.
UNITED ZION'S CHILD!
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the branch of River Brethren known as United Zion's
Children, for the year 1936, is presented in table 1, which shows also the distri-
bution of these figures between urban and rural territory. The data given
represent 24 active churches, all reported as being in the State of Pennsylvania.
There were no parsonages reported. These statistics were compiled from
schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual
churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have been
admitted to the local churches upon profession of faith and are in good standing.
Baptism is by trine immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHUECHES IN URBAN- AND RURAL
TBRRITOBT, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEBCENT OF
TOTAL1
Urban
Rural
Ohruxxh^s (local organisations), ™Trnber
24
1,240
52
643
697
77.9
14
511
715
2.7
18
17
$68,800
$64,100
$4,700
$4,047
1
$4,000
13
16
$5,057
$330
$2,445
$556
$474
$296
$146
$601
$209
$316
8
108
691
3
389
130
175
214
81.8
5
56
328
C1)
3
3
$22,000
$22,000
21
851
41
368
483
76.2
9
455
387
1.9
15
14
$46,800
$42, 100
$4,700
$3,343
TVTfim'h^rs, nnmbftf
31.4
68.6
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
32.2
30.7
67.8
69.3
Female
Males per 100 females.-
Membership by age:
Under 13 years _
13 years and over - .
11.0
45.9
89.0
54.1
Age not reported. . .
Percent tinder 13 years 2
Cliurcli ediftoe-s, TiTrrr|fofir - .
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
32.0
34.3
68.0
65.7
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936-
A vftrage value per church
$7,333
1
$4,000
1
2
$2,354
$50
$1,000
$204
$250
$250
$100
$350
$150
$1,177
2
34
285
I? ebt— number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Number reporting "no debt**
12
14
$2,703
$280
$1,445
$352
$224
$46
$46
$251
$59
$193
6
74
406
Expenditures:
Churches re-porting mimbfir
Amount reported
46.5
15.2
40.9
36.7
52.7
84.5
68.5
5&2
71.8
53.5
84.8
59.1
63.3
47.3
15.5
31.5
41.8
28.2
Salaries, other than pastors*
T?6pairs and iTnproveme'nts
All other current expenses, including
interest .
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc-—
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution-
All other purposes - .
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
31.5
4L2
68.5
58.8
Scholars -
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
» Based on membership with age classification reported.
339
275318 — 41-
-23
340
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the United Zion's Children for
the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
24
28
31
28
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number _ .. _.
_4
_3
3
Percent 2
Members, number
1,240
905
1,152
749
Increase * over preceding census*
Number - .
335
-247
403
Percent
37.0
—21.4
53.8
Average membership per church
52
32
37
27
Church, edifices, number
18
22
27
20
Value — number reporting
17
22
27
20
Amount reported
$68, 800
$78, 000
$67, 125
$22, 850
Average value per church
$4, 047
$3, 545
$2, 486
$1, 143
Debt — number reporting
3
1
Amount reported
$4, 000
$11, 550
$1, 000
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
16
18
30
AmotTnt rp-pftrtfd
$5, 057
$5, 683
$2, 511
Salaries, other than pastors*
$330
Repairs and improvements
$2, 445
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
$4, 546
$1, 588
All other current expenses, including interest
$556
X/ocal relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$474
Home missions
$296
"Foreign missions
$146
$1, 137
$923
To general headquarters for distribution
$601
All other purposes
$209
Average expenditure per church
$316
$316
$84
Sunday schools :
nhurchfis rfvpnrtingj TiiTmbpT
8
7
9
2
Officers and teachers
108
48
105
18
Scholars
691
387
827
117
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
Questions of administration or ceremonial detail, particularly in connection
with a church building, arose among the River Brethren in 1852. The next
year about 50 persons in Dauphin and Lebanon Counties, Pa., withdrew and
in 1855 organized under the leadership of Matthias Brinser as their first bishop.
They were thus generally called "Brinsers," but later adopted the name "United
Zion's Children." They are found principally in Dauphin, Lancaster, and
Lebanon Counties, Pa.
Their doctrine is essentially the same as that of the Brethren in Christ, and
their confession of faith is about the same. They practice baptism by trine
immersion, which must be preceded by "thorough repentance and remission of
sins'7 on the part of the applicant. They also observe the ceremony of foot
washing in connection with the communion services, generally called love feasts,
which are held several times during the year.
They have a home for their own aged and poor, as well as for such who do not
belong to this church; this is valued at $60,000.
lfiNo revision of the history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this body for 1936, hence this
statement is the same as that published in Religious Bodies, vol. II, 1926.
BUDDHIST MISSION OF NORTH AMERICA
STATISTICS
Summary for the "United States, with urban-rural classification.— A general
summary of the statistics for the Buddhist Mission of North America for the
year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures
between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules
sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches in
continental United States and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of persons who subscribe to
the doctrine of the church.
This body was not reported prior to 1936, hence no comparative data are
available.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN A.NJ> RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEECENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
Cimrclies (local organizations), number
35
14, 388
411
8,369
5,559
460
150.5
3,143
10, 155
1,090
23.6
36
32
$622, 610
$617,410
$5,200
$19,457
7
$80,700
15
18
16
$26,950
34
$99,793
$27,713
$19,790
$8,359
$2,850
$22, 751
$5,751
$5,630
$2,885
$4,064
$2, 935
21
9,999
476
6,002
3,747
250
160.2
2,287
6,832
880
25.1
23
20
$510, 210
$505, 710
$4, 500
$25, 511
2
$76, 400
11
10
9
$17, 300
21
$80,896
$20, 763
$19, 490
$6,063
$2,500
$16, 274
$4,821
$4,868
$2,354
$3,763
$3,852
14
4,389
314
2,367
1,812
210
130.6
856
3,323
210
20.5
13
12
$112, 400
$111, 700
4700
$9,367
5
$4,300
4
8
7
$9,650
13
$18,897
$6,950
$300
$2,296
$350
$6,477
§930
$762
$531
$301
$1,454
Members, number
69.5
30.5
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Mala
71.7
67.4
54.3
28,3
32.6
45.7
Female
Sex not reported.
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
u nder 13 years
72.8
67.3
80.7
27.2
32.7
19.3
13 years and over -
Age not reported -
Percent under 13 years '
Churcli edifices number
Value—number reporting
Amount reported -
81.9
81.9
86.5
18.1
18.1
13.5
C onstructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936
Average value per church
Debt number reporting
Amount reported - - -
94.7
5.3
Hr -cTniiTp Vmmhpr ronnrtinc
Amount Tr^pc""t,$d
64.2
35.8
Expenditures :
A 'mount reported
81.1
74.9
98.5
72.5
87.7
71.5
83.8
86. 5
81.6
92.6
18.9
25.1
1.5
27.5
12.3
28.5
16.2
13.5
18.4
7.4
Pastors' salaries -
All other salaries -
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest. . -
Local relief and. charity Red. Cross* etc
Home missions ~- --- -
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes -. -
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported
341
342
CENSUS OP RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 1. — 'SUMMARY OP STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL l
Urban
Rural
Sunday schools:
filTOTXjh^g repnrtnT*g, mnnbAr
31
570
6,332
2
17
265
1
28
143
15
205
2,639
18
446
5,017
13
124
1,315
2
17
265
1
28
143
6
61
500
Officers and teachers _. ..
78.2
79.2
21.8
20.8
Scholars _ - . ...
Summer vacation Bible schools:
Ohiirchcs reporting number
Officers End teachers
Scholars . . . _
100.0
Weekday religions schools:
Cb.urch.es reporting* number
Officers and teachers - .
Scholars - - -
100.0
Parochial schools :
Churches rsportins Tinrnbpr
9
144
2,139
Officers and teachers - -
70.2
81.1
29.8
18.9
Scholars - -
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for 1936 for the Buddhist
Mission of North America by States. Table 2 gives for each State the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural
territory, and the membership classified by sex. Table 3 gives the number and
membership of the churches, the membership classified as "under 13 years of age"
and "13 years of age and over," and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 shows the
value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices.
Table 5 presents the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses,
improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial
statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 4 and 5 is
limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value and
expenditures.
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, AND MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, BY STATES, 1936
NXJMBE
B OFCHP
CJECHES
NTJMBl
EOF Ml
MBEBS
11
EMBERS]
HP BY si
X
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
Urban
Rural
Total
Urban
Rural
Male
Female
Sex not
re-
ported
Males
per 100
females
United States
35
21
14
14,388
9,999
4,389
8,369
5,559
460
150.5
MOUNTAIN:
Arizona
1
1
417
417
213
204
104.4
Utah
3
2
1
1,253
1,153
100
488
765
63.8
PACIFIC:
"Washington
6
2
4
1,486
476
1,010
828
408
250
202.9
Oregon
1
1
500
500
330
170
194 1
California
24
16
8
10, 732
7,870
2,862
6,510
4,012
210
162.3
BUDDHIST MISSION OF NORTH AMERICA
343
TABLE 3.- — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of mem-
bers
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Under
13 years
13 years
and
over
Age not
re-
ported
Percent
under
13i
Churches
report-
ing
Officers
and
teachers
Scholars
United StateS-
l^C OUNTAKST
Arizona
35
14, 388
3,143
10,155
1,090
23.6
81
570
6,332
1
3
6
1
24
417
1,253
1,486
500
10, 732
417
835
936
430
7,537
1
3
6
1
20
4
46
38
12
470
75
380
864
100
4,913
Utah
418
300
70
2,355
33.4
24.3
14.0
23.8
PACIFIC:
Washington
250
Oregon . ._
California
840
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
TABLE 4. — VALUE OP CHURCHES AND PAKSONAGES AND AMOUNT OP CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more ctrarehes reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of
church
edifices
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES
VALUE OP
PABSONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States.
Washington
85
36
_.
25
5
32
8622,610
7
$80,700
18
826,950
6
24
5
6
22
14
71,000
510,010
41,600
3
4
800
79,900
3
12
1
3,000
23,300
650
California
Other States
i Includes: Arizona, 1; Utah, 2; and Oregon, 1.
TABLE 5. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
EXP
ENDITTT
RES
o
1
bo
,
43 bfi
x bjo
•a
•0
0 fl
•3
S
+»
m
•S
S
^1
1|
«S
C5
S
-«m
S
STATE
J2
S
§
*i
1
§S
00
0 O
§3
f'S
"3-S
ft
i
S
n
t-,
>
rt °i
1 o? «
^S
*s
a i
fe
a
••P
S
_fl
E3 ®
0^5-g
w 2<
o
R
o o1
r}
I
3
A
O
1
3
1
O
r
I11
III
O
1
a
I
e
O
United States.
85
34
$99,793
$27,713
$19,790
$8,359
$2,850
$22,751
$5, 751
$5,630
$2,885
$4,064
Washington
California
6
24
6
24
17,087
74,741
5,440
19,993
660
18,530
2,033
5,776
800
2,050
6,453
16, 108
347
5,254
504
2,090
266
2,347
584
2,593
Other States
5
14
7 965
2,280
600
550
190
150
3,036
272
887
i Includes: Arizona, 1; Utah, 2; and Oregon, 1.
344 CEN'SfUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The latter part of the nineteenth century saw a very heavy Japanese immigra-
tion into the United States. Most of these folks settled on the Pacific coast.
By far the largest number of them were members of the Shin Sect of Buddhism
in their homeland. Until the close of the century they were without means of
satisfying their spiritual aspirations, as there were no churches or meeting places
of their denomination nor a clergy for their spiritual guidance.
In the year 1898 Rev. S. Sonoda, accompanied by Rev. K. Nishijima, landed
at San Francisco and established the first Young Men's Buddhist Association.
Each following year saw the establishment of new branches of the "Y. M. B. A."
As these religious centers grew the necessity arose for centralized authority and
Rev. S. Sonoda became the first bishop of the Shin Sect of Buddhism in America.
The year 1905 witnessed the consecration of the first church on the mainland
of the United States, when its doors swung open for public worship in the city of
San Francisco. This church became the headquarters of the Buddhist Mission
of North America and it has thus remained through the years. The present head
of the church in the United States is the Right Reverend R. Matsukage with
the title of "bishop superintendent."
Under the jurisdiction of the bishop are 2 deans and 65 Japanese clergymen
who preside over the various churches. In San Francisco, Los Angeles, and
Tacoma, Wash., there are English departments in connection with the churches
with six American clergy in attendance.
DOCTRINE
Buddhism is a most complex system of religion and its founder, Siddartha
Gautama, the Enlightened One, taught his followers in various ways according
to their different abilities, characters, and dispositions. The Buddha opened
many a gate of entrance for his disciples, and of these we now distinguish two main
entrances or pathways to salvation. One of them is the way directly leading
to the truth of salvation whereby one can escape from a world of suffering; while
the other is a provisionary way which will prepare one to enter finally upon the
path of truth.
Buddhism divides itself into two principal schools — Hinayana or the Lesser;
Mahayana, the Greater Vehicle. The former is for those who are satisfied with
a comparatively inferior attainment, while the Greater Vehicle teaches the way
Enlightenment whereby is made possible the attainment of Buddhahood. In
Hinayana (the Lesser Vehicle) we distinguish what is called the "Path for the
Wise" from that of the "Path of the Pure Land." The "Path for the Wise" is
one that will lead a Buddhist to sagehood while on earth, by uprooting the passions
and disciplining himself in all virtues; whereas the "Path of the Pure Land"
teaches us to attain Buddhahood by being born in the Pure Land of Amida (Infinite
Life and Light).
The "Path for the Wise" requires one to gain enlightenment through one's
own efforts, and its prescribed discipline is naturally beset with difficulties.
Therefore, it is properly called the doctrine of self-salvation, by which it is meant
that one can be saved by one's own efforts; which is to say, the way difficult to
practice.
The "Path of the Pure Land," on the other hand, teaches the possibility of
attaining enlightenment through a power other than oneself; and, therefore, this
way must be considered far easier than the other, and we call it the doctrine that
teaches salvation by a power other than one's own; which means the way easy
to practice. It is evident, then, that if a man is not highly endowed with wisdom
and intelligence, the following of the "Path for the Wise" must be said to be
extremely difficult. For such people as ourselves, who were born far from the
time of the Buddha, the best policy will be to walk along the "Path of the Pure
Land," believing in salvation through the grace of Amida (Infinite Life and Light) .
* This statement was furnished by Rev. S. Alex White, in charge of the English department, Buddhist
Mission of North America, San Francisco, Calif.
BUDDHIST MISSION OF NORTH AMERICA 345
The preliminary stage of this "Path "is the practice of giving, because in parting
with some of his possessions to others who may need them, a man is breaking
down, to that extent at least, his sense of separateness from others.
The next stage is the observance of "morality/7 of abstention from acts hurtful
to others in their property, persons, or feelings, because again such abstention
tends to break down a little more the sense of separateness from fellowmen, since
its ultimate basis is a recognition that their feelings are no different from what
our own would be under bad treatment.
The Buddha himself said: "One thing only I teach. Sorrow, the cause of
sorrow, the cessation of sorrow, and the path which leads to the cessation of
sorrow," and in these words is summed up the whole essence of Buddhism.
It is not pessimism, but common sense, to face the facts of life and to realize
that, on the whole, life brings more sorrow than joy, more suffering than pleasure,
despite the fact that this may not apply to a given individual; if we consider
living beings in the mass its truth is obvious to anyone not blinded by selfishness.
Buddhism, then, is a way of escape from sorrow, and sorrow being inherent in
life as we know it, Buddhism is a way of escape from life. This "escape" is not
by death, but by the attainment of a higher form of life, a form so developed that
our language cannot express it nor our minds picture it.
Buddhism expresses it by the word Nirvana, meaning, "blown out, extin-
guished," in the same sense that a candle is blown out and the flame extinguished,
and the nearest we can come to a definition is this — where desire, hatred> and
ignorance are not, there is Nirvana. That is to say that, if a man wishes to
attain Nirvana, he must extinguish in himself all desire, hatred, and ignorance,
though in effect the third includes the first and second, for if a man has eliminated
ignorance, he has ipso facto got rid of desire and hatred. These two latter can
only exist where there is ignorance.
The Buddha showed the method by which Nirvana is attainable, and he called
it the "noble eightfold path." We may express it by right actions and right
thoughts — or rather, since thoughts are actions, we can say simply right actions.
Those actions are right which — (1) Do no harm to others nor to the doer,
(2) do good to others and to the doer, (3) progressively educate the doer towards
the attainment of Nirvana by eliminating bad qualities and developing good ones.
Buddhism is a system of self -education, designed to lead to the highest develop-
ment and proved by all who have tried it, to lead to peace, i. e., to the absence of
suffering and sorrow. It contains no miracles, no divine beings — in fact no super-
natural powers of intervention in human affairs. Hence as each man is respon-
sible for himself, as he is now and as he will be in the future, he must look for no
divine aid to correct his mistakes or to answer his prayers — nor can any other
man "forgive him his sins."
The Buddha taught the law of cause and effect reigns in the moral as well as
in the physical world, so if a man suffers from "weaknesses," this effect results
from a cause — and this cause is his own doing.
It is evident that the self-education referred to is likely, for most men, to require
a long period. The Buddha taught that man has an indefinite number of lives
in which to accomplish it, for just as from the fertilized ovum results the foetus,
thence the baby, the child, the youth, the adult, and the aged, each differing from
its predecessor although resulting from that anterior form, so from the aged through
death results of new life form equipped with the good or bad qualities, the happy
or unhappy conditions, of its forerunner and cause. Realizing that all life is
one, Buddhism recognizes no caste, no rank, no color bar. A man who lives wisely
is a sage and worthy of respect — a woman also, for among Buddhists sex is no
bar to moral grandeur.
Buddhism has no theories of creation, and no historical events which its followers
are asked to accept. For this reason Buddhism is often said to be atheistic or,
at the best agnostic. It is neither atheistic nor agnostic. It does not deny or
ignore a supreme reality, nor does it assert that if such supreme reality is, that
man is incapable of recognizing it. What it does assert is, that ultimate reality
cannot be defined, therefore it is a waste of time and energy to talk about it, and
that man cannot apprehend the infinite by his finite mind, so that he must evolve
in him those latent powers which are of the nature of reality. And what we call
the Dharma (Law) is simply the way by which man awakens these powers or
attributes. That way is a master-system of religion; a discipline and a goal; a
yoke which the aspirant for truth takes upon his shoulders to bring out Ms spiritual
powers, a yoke which links him to that which alone is real, truth supreme.
346 CENSUS OF EELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
ORGANIZATION
As before mentioned the bishop superintendent is in charge of all activities of
a religious nature. He has authority to transfer or to remove members of the
clergy for good and sufficient causes. As the congregation of each church is a
separate corporation, it alone has jurisdiction over the individual church property.
The clergyman of each church holds weekly services in his own edifice as well
as services in the outlying branches as often as time and his schedule permit.
He is also in constant demand to hold memorial services for the departed, and
perform all other duties that clergymen of any other denominations perform.
There are Japanese language schools of a religious nature in connection with
all the churches. At the present time they have no colleges, hospitals, homes for
the aged, children, etc., and the only publications are mimeographed monthlies
by the individual Y. M. B. A.'s. The only property is that of the individual
churches, administered by the individual congregations.
CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC CHURCH
STATISTICS
The data given for 1936 represent seven active organizations of the Catholic
Apostolic Church, all reported as being in urban territory. There were no par-
sonages reported by this body. These statistics were compiled from schedules
sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches
and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination comprises those persons who accept
the doctrine and authority of the church and are baptized.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 1 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Catholic Apostolic Church
for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 1. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
19O6
nhTTfiTiPs (InnaT nrgsvniV.af.in-ns), TMTmher ^ „
7
_4
11
—2
13
2
11
Increase » over preceding census:
Number
Percent a
Members, number . „
2,577
-831
-24.4
368
7
7
$146, 110
$20, 873
3,408
640
23.1
310
7
7
$407, 000
$58, 143
$1,300
10
$119, 583
L $88, 375
$31,208
$11,958
3
16
175
2,768
—139
—4.8
213
9
8
$165, 000
$20, 625
$6,000
6
$29,740
$27, 840
$1,900
$4,957
4
16
176
2,907
Increase * over preceding census:
J^nrnhffr
Percent
Average Trmmhership per chnrnh
264
7
7
$153, 000
$21, 857
2
$10,000
CJvnT'fiT" edifies, rinm'hQr L. tj, „
Value — nnmftAr ffipnrt.ing
_ATnnpnt reported , .,..._
Average value per church
33ebt — number reporting
Amount reported -- - - - -
Expenditures :
Oliurclw reporting, •nnm'her
7
$102,537
$18,200 i
$36,893
$1,298
Amount reported
Pastors* salariBS
All other salaries _
Repairs and improvem^ntR
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest __.
Local relief and charity. Red Cross, etc
$12, 392
$23,773
Home missions _
To general headquarters for distribution-
AH other purposes .
$9, 012
$969
$14,648
2
7
71
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches r^portiTig 71111111101"
10
170
Officers and teachers
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
a Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 2, 3, and 4 present the statistics for the Catholic Apostolic
Church by States. Table 2 gives for each State for 1936 the number and mem-
bership of the churches, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 3 gives for selected States the number and membership of the
churches for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for
1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table
4 presents, for 1936, the value of church edifices and church expenditures, showing
separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid
disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation
in table 4 is limited to the State of New YprkT the only State in which so many as
three churches reported value and expenditures.
347
348
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 2. — NUMBBB AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, MEMBERSHIP BY
AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
mem-
bers
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Male
Female
Males
per 100
fe-
males *
Churches
reporting
Offi-
cers
and
teach-
ers
Schol-
ars
United States.
7
2,577
1,153
1,424
81.0
2
7
71
NEW ENGLAND:
Connecticut
1
3
1
1
1
142
1,100
249
939
147
56
498
109
424
66
86
602
140
515
81
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York..
82.7
77.9
82.3
1
1
1
6
15
56
Pennsylvania _
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Illinois
PACIFIC:
California
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
NUM
BEE OI
1 CHUR
CHES
NU2
«IBER Ol
n MEMB
ERS
MEMB]
ERSHIP ]
1936
3YAGE,
STATE
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Per-
cent
under
13
United States
7
11
13
11
2,577
3,408
2,768
2,907
318
2,261
12.3
Connecticut
1
1
3
3
142
163
228
163
11
131
7.7
New York __,
3
3
3
4
1,100
1,283
1,216
1,096
90
1,010
8 2
Other States
1 3
7
7
4
1,335
1,962
1,324
1,648
215
1,120
16.1
i Includes. Pennsylvania, 1, Illinois, 1; and California, 1.
TABLE 4. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
STATE
(-4
"o
1
o
e
Number of church edifices
VALUE OF
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
bfl
2
f-4
O
O
j
bfl
fl
1
1
O
|
o
a
C3
"3
o
!
ro
<£>
'C
e3
1
I
O
Eepairs and im-
provements
Other current ex-
penses, including
interest
13
||
o
1
$969
969
"United States..
Hew York
Other States
7
_
4
7
3
4
7
3
8146, 110
7
$102, 537
$18, 200
$36, 893
$1, 298
$12, 392
$23, 773
$9, 012
43, 110
103,000
3
14
50, 762
51, 775
8,900
9,300
14,352
22, 541
775
523
5,385
7,007
16, 279
7,494
5,071
3,941
i Includes: Connecticut, 1; Pennsylvania ,1; Illinois, 1; and California, 1.
CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC CHURCH 349
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
HISTORY
This communion does not claim exclusive right to the name of Catholic Apos-
tolic Church but, maintaining that the one Catholic and Apostolic Church includes
everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus and is baptized according to His com-
mandment, whether by sprinkling or immersion, by layman or priest, no matter
in what sect or denomination he may be found, the church recognizes no other
name than Catholic Apostolic as correctly applicable to it.
The movement which resulted in the" formation of this communion had its
inception approximately at the beginning of the second quarter of the nineteenth
century. The momentous events of the closing years of the eighteenth century
and the earlier years of the nineteenth, including the French Revolution and the
rise ^and fall of Napoleon, had aroused in the minds of many devout men a con-
viction of the nearness of Christ's personal return, which was accompanied by a
deep sense of the unreadiness of His church, in its divided condition, to meet
Him. At the same time there began to be a realization of the importance of
prayer for the coming of the Holy Ghost and an earnest desire for the renewal of
the spiritual gifts of apostolic days. As a result of these things, pious people of
all denominations began to pray for a general revival and for the outpouring and
restoration of such a measure of the Holy Ghost as distinguished the apostolic
age.
About 1830 there appeared among some of those who were engaged in this
concert of prayer what were considered as distinct and abundant manifestations
of the presence and power of the Holy Ghost, similar to those of the apostolic
age, taking the form principally of speaking in tongues and prophecy, as at
Pentecost. These manifestations continued, and in 1832, as a result of the
"prophetic revelations," certain men were regarded as called to the office of apos-
tle. Others were added from time to time, until, in 1835, when 12 in all had been
chosen, corresponding to the number of the original apostolate. These 12 men
were of the highest respectability, of good standing in the Presbyterian and
Anglican communions, and several were clergymen or lawyers. Among them
were men of some prominence, including Henry Drummiond, Esq., a wealthy
banker and member of Parliament; Rev. Nicholas Armstrong, a clergyman
of the Church of England, distinguished for eloquence and pbwer as a preacher;
and Mr. Perceval, son of a prime minister of England.
The call of these men was held to constitute them a college of apostles, "dis-
tinguished from all other ministry by the claim that their call and mission were
not by election of the church, but by direct call and mission from the Lord Jesus
Christ by the Holy Ghost, making them superior in mission and authority to all
other ministry." Their mission was to testify to the personal return of the Lord
and to minister to the whole church, if it would receive them, the full apostolic
measure of the Holy Ghost and the apostolic gifts and blessings, so that corporate
unity might be manifested and the church be prepared to receive her Lord at
His coming.
After delivering their testimony personally to the heads of church and state
in Christendom, and receiving no recognition from any of the established churches
or denominations, the apostles proceeded to ordain and commission evangelists,
and to organize in nearly all Christian nations, churches on what they considered
the original apostolic pattern, which would show how the Lord would govern
His church, if it would permit.
The first church in the United States was organized at Potsdam, N. Y., and
the second in New York City in 1851. In England the adherents of this com-
munion are frequently called "Irvingites," from the fact that the celebrated
preacher, Edward Irving, was prominent jm the movement which resulted in its
formation. But its members have never admitted this title as justified, and they
never use it among themselves.
DOCTRINE
The standard of doctrine is found in the three historic Catholic creeds — the
Apostles', the Nicene, and the Athanasian. The church also includes among
its tenets the unquestionable authority and inspiration of the canon of the
1 This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Rev. H. 0. Du Bois, angel (bishop) in chief charge of the churches in New
York and other Eastern States, and also by Rev. Samuel T. Pearl, angel in charge of the church m Chicago;
and approved by them in its present form.
350 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Holy Scriptures; the "sacramental nature" of the ordinances of baptism, the
Lord's Supper, and ordination to the ministry, as recognized by the different
denominations of the Christian Church; the indissolubility, except by death,
of the sacramental union in marriage; the restoration of the ordinance of the
laying on of hands by the apostles for the imparting of the fullness of the gift
of the Holy Ghost; the necessity of the gifts of the Spirit, as tongues and prophecy,
and the other gifts, for the perfecting of the church; the payment of the tithe as
due to Christ, the High Priest, in addition to the making of voluntary offerings;
and the hope of the Lord's speedy personal coming to raise the dead, translate
the living members of His church, and bring in His reign of peace on the earth,
commonly spoken of as the millennium.
ORGANIZATION
The principle upon which the organization of the Catholic Apostolic Church
is based is that a twelvefold apostleship, as in the first days of the church, is
the Lord's only ordinance for supreme rule over the whole church and for revealing
His mind. Local churches are each under the charge of a bishop, designated
"angel," with a staff of priests and deacons, whose call, consecration, appoint-
ment, and rule are subject to the apostles. There is no election of ministers by
the clergy or laity, except that deacons, to the number of seven in any one church,
may by permission of the apostles be chosen by the people. A call from the Lord
by the word of the Holy Ghost through prophets is a prerequisite to admission
to the office of priest or angel.
Ordination to the priesthood and diaconate and consecration to the episco-
pate are exclusive functions of the apostleship. Angels cannot in any case
consecrate angels, nor can they ordain to the priesthood, except when specially
commissioned as apostolic delegates.
Angels and priests, thus called and ordained, are classified and assigned
for ministry as elders, prophets, evangelists, or pastors, according to apostolic
discernment of their respective gifts and temperaments, this classification follow-
ing from the recognition of the four kinds of gifts specified in Paul's Epistle to the
Ephesians, iv: 11-13.
As appointment to any office belongs exclusively to the apostleship, and as
vacancies in the apostleship canjbe filled only by direct call of Christ, during the
absence of an apostle or a vacancy in the apostleship the churches remain in the
charge of then* angels, with their priests and deacons.
Persons seeking admission to the church are received by the angel of the local
church on the certificate of the evangelist angel as to baptism, instruction in
doctrine, and acceptance of the authority of the apostles. The orders of priests
from the Eoman and Anglican or Episcopal communions, taking service under
the apostles, are recognized, and they do not receive reordination, but only
apostolic confirmation of orders.
The last member of the college of apostles died in 1901, since which time
there have been no ordinations to the priesthood or episcopate, or even to the
diaconate. The churches remain under the pastoral care of the angels and
priests who were ordained prior to 1901, the number of whom is necessarily
gradually diminishing. The members describe themselves simply as waiting
upon the Lord, for whatever it may please Him to do; and above all waiting
for the promised coming of the Lord in visible power and glory.
Worship is conducted according to a liturgy compiled by the apostles in part
from the various liturgies of the historic church, the clergy who officiate wearing
appropriate vestments^. The support of the ministry is provided for solely by the
payment of the tithe, in addition to freewill offerings for worship and for the poor.
WORK
As the work of the church has been directed exclusively toward the awaken-
ing of the Christian church to the hope of the Lord's coming and preparation
therefor, it has included no foreign missionary, educational, or so-called in-
stitutional work, although the different churches care for the poor in their re-
spective localities. The seeming deficiency in Sunday school work is accounted
for by the emphasis laid upon the duty of parents to teach their children, and to
bring them into contact with the ministry.
CHRISTADELPHIANS
STATISTICS
Summary for tlie United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Christadelphians for the year 1936 is presented
in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and
rural territory. No parsonages were reported. These statistics were compiled
from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual
churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of the Christadelphian Ecclesia consists of those persons who
have been received into fellowship in a local ecclesia upon profession of faith
and baptism by immersion.
TABLE I. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
terri-
tory
In rural
terri-
tory
PEBCENT OF
TOTAL l
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
109
2,755
25
1,088
1,667
65.3
26
2,358
371
1.1
16
16
$66, 310
$65, 410
$900
$4,144
3
$4,760
12
83
$28,045
$1,150
$643
$735
$2,109
$16,296
$5,260
$230
$5
$195
$1,422
$338
65
299
1,576
5
40
612
4
19
74
75
2,210
29
865
1,345
64.3
23
1,918
269
5.0
10
10
$57,910
$57, 910
34
545
16
223
322
69.3
3
440
102
0.2
6
6
$8,400
$7,500
$900
$1,400
1
$360
5
22
$2,329
$550
68.8
80.2
31.2
19.8
Members, number™
Average membership per church . .. .
Membership by sex:
Male
79.5
80.7
20.5
19.3
Peraale _ ...
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over
81.3
72.5
18.7
27.5
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 3 .
CJh/areh erHfitoes, -nfjniber
Value — number reporting
Amount reported „. __,, -._
87.3
88.5
12.7
11.5
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936
Average value per church
$5,791
2
$4,400
7
61
$25, 716
$600
$643
$557
$1, 659
$15, 660
$4,860
$230
$5
$180
$1,322
$422
49
245
1,295
2
19
254
2
4
27
Debt — number reporting _ _ __
Amount rftport^d
92.4
7.6
N"mrnbor reporting "no dfibt"
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number
Amonnt r^port^d
91.7
52.2
100.0
75.8
78,7
96.1
92.4
100.0
S.3
47.8
24.~2
21.3
3.9
7.6
Pastors"' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements _ -
$178
$450
$636
$400
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest-
Local relief and charity, Ked Cross, etc
Worn 3 missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution
$15
$100
$106
16
54
281
3
21
358
2
15
47
92.3
93.0
7.7
7.0
All other purposes -
Average expenditure per church __ -
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
81.9
82.0
18.1
18.0
Scholars .
Summer vacation. Bible schools :
Churches reporting number
Offices and teachers
Scholars ._
41.5
58.5
Weekday religious schools :
Officers and teachers
Scholars
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
» Based on membership with age classification reported .
351
352
CENSUS OF KELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Christadelphians for the
census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churches (lon^lorgarjiratinns), tplTnliar
109
134
145
70
Increase l over preceding census:
Number
-25
-11
75
Percent a
-18.7
—7.6
Members, number -
2,755
3,352
2,922
1,412
Increase 1 over preceding census
Number
-597
430
1,510
Percent - -
-17.8
14.7
106.9
Aversse membership per church
25
25
20
20
Church edifices number
16
20
17
4
Valus — number reporting
16
18
17
4
Amount reported
$66, 310
$88 100
$19, 743
$3 245
Average vftlue per church
$4, 144
$4 894
$1, 161
$811
Del^ — -number reporting
3
4
3
Amount reported
$4, 760
$17 850
$675
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
83
102
83
A.mount reported - -
$28, 045
$45, 740
$16, 340
Pastors' salaries -
$1, 150
All other salaries
$643
Repairs and improvements
S735
[ $22, 636
$12, 502
Payment on church debt, excluding interest —
All other current expenses, including interest-
Local relief and chanty, Red Cross, etc
$2, 109
$16, 296
$5 260
HTorne miiSPVHis
15230
Foreign missions
$5
> $21, 787
$3,838
To general headquarters for distribution
$195
All other purposes
$1, 422
Not classified -
$1,317
Average expenditure per church
$338
$448
$197
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
65
72
78
22
Officers ancTteachers -. - „ _ . _ .
299
292
276
78
Scholars „
1,576
1,859
1,825
480
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Christadel-
phians by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and member-
ship of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory,
membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives for
selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four census
years from 1906 to 1936,, together with the membership for 1936 classified by age.
Table 5 shows the value of church edifices and the amount of debt on such prop-
erty, for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing sep-
arately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid
disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation
in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported
value and expenditures.
CHEISTADELPHIANS
353
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGEAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
£
p
OS
£5
5
-3
1
s
o
H
1
£
*2
tf
£
"3
3
iS
&
Males per
100 females 1
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
"United States
109
75
34
2,755
2,210
545
8
32
23
1,088
1,667
65.3
65
299
1,576
NEW ENGLAND.
Maine _
2
1
10
2
10
7
10
4
2
5
2
1
1
3
1
2
1
2
8
32
412
51
131
159
240
92
51
96
82
14
3
48
12
106
50
214
29
106
139
19
195
12
33
421
4
15
160
21
50
75
100
44
23
31
40
4
2
16
3
38
15
74
11
46
45
9
79
4
12
167
4
17
252
30
81
84
140
48
28
65
42
10
1
32
9
68
35
140
18
60
94
10
116
8
21
254
Vermont
......
2
7
5
7
3
2
5
2
1
1
2
"§89"
51
113
146
180
88
51
96
82
14
3
35
89
50
176
29
11
119
"""22"
12
33
421
1
8
2
4
7
5
1
2
4
1
3
53
8
15
25
20
6
7
6
5
16
311
38
83
104
86
60
36
30
25
Massachusetts
63 5
Rhode Island .
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
3
2
3
1
18
13
60
4
New Jersey
Pennsylvania .. .
71.4
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois ._
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
-----
1
1
Missouri
13
12
17
1
2
22
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland .
4
2
6
1
3
5
1
3
2
5
1
1
4
3
2
5
13
11
40
64
39
215
District of Columbia.
Virginia
1
38
52.9
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
2
1
1
12
95
20
19
173
2
5
1
5
7
26
4
12
35
140
24
80
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana..
"68.1"
Texas _ _ _ __
15
1
2
8
3
1
2
8
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
.f ACIFIC:
Oregon
"65." 7"
1
5
2
34
5
163
California
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
354
CENSUS OF KELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBEESHIP OP CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
{Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGEAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBEE OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
me
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der 13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
109
134
145
70
2,755
8,352
2,922
1,412
26
2,358
371
LI
10
10
7
10
4
5
2
3
1
4
6
1
3
5
15
12
13
7
11
4
7
3
3
3
2
7
2
3
6
13
4
3
14
17
13
13
7
10
4
10
5
6
3
3
9
3
1
5
20
1
2
10
20
7
7
3
4
1
7
412
131
159
240
92
96
82
48
12
106
214
29
106
139
195
426
309
172
246
57
226
88
80
19
87
254
39
104
182
243
31
45
420
324
395
274
176
201
42
173
45
106
18
72
308
34
81
127
240
10
32
303
285
147
132
58
52
6
180
9
339
131
64
2 6
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
159
Pennsylvania
13
213
81
96
14
11
5.8
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Illinois
Michigan -
64
48
18
WESTNOBTH CENTBAL:
JMissouri
3
3
2
3
2
2
3
7
36
58
62
177
11
129
74
65
K"&ns?5(S
12
SOOTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland. .
1
105
214
.9
Virginia
Florida
29
BAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
3
17
72
186
89
64
9
WEST SOOTH CENTEAL:
Arkansas -
Texas
PACIFIC:
Washington .
Oregon .
2
8
»13
1
4
11
33
421
240
33
51
151
33
California......
366
193
55
47
Other States
i Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
* Includes 2 churches in each of the following States—Maine, Rhode Island, and Indiana, and the District
of Columbia; and 1 church each in the following States— Vermont, Wisconsin, Iowa, Louisiana, and Colo-
rado.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of
church
edifices
VALUE OJ CHUBCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHT7BCH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount)
United States
109
16
16
166, 310
3
$4,760
Virginia . .
6
15
88
3
3
10
3
3
no
22,500
5,200
38, 610
Texas
Other States
3
4,760
i Includes 2 churches in Arkansas; and 1 church in «ach of the following States—Hew York, Indiana,
Illinois, Maryland, Kentucky, Oregon, and California, and the District of Columbia.
CHEISTADELPHIANS
355
TABLE 6. — CHTTBCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
Trttcil
EX
PENDITURE
3
STATE
number
of
churches
Churches
report-
ing
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All
other
salaries
Kepairs
and
improve-
ments
United States .
109
83
$28 045
SI 150
$643
$735
Massachusetts
10
10
5,227
New York
10
7
1,667
180
New Jersey
7
6
2 731
Pennsylvania
10
8
2,530
Dlinois _
5
3
703
Maryland
4
4
752
Virginia
6
6
1 869
403
145
Arkansas - -
5
5
1 930
850
20
Texas
15
6
414
300
15
California
8
7
5,229
60
30
Other States
29
1 21
4 993
525
E
SPENBITUB
ES— cont
inued
STATE
Pay-
ment
on
church
debt,
exclud-
ing
interest
Other
current
expenses,
includ-
ing
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
mis-
sions
For-
eign
mis-
sions
To
general
head-
quar-
ters
All
other
pur-
poses
United States
$2, 109
$16, 296
$5, 260
$230
$5
$195
$1 422
Massachusetts
3,510
1,111
150
456
New York
801
457
145
15
69
New Jersey.
2,128
578
25
Pennsylvania .
1,695
831
4
Illinois
448
170
50
5
30
jyTaryland
386
292
70
4
Virginia-- -_ _
794
244
125
158
Arkansas -
450
410
200
Texas
29
55
15
California
272
3,520
898
55
394
Other States
200
3,013
958
297
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States — Maine, Rhode Island, Ohio, .Missouri, Kentucky,
and Oregon, and the District of Columbia; and 1 church each in the following States — Vermont, Indiana,
Michigan, Wisconsin, Kansas, Florida, and Colorado.
275318 — 41-
-24
356 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
Among those who identified themselves with the Disciples of Christ in their
early history was John Thomas, M. D., an Englishman, who came to the United
States in 1844. As he pursued the study of the Bible, his views changed and he
became convinced that the cardinal doctrines of the existing churches corre-
sponded with those of the apostate church predicted in Scripture; that the only
authoritative creed was the Bible, the originals of which were inspired of God
in such a manner and to such an extent as to secure absolute truthfulness; and
that the churches should strive for a return to primitive Christianity m doctrine,
precept, and practice. He soon began to publish his views and organized a
number of societies in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain, the central
thought in his mind being not so much the immediate conversion of the world
as preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God for the "taking out of the ^Gren-
tiles a people for His name." No name was adopted for the societies until the
breaking out of the Civil War, when the members applied to the Government to
be relieved from military duty in consequence of religious and conscientious
scruples. It then appeared that they must have a distinctive name, and accord-
ingly that of "Christadelphians," or "Brothers of Christ," was adopted. They
have consistently maintained that their faith prohibited participation m the
Army or Navy of any country, whether in times of peace or times of war, until
the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth.
DOCTRINE
The Christadelpnians reject the doctrine of the Trinity and hold that there
is but one God, the Father, and that Christ was the Son of God and Son of Man,
manifesting divine power, wisdom, and goodness in working out man s salva-
tion of which He is the only medium, and that He attained unto power and
glory by His resurrection. They believe that the Holy Spirit is an effluence of
divine power; that man is by nature mortal, and that eternal life is given by
God through Jesus Christ only to the righteous; that Christ will shortly come
personally to the earth to raise the dead and judge His saints, and to set up the
kingdom of God in place of human governments; that this kingdom will be
established in Palestine, where the 12 tribes of Israel will be gathered; that
Jerusalem will become "the city of the Great King" and there the throne of the
Lord over Israel will be reestablished; that Christ and the saints will reign over
them and all nations then existing upon earth for 1,000 years; and at the end of
that period a second resurrection will take place, and judgment will be pro-
nounced upon all who lived during the 1,000 years, the just receiving eternal life
and the unjust, eternal death.
Admission to fellowship is contingent upon profession of faith m ^tnese doc-
trines and baptism by immersion in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins.
Participation in the Lord's Supper is restricted to members of the church.
ORGANIZATION
In polity the Christadelphians are thoroughly congregational. They do not
accept the name "church" for the local organization, but call it an "ecclesia."
For the management of the affairs of each ecclesia the members elect representa-
tives from among themselves, who are termed presiding brethren, managing
brethren, secretary and treasurer, and superintendent of the Sunday school.
The duty of the presiding brethren is to conduct the meetings in turn. They are
expected to call upon the various members in the exercises of prayer, reading the
Scrip-tures, or addressing the meeting, except when, by previous arrangement,
the preaching or lecturing, as they term it, has been allotted^to some one brother.
The aim Is to have as many as possible take part in the exercises, in order to avoid
the appearance of discrimination between clergy and laity. Women take no
part in public speaking, although all vote on the questions that come before the
ecclesia. The temporal affairs of the ecclesias are cared for by the managing
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published In vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Mr. A. H. Zilmer, editor and publisher of The Faith, Momlton, Ark.,
and approved by him in its present form.
CHBISTADELPHIANS 357
brethren, who arrange the various questions that arise in proper form for final
action by the ecclesia. While the duties of these persons are the same as in
ordinary societies, the term "serving brethren" is preferred to "officers," to
exemplify the words of Scripture, "One is your master, even Christ, and all ye
are brethren." The meetings of the ecclesias are generally held in public halls,
private houses, and schoolhouses, comparatively few church buildings being
occupied.
There are no general associations or conventions of the eeclesias, although they
have what are called "fraternal gatherings." These are not legislative bodies,
neither do they claim to have power to act in any way for the ecclesias, but are
rather for the spiritual upbuilding of the members and their further enlighten-
ment in the Scriptures and for the instruction of the public. They are held in
various places in the United States, sometimes annually, and usually occupy from
2 days to a week.
WORK
The home missionary work of the denomination is carried on by each ecclesia
independently of the others, although when it is desired to invite a lecturing
brother for special public work a number of ecclesias unite in the invitation, and
each does what it considers its part in bearing the expense. Several brethren
are engaged in this special work and travel more or less for the purpose of pro-
claiming the gospel of Christ to the public and establishing a better understanding
of and obedience to the truth among the members of the ecclesias. Salaries
are not paid them, but their needs are supplied by the voluntary contributions of
the brethren or by ecclesias.
No foreign missionary work is undertaken, Christadelphians believing that
their province is to make known the true gospel to the people of so-called Chris-
tendom who have been led astray from the simplicity of the truth preached by
Christ and His apostles. During the past 90 years the Christadelphians have
established ecclesias not only in the United States but in Germany, Great Britain,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and other countries. This work
has been supported by voluntary contributions of both British and American
Christadelphians.
A Christadelphian Fellow Service League was organized in 1910, with head-
quarters at Rutherford, N. J., for the special purpose of helping brethren in
isolation, also the smaller ecclesias in their preaching.
The denomination pays special attention to the preparation of literature,
including a printed statement of its doctrines, and to its distribution at great
public gatherings, such as the expositions at Chicago, St. Louis, and Jamestown.
For this work funds are sent by individuals and ecclesias to committees appointed
by the ecclesia at or near the place of the gathering, and these committees attend
to the distribution of the literature and report all receipts and the work that is
done.
There are four Christadelphian magazines, The Christadelphian, The Christa-
delphian Advocate, The Berean-Christadelphian, and The Faith. The Christa-
delphian and Berean-Christadelphian are published in Great Britain.
A summer Bible school was established in 1925 in Arkansas and is held during
August in each year. The believers and their children from various States of the
Union gather at the appointed place to engage in Bible study and other exercises.
Arrangements are made for the housing, comfort, and feeding of all who attend.
THE CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for The Christian and Missionary Alliance for the year
1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures
between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules
sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and
the data relate to these churches only.
In this denomination persons are enrolled as members who subscribe to the
doctrine and fellowship of the Alliance. The form of baptism is immersion.
TABLE 1. — STTMMABY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RUBAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OP
TOTJLL
Urban
Kural
444
32, 145
72
11,255
18,549
2,341
60.7
1.265
30,629
251
4.0
350
339
$3,448,939
$3,350,369
$98,570
$10, 174
191
$1,030,033
124
160
128
$410, 700
438
$1, 171, 643
$306, 183
$39, 755
$61,626
$100,805
$219,048
$9,684
$15,131
$203, 692
$184, 129
$31, 590
$2,675
290
26,071
90
8,890
14,867
2,314
59.8
834
24,991
246
3.2
232
227
$3,157,203
$3,080,353
$76, 850
$13,908
154
$988, 936
59
114
89
$339,000
286
$1,020,059
$251, 410
$36, 323
$49, 113
$91,479
$194,034
$8,651
$13, 706
$178,398
$168, 319
$28, 626
$3,567
154
6,074
39
2,365
3,6|2
64.2
431
5,638
5
7.1
118
112
$291,736
$270, 016
$21, 720
$2,605
37
$41,097
65
46
39
$71, 700
152
$151, 584
$54, 773
$3,432
$12, 513
$9,326
$25,014
$1,033
$1,425
$25,294
$15, 810
$2,964
$997
65.3
81.1
34.7
18 9
Membership by sex:
Male
79.0
80.1
98.8
21.0
19.9
1.2
Sex not reported .
Membership by age:
"Under 13 years «__•_«»_-
65.9
81.6
98.0
34.1
18,4
2 0
13 years 2>nd over • -
Age not reported -
Church, edifices, number
66.3
67.0
91.5
91.9
78.0
33.7
33.0
8.5
8.1
22.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
j)o£)t — number reporting - - -
80.6
96.0
47.6
71.2
69.5
82.5
65.3
87.1
82.1
91.4
79.7
90.7
88.6
89.3
90.6
87.6
91.4
90.6
19.4
4.0
52.4
28.8
30.5
17.5
34.7
12.9
17.9
8.6
20.3
9.3
11.4
10.7
9.4
12.4
8.6
9.4
Amount reported -
Number reporting * 'no debt* *
Parsonages, number. -
Value — number reporting. - ., .
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number - -
Amount reported ---
Pastors' salaries . _ » .„ .
All other salaries - -
Repairs and improvements
Payment on cfiurch debt, excluding in-
terest - --
AH other current expenses, including in-
terest . ,
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, ete--_
Hoin.6 missions -
Foreign missions . ..
To general headquarters for distribution- -
All other purposes
A veraere eroenditure Der church —
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
358
THE CHRISTIAN AKT> MISSIONARY ALLIANCE
359
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN- AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
432
5,770
43,536
156
1,097
10,360
22
87
650
286
4,297
34,302
103
839
7,885
17
76
478
146
1,473
9,234
53
258
2,475
5
11
172
66.2
74.5
78.8
66 0
76.5
76.1
C2)
(2)
73 5
33.8
25.5
21.2
34.0
23 5
23.9
(2)
(»)
26,5
Officers and teachers,-.
Scholars _
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers. -_
Scholars
Weekday religious schools:
Churches reporting, number _
Officers and teachers _ .
Scholars _
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1916-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of The Christian and Missionary Alliance
for the census years 1936, 1926, and 1916.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1916 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
19S6
1916
Glvurehegi (Tnnal organ ij&atjnng), rinnnb^r
444
111
33.4
32, 145
9,408
41.4
72
350
339
$3, 448, 939
$10, 174
191
$1,030,033
160
128
$410,700
438
$1, 171, 643
$306,183
$39, 755
$61, 626
$100, 805
$219, 048
$9, 684
$15, 131
$203, 692
$184, 129
$31, 590
332
169
103.7
22,737
13, 112
136.2
68
268
254
$3, 565, 375
$14,037
153
$859, 635
163
Increase over preceding census:
N"iirnhfir
Percent
Members, "nnmbP-T T - - .
9,625
Increase over preceding census:
Number __- __
Percent - -
AtmragA TnAmh@rpMp par nhtfmh
59
126
126
$590, 150
$4,684
72
$137, 657
Clmrcli edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting - - -
102
$566, 225
320
$1, 345, 434
$837,663
$490,075
$17, 696
$4,204
301
3,117
25,930
31
$78,000
147
$232,029
$108,897
$110,471
$12, 661
$1, 578
153
1,342
10,735
Amount reported
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, nnmber
Am.ount reported -
Pastors' salaries - -
All other salaries - .-
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt , excluding interest . «
Alf other current expenses, including interest
Local relief and charity* Red Cross, etc _ -
Home missions -
Foreign missions •
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes - -
Average expenditure per church - - -------
$2, 675
432
5,770
43,536
Sunday schools:
Officers and teachers
Scholars -
State tables.— Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for The Christian and
Missionary Alliance by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table
360
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the three
census years 1916 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as
"under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value
of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936.
Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current
expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the
financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and
6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value and
expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHUBCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
1
1
29
1
«
3
o
B
a
1
£
I
J2
3
Female
<b
ai"g
x ft
Males per 100
females 1
Churches re-
porting
13
2
P
Scholars
United States
44
15
82,14
28,07
6,07
11,25
7
2
19
25
124
1,32-
314
3,573
1,172
123
138
465
121
18, 549
2,341
60.7
432
5,770
43, 536
NEW ENGLAIH>:
Maine - -
21
593
53
322
3, 656
1,060
9,386
3 182
10
49
53
322
2,798
943
6,718
3,018
351
10
144
45
399
28
198
2,280
646
5,738
2,010
250
213
650
175
792
268
114
56
72
269
112
102
17
49 3
43
13
68
8
46
718
225
1, 855
546
94
356
75
507
35
320
4,458
1,462
14,325
4,944
615
743
2,109
430
1,965
523
239
138
137
1,027
211
146
80
263
480
977
219
704
232
90
652
205
103
308
70
105
50
25
1,213
607
2,388
NPIW Hampshire
Massachusetts
10
...
48 6
62~6
58 2
48 6
62 3
58.3
49 2
64 8
71.5
69 1
66.2
63.4
60 5
58
17
124
37
4
14
12
31
9
2
2
3
1
3
1
4
4
7
4
7
1
1
3
2
1
5
1
1
1
1
14
7
20
Rhode Island
858
ir
2,668
164
22
49
100
75
"~50
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
59
18
125
37
39
14
73
33
6
2!
52
New Jersey __
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL-
Ohio
Indiana
373
351
Illinois
351
82
229
92
324
91
26
19
19
125
29
22
10
32
57
105
32
111
19
15
62
26
16
44
13
12
9
9
168
78
278
Michigan __
14
14
1,165
296
1,316
438
303
112
122
880
163
165
30
222
304
690
415
422
185
155
1,465
141
112
171
22
46
50
25
1,042
442
1,983
1,165
75
711
314
303
90
47
800
163
131
30
178
263
623
293
367
185
155
1,390
101
112
"221
605
124
"~22
75
80
....
Wisconsin
13
32
f
10
10
22
WEST NOETH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
524
170
69
56
28
161
Iowa
Missouri
120
North Dakota
8
I
4
1
6
4
7
4
8
1
1
4
2
1
5
]
1
t
1
3
1
3
3
2
6
1
1
2
1
1
~~3
1
~~2
1
South Dakota
22
450
59." 9
45 5
61.8
Nebraska
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
51
63
13
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia
44
78
105
161
147
150
60
65
72
54
55
74
8
14
20
13
429
191
750
144
199
344
268
272
125
90
103
87
57
97
14
32
30
12
613
251
1,233
"I§5
54 2
52 8
46 8
54 9
55.1
48 0
West Virginia.-
41
67
122
55
"~75
40
North Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee -
Alabama
,290
69 9
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
MoBt?Pia
5
"i
4
1
2
171
"~50
Idaho
1
1
1
1
1
22
4,6
""25
900
425
1.935
Colorado __ _
Arizona
70 0
76.1
60 8
Nevada ...
1
15
7
20
1
11
6
18
PACIFIC:
Washington
142
17
48
Oregon
California
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100,
THE CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE
361
TABLE 4=. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1916 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, or 1916]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1936
1936
1916
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States ._
444
332
163
32, 145
22, 737
9,625
1,265
30, 629
251
4.0
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
4
7
3
59
18
125
37
7
4
14
13
32
9
2
3
8
4
6
4
7
4
8
4
2
1
5
15
7
20
212
5
9
2
35
10
96
26
4
4
15
3
20
7
4
5
1
1
3
4
5
2
7
2
3
4
2
19
7
14
13
215
593
322
3,656
1,060
9,386
3,182
373
351
1,165
168
622
206
2,567
560
6,062
2,612
228
265
1,025
215
Massachusetts
5
247
12
23
83
13
416
94
12
581
299
3,463
1,047
8,970
2,957
361
351
978
287
1,235
434
72
122
879
159
217
292
677
401
422
2.0
7 1
2 3
1.2
4.4
3 1
3 2
Connecticut... _„
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
28
7
65
16
6
2
1,274
308
3,857
1,344
130
195
110
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL-
Ohio
131
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
187
9
81
4
40
16.1
3.0
6.2
.9
35.7
Wisconsin
296
1,316
438
112
122
880
165
222
304
690
415
422
1,465
141
112
171
1,042
442
1,983
1,104
69
609
275
108
98
93
80
255
152
375
361
1,488
62
96
155
37
982
606
1,503
1,018
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
4
1
1
133
41
30
Iowa
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
1
6
5
12
13
14
.1
3.6
2 3
3 9
1 9
3.4
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland..
Virginia. ... ._ -_
West Virginia
1
3
25
314
North Carolina
Georgia
Florida
1
15
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Alabama .
20
5
3
32
46
21
55
58
1,445
136
109
139
996
421
1,918
1,046
1 4
3.5
2.7
18 7
4.4
4.8
2.8
5.3
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
PACIFIC:
Washington
5
2
8
8
260
90
749
613
Oregon
California
10
Other States
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
2 Includes 2 churches in Missouri; and 1 m each of the following States — New Hampshire, Rhode Island,
Delaware, Kentucky, Tennessee, Idaho, Colorado, Arizona, and Nevada, and the District of Columbia.
362
CENSUS OF KELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PAKSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
*o
Is
a-s
al
3
e
Number of church
edifices
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OP
PARSONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
444
350
6
47
13
102
26
7
12
7
26
6
3
6
6
4
3
7
3
3
13
7
17
19
339
83,448,939
75,800
788,361
200,500
847,228
324,050
52,700
122,850
10,800
81, 000
25, 650
10,200
88,650
38,000
38,200
120,000
34,500
80,300
22,500
2,700
82,000
26,600
217, 700
158, 650
191
81, 030, 033
128
$410, 700
0)
63,000
32, 700
126, 200
26,100
0)
18,500
(')
14,700
(0
(')
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
7
59
18
125
37
7
14
13
32
9
3
8
6
4
7
4
8
4
5
15
7
20
32
5
46
13
98
26
7
12
7
25
6
3
6
4
4
7
3
7
3
3
12
7
17
218
1
26
10
57
20
5
12
3
6
4
1
6
2
2
4
2
3
2
1
6
2
6
10
1,200
354, 978
53, 155
191, 725
119,444
17, 175
33, 196
1,725
29,200
10,760
3,500
11, 480
21,000
8,420
14,000
18,800
21,200
2,300
600
35,292
1,200
25,600
54,083
2
17
7
34
9
2
5
2
9
2
2
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey. _>
Pennsylvania .. - -
EAST NORTH CENTRAL-
Ohio .
Indiana -- -
Michigan . „ . -
Wisconsin - ...
WEST NOETH CBNTEAL:
Minnesota
Iowa . , -
South Dakota.
Nebraska
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina _. -.
3
1
1
2
3
8
3
8
8
13,700
W
0)
0)
2,800
16,300
6,500
24,750
65,450
Georgia - - - -
Florida .
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Alabama - . ..
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California _...
Other States
* Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
2 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States — Maine, Connecticut, and Illinois; and 1 in each of
the following— Rhode Island, Missouri, North Dakota, Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee,
Oklahoma, Texas, Idaho, Colorado, and Nevada.
THE CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE
363
TABLE 6. — CHTJBCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting}
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
United States
444
438
SI, 171, 643
§306, 183
839, 755
881, 626
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
4
7
3
59
18
125
37
7
4
14
13
32
9
3
8
4
6
4
7
4
8
4
5
15
7
20
17
4
7
3
58
17
124
37
4
14
13
32
8
3
7
4
6
4
7
4
8
4
5
15
7
19
117
7,458
24, 135
9,360
163, 240
51,029
328, 180
109, 025
14, 121
21, 001
56,164
7,190
47,668
14,488
2,968
45,472
4,720
8,361
10, 819
16, 361
15,546
18,898
17, 732
4,261
34, 191
12, 073
74,902
52,280
1,829
7,200
2,380
44,000
14, 435
66,234
32, 506
4,886
4,724
12,990
4,117
15, 271
4,134
1,531
6,330
1,082
3,220
4,180
6,675
5,206
5,972
3,600
2,107
13,501
4,243
18,544
15,286
70
2,326
300
5,287
1,409
4,726
4,524
505
1,900
2,522
12
1,965
252
1,089
293
700
7,900
2,327
20,078
4,788
423
634
2,695
6
4,625
825
44
2,491
Massachusetts...
fim-mpnt.inrit
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTKAL:
Ohio . _ „-
Indiana.. . _ .
Illinois
Michigan _
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTBAL:
Minnesota _
Iowa
South Dakota
Nebraska
3,370
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland. ,,,„,,_
Virginia
35
447
1,801
3,200
401
650
100
2,040
724
2,017
1,295
West Virginia _ . .
236
450
364
413
3,000
156
519
239
2,833
2,377
North Carolina _
Georgia .
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTBAL:
Alabama
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon ,
California,,
Other States
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Missouri, North Dakota, and Oklahoma; and 1 in
each of the following— New Hampshire, Ehode Island, Delaware, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, Idaho,
Colorado, Arizona, and Nevada, and the District of Columbia.
364
CENSUS OP RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
mis-
sions
Foreign
missions
To
general
head-
quarters
All
other
pur-
poses
trailed States
$100, 805
S219, 048
1,604
4,116
1,457
34, 576
10, 103
69, 312
22, 336
2,699
3,936
9,429
915
5,683
3,226
639
2,422
1,077
2,816
2,532
2,928
3,062
5,185
3,782
436
4,880
2,095
8,191
9,611
89,684
$15,131
S203, 692
8184, 129
S31. 590
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
925
583
99
133
65
990
543
1,842
1,981
62
188
696
61
399
172
2
260
20
10
21
185
100
278
100
40
433
829
1,498
137
4,530
3,322
1,142
225
2,669
29, 245
5,707
68, 697
12, 845
1,153
6,988
10, 012
898
6,686
2,565
50
10, 484
1,938
1,320
1,049
1,922
2,747
3,036
500
849
6,635
1,797
8,860
13, 673
443
8,639
960
28,364
12, 101
56, 637
15, 596
2,716
543
10, 037
217
3,975
1,330
306
171
375
37
1,958
639
270
2,633
3,800
426
2,681
1,580
24,188
3,507
217
189
Massachusetts
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York,
9,341
3,238
28,462
7,156
1,477
1,600
3,739
357
6,061
1,230
106
19, 312
2,039
1,029
7,662
3,971
200
188
3,343
434
2,016
754
290
602
216
56
116
13
597
70
New Jersey. -
Pennsylvania. -
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio _
Indiana
Illinois
300
701
173
987
Michigan _
Wisconsin _
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota . . , _ - . - „
Iowa
South Dakota
Nebraska
30
12
27
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Virginia
840
280
1,748
West Virginia
North Carolina
Georgia „ .
Florida
800
2,100
100
1,809
660
7,75S
1.123
110
200
13
236
392
251
910
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Alabama
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
74
1,606
149
1,522
4,237
PACIFIC.
Washington. __ __
284
194
738
261
Oregon , . _
California
Other States
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The Christian and Missionary Alliance originated in a somewhat informal
movement started by Eev. A. B. Simpson, D. D., in the year 1881. At that
time Dr. Simpson was pastor of a Presbyterian church in New York City,
but left the pastorate, and also withdrew from the presbytery of New York, for
the purpose of conducting a wider evangelistic movement among the unchurched
masses. For several years he held services in public halls, theaters, and in the
summer in gospel tents. Shortly after the movement was started an independent
church was organized in New York City with an independent charter, still known
as the Gospel Tabernacle Church. The work became more widely known and
affiliated throughout the country through many calls for evangelistic services
and religious conventions in popular centers, such as Old Orchard Beach, Maine,
and various other resorts, and a number of local organizations were formed.
From the beginning a strong missionary tone characterized the conferences,
and in 1887 two societies were organized, respectively, for home and foreign
missionary work — one known as the Christian Alliance (incorporated in 1890), for
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Rev. H. M. Shuman, president of The Christian and Missionary Alliance,
New York City, and approved by him in its present form.
THE CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE 365
home work, especially among the neglected classes in towns and cities of the
United States; the other, the International Missionary Alliance (incorporated in
1889), was for the purpose of planting missions among neglected communities in
non-Christian lands. In 1897 the two societies were united in The Christian and
Missionary Alliance and since then have labored in the double function of home
and foreign evangelism.
DOCTRINE
The Christian and Missionary Alliance is strictly evangelical in its doctrine.
It stands firmly for the inspiration of the Scriptures, the atonement of Christ,
the supernaturalism of religious experience, and a life of separation and practical
holiness. It has no strict creed, but expresses the great essential features of its
testimony in a simple formula known as the fourfold Gospel of Christ, as Saviour,
Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming Lord. It is not a sectarian body, but allows
liberty in the matter of church government, and is in fraternal union with
evangelical Christians of all denominations, accepting missionaries from the
various churches, provided they are in full sympathy with the evangelical stand-
ards of the Alliance.
ORGANIZATION
There is no close ecclesiastical organization, though the society has in the
United States and Canada about a dozen organized districts with about 500
regular branches. Only a small proportion of these are organized churches,
as the society seeks always to avoid a sectarian aspect and therefore is some-
what averse to the establishment of independent churches. Each local
branch is entirely self-directing and in most cases is primarily evangelistic in
character and a center of missionary conference. An annual council meets in
the spring, to which reports are submitted from all branches and fields, and
which passes such legislation as may be needed concerning the government and
administration of the work. It is to be noted that many of the most liberal and
active supporters of this work are still in active membership in various Protestant
churches, giving their support to the Alliance in its evangelistic work.
WORK
The territory covered by the home and foreign work of the Alliance embraces
the United States and Canada; Jamaica and Puerto Rico, in the West Indies;
the Republics of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Argentina, in South Amer-
ica; Belgian Congo, French West Africa, Sierra Leone, and the French colony of
Gabon, in Africa; Palestine, Transjordan, Hauran, and Djebel Druze, in the Near
East; three provinces in India; eight provinces in China; Japan; French Indo-
china and East Siam; Philippine Islands; and the Netherland East Indies.
The home missionary work consists of a general evangelism, carried on chiefly
among those destitute of church privileges, and results frequently in the organ-
izing of local branches and, in some cases, of churches. Religious conventions
are held in many centers where suitable openings are available. At these gather-
ings, while evangelism is a strong feature, much emphasis is laid upon the foreign
missionary vision of the Alliance. The annual contributions to the general fund
amount to upwards of $500,000.
The foreign missionary activities are organized on a basis similar to the organi-
zation in the United States and Canada. They are under the administration of
a large and representative board of 24 members, the foreign missionary work
being administered through the foreign department which is presided over by the
foreign secretary, who devotes his entire time to the supervision of the missionary
work. The report for 1936 shows 160 mission centers and 1,463 outstations in
20 different mission fields, where 95 different languages are employed. The
missionary staff is composed of 449 American and British missionaries, with 1,576
native workers. There are 502 organized churches with 48,142 members. In 11
Bible training schools 454 students were enrolled, and 28,603 pupils in 928
Sunday schools. Other school work is carried on where necessary but fullest em-
phasis is given to evangelism and the establishing of the church. The total
amount expended for foreign work, exclusive of expenses of administration and
including amounts received and expended on the field, was $507,430 in 1936.
The Christian and Missionary Alliance maintains three training schools in the
United States where young people are equipped for home and foreign service,
namely, The Missionary Training Institute, Nyaek, N. Y.; the St. Paul Bible
Institute, St. Paul, Minn. ; and the Simpson Bible Institute, Seattle, Wash.
CHRISTIAN UNION
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Christian Union for the year 1936 is presented
in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and
rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to
the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate
to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination comprises those persons whose names
have been placed on the roll of communicants in the local churches upon profes-
sion of faith. The form of baptism is not prescribed.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN UKBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
|
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL :
Urban
Rural
Ciiurclies (local organizations), number
Members, number- - - -
93
6,124
66
2,488
3,298
338
75.4
227
4,938
959
4.4
83
77
$171, 125
$170, 225
$900
$2,222
$905
62
8
7
$9,800
85
$33,427
$18, 169
$2, 020
$5,328
$425
$3,865
$753
$547
$626
$528
$1, 166
$393
79
895
4,702
4
31
153
1
5
100
9
507
56
208
299
84
5,617
67
2,280
2,999
338
76.0
189
4,591
837
4.0
76
71
$147, 425
$146, 525
$900
$2, 076
$300
57
6
5
$6,800
79
$26,751
$13,915
$1,650
$4,681
$233
$2,942
$615
$529
$626
$394
$1, 166
$339
75
824
4,358
4
31
153
1
5
100
8.3
91.7
Average membership per church ..
Membership by ser:
Male -
8.4
9.1
91.6
90.9
100.0
Female
Sex not reportecL
Males per 100 females
69.6
38
347
122
9.9
7
6
$23,700
$23,70
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
16.7
7.0
12.7
83.3
93.0
87,3
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 2 -
Church edifices, number « -_ ». -_
Value — number reporting _ _ --
Amount reported
13 8
13.9
86.2
86.1
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936 . -
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
$3,950
1
$605
5
2
2
$3,000
$6, 676
$4,254
$370
$647
$192
$923
$138
$18
D^bt — number reporting -
Amount reported
66.9
33.1
"N^UTTlT^r reporting "tin r\$~ht"
Parsonages, number . - - --
Value — number reporting- .
Amount reported. .
30.6
69.4
Expenditures :
OhTircliAS reporting, nmnnber ., ^
Amount repbrted.Il
20.0
23 4
18.3
12.1
45.2
23.9
18.3
3.3
80.0
76.6
81.7
87.9
54 8
76.1
81.7
96.7
100.0
74.6
100.0
Pastors*' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and imprnvemants^, , ^ ... ^ „-_.,„
Payment on church debt, excluding inter-
est
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc
Home missions
T?orpigr> jnig.sio'p*'
To general headquarters for distribution, _
All other purposes—
$134
25.4
Average expenditure per church
$1, 113
4
71
344
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers^ „,- -,„_, .,„„ ,„ -lf. . ,,^
7.9
7.3
92.1
92.7
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools:
Oburc^es reporting' nnmbftr
Officers and teachers
Scholars
100.0
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and'teachers
Scholars
100.0
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
366
CHRISTIAN UNION
367
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Christian Union for the
census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
93
—44
—32.1
6,124
-2,667
-30.3
66
83
77
$171, 125
$2, 222
2
$905
8
7
$9,800
85
$33, 427
$18, 169
$2, 020
$5,328
$425
$3,865
$753
$547
$626
$528
$1, 166
137
-83
-37.7
8,791
-4, 901
-35.8
64
123
118
$370, 784
$3,142
4
$3,360
220
4
1.9
13, 692
-213
-1.5
62
193
191
$341, 510
$1,788
15
$9, 169
216
Increase l over preceding census:
Number
Percent _
Members, number
13, 905
Increase * over preceding census:
Number . __
Percent . .»
Average membership per church
64
188
185
$299, 250
$1, 618
13
$5,288
Church edifices, number,.—
Value — number reporting
Amount reported - _ —
Average value per church , ..
T>eht — TliiTnhAr fftpnrting
Amount reported
Parsonages, number
Valflfi — nTjmhfir reporting
11
$24,500
122
$65, 209
I $56,414
$6, 310
$2,485
$535
101
926
6,789
8
$11,000
176
$47,079
$43, 579
$3,500
3
$2,200
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number __ ..
Amount reported-Il
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest...
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc,
Home missions
"Forfiarn Tni<*sifvn<i
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes
Not classified
Average expenditure per church
$393
79
895
4,702
$267
172
1,479
11, 582
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number -
168
1,514
9,234
Officers and'teaehers
Scholars
i A minus sign (—) denotes decrease.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Christian
"Union by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and member-
ship of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural terri-
tory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives
the number and membership of the churches for the four census years 1906
to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years
of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of churches
and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936. Table 6
presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses,
improvements, benevolences, etc.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each council in the Christian
Union, the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by States in the pre-
ceding tables, including the number of churches, membership, value and debt
on church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
368
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
s
§
4
"S
AND STATE
1
a
03
Hi
1
I
g
J2
1
!t
P
Q/c§
1-s
hurches
porting
e-i
P
E
^
o
•g
c-1
£>
#
^
P
rt
•^
*
02
s
o
0
CQ
United States
93
9
84
6,124
507
5,617
2,488
3,298
338
75.4
79
895
4,702
EAST NORTH CENTRAL
Ohio
53
4
49
2,952
161
2,791
1,172
1,635
145
71 7
50
543
2,853
Indiana
10
I
q
817
35
782
347
470
73 8
7
101
477
WEST NORTH CENTRAL.
Iowa
6
fi
630
630
277
353
78 5
4
61
220
Missouri
12
4
8
950
311
639
414
536
77 2
10
91
577
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Tennessee
1
1
60
60
60
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL.
Arkansas - -
4
4
117
117
41
76
(i)
2
14
66
Oklahoma - .
7
7
i>98
598
237
228
133
103 9
6
85
509
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4L — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OP MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1930
193G
93
53
10
1926
137
1916
1906
1936
1936
1916
1906
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States
220
123
13
4
1
216
117
15
4
8,124
8,791
13, 692
13, 905
227
4,938
2,366
773
959
4.4
4.7
5.4
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
78
12
2,952
817
3,971
1,170
7,678
1,366
155
45
8,184
1.488
123
117
44
469
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
6
12
8
17
1
1
2
2
6
10
14
39
2
1
5
2
5
11
15
33
~4
5
1
17
Pi
630
950
897
1,706
40
14
78
58
149
708
1,048
2,382
48
25
55
73
96
721
655
2,433
22
11
522
817
86
122
4 0
1 3
"Missouri
Nebraska
Kansas _. __ __,
99
139
53
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky -
Tennessee
1
4
7
60
117
598
60
89
133
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL
Arkansas.
28
432
"""7" I
Oklahoma ...
541
190
33
MOUNTAIN*
Colorado - --- _--
» Based on membership with age classification reported.
CHKISTIAN UNION"
369
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PABSON-
AGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
Ohio
93
83
^~
9
5
12
77
47
8
4
11
$171, 125
2
S905
7
$9,800
53
10
6
12
1
4
7
90, 725
24,300
21,400
22,100
3
2
1
4,000
i 15,800
Indiana
Iowa
Missouri
1
605
TenTifisseft . . ., . - ,
Arkansas
1
7
1
6
} 2 12, 600
1
300
Oklahoma
1 Amount for Indiana and Iowa combined with figures for Missouri, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any
individual church.
2 Amount for Arkansas combined with figures for Oklahoma, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any indi-
vidual church.
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
§
EXPE3
WITU
EES
STATE
2
1
"o
1
a
1
Churches reporting
§
1
"B
All other salaries
if
•§
§•
Payment on church
debt, excluding interest
Other current expenses,
including mtorest
Local relief and charity
snoissuuomoH
Foreign missions
1
1**
d
,P
All other purposes
United States
93
85
$33,427
S18, 169
$2, 020
$5, 328
S425
S3, 865
S753
S547
$626
S528
SU66
Ohio
53
50
16, 145
8,286
1,152
2,576
90
2,219
354
304
523
208
433
Indiana
10
10
4,788
2,455
184
1,400
308
160
25
20
106
130
Iowa
fi
6
2,294
1,430
10
354
20
317
37
55
32
30
9
Missouri
10
6,179
3,987
344
542
192
448
92
38
26
162
348
Tennessee -
1
Arkansas
4
ft
•»
Oklahoma
7
7
ji 4, 021
2,011
330
456
573
i Amount for Arkansas combined with figures for Oklahoma, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any
individual church.
370
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY COUNCILS, 1936
«»-i
M
0
o
|
VALUE OF
CHUB.CH EDI-
FICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDI-
TURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
rt ®
S
COUNCIL
n'i
•8
SM
S*c
£*>
j!n
•— i"o
<3
*§S
a
§*a
73 '-3
o
o*-3
M
C3
S
o
S §!
§
5 ®
'S
0
a
A o4
S
S
^ §"
a
^ §*
£
0*
<!
o*4
<J
o !-
o^
0
m
Total—
93
6,124
77
8171, 125
2
$905
85
S33, 427
79
4,702
Arkansas
4
117
1
600
2
369
2
66
Indiana
8
732
7
22, 500
8
4,068
5
369
Iowa
6
630
4
21,400
6
2,294
4
220
1
60
Missouri
12
950
11
22, 100
1
605
10
6,179
10
577
North Ohio
26
1,752
23
56,425
26
11, 975
25
1,701
South Ohio
29
1,285
25
36,100
26
4,890
27
1,260
Oklahoma
7
598
6
12,000
1
300
7
3,652
6
509
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION *
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The churches forming the organization called Christian Union trace their
origin to a number of independent movements, from 1795 to 1864, for a larger
liberty in religious thought and worship, a greater freedom from ecclesiastical
domination, and a closer affiliation of men and women of different creeds and
beliefs. A number of these independent churches sprang up in various parts of
the country, the leaders having no knowledge of the existence of the others or
their efforts to bring about a closer union of believers.
Rev. James O'Kelley led one effort in North Carolina, Rev. Abner Jones one
in Vermont, and Rev. Barton W. Stone led another in Kentucky. From 1835
to 1857 independent organizations were also formed in Clay and Ray Counties,
Mo., under the leadership of Rev. John Walker and Reverend Livingstone; and
in 1857 several organizations were formed in Monroe County, Ind., by Rev. Eli
P. Farmer, which were known as the Evangelical Christian Union. During the
Civil War Mr. Farmer entered the Army as a chaplain and a number of his
followers volunteered, and as a result most of the organizations were disbanded
for lack of a ministerial leader. Mr. Farmer united with the Christian Union
organization later, however, when he returned from the war. Several independ-
ent churches were organized in Michigan under the leadership of Rev. Hiram
Rathbun, but later they were disbanded. Of the seven Missouri churches, six
were formally merged with the Christian Union organization in 1868, under the
leadership of Rev. J. V. B. Flack, and are still identified with the movement.
The intensity of the political strife during the Civil War became very bitter,
and was manifest in extremely intolerant partisan preaching. The war spirit
entered into the church services to such an extent that many ministers and laymen
who were strongly opposed to the presentation of such questions from the pulpit
withdrew from the different denominations. Others, who refused to endorse war
and countenance what they termed "an unwarrantable meddling of both North
and South, which was the culmination of the great injustice and insane haste on
the part of the extreme leaders of both sections," were expelled from the churches
or socially ostracized, and many of them joined the ranks of those who were
impatient under the restrictions of ecclesiastical rule.
1 This statement, which is substantially tJie same as that published in vol. n of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been approved in Its present form by Mr. J. W. Hyder, secretary of the Christian Union
General Council, Excelsior Springs, Mo.
CHRISTIAN UNIOX 371
Christian Union became a distinct church organization in 1864. Rev. J. F.
Given, of Columbus, Ohio, began the publication of a paper known as the Chris-
tian Witness, in which he gave expression to the sentiment of those who desired
freedom from political and ecclesiastical interference in religious worship. This
agitation finally resulted in a convention being called for those favorable to
"forming a new church organization" on broader lines than those of the already
existing denominations. This convention was held at Columbus, Ohio, February
3, 1864. After the representatives from several of the more prominent denomina-
tions had conferred together, both in private and in public convention, the fol-
lowing declaration was adopted as a basis of union:
Having a desire for more perfect fellowship in Christ and a more satisfac-
tory enjoyment of the means of religious edification and comfort, we do
solemnly form ourselves into a religious society under the style of the "Chris-
tian Union," in which we do avow our true and hearty faith in the received
Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the Word of God and the only
and sufficient rule of faith and practice, and pledge ourselves "through Christ
who strengthened us" to "keep and observe all things whatsoever He hath
commanded us."
A second convention was held in Columbus, Ohio, June 1-2, 1864, composed of
delegates from different local organizations which had been formed in the interim
and also of other persons favorable to the new movement. There were present
at this meeting some who had formerly been members of the Methodist Episcopal,
Methodist Protestant, United Brethren, Presbyterian, New School, and Free Will
Baptist Churches. A third convention was held at Lancaster, Ohio, November
19, 1864.
In 1865 a general convention was held in Terre Haute, Ind., attended by dele-
gates from different States in which organizations had been formed. The action
of the three former conventions was reaffirmed and a complete summary of
principles was declared. These have been revised by later State and general
councils, and, as now officially adopted, are as follows: (1) The oneness of the
church of Christ; (2) Christ the only head; (3) the Bible the only rule of faith
and practice; (4) good fruits the only condition of fellowship; (5) Christian union
without controversy; (6) each local church governs itself; (7) partisan political
preaching discountenanced.
The movement spread very rapidly, and among the more prominent early
leaders, in addition to those already mentioned, were Rev. M. T. Bowman, Rev.
K. D. Wolf, Rev. Ira Norris, Rev. Joseph Goode, Rev. J. W. Kiise, Rev. Charles
Dorrell, Rev. Joseph Richmond, Rev. John lams, and Rev. A. T. Cunningham.
The local groups now differ somewhat in name. Those in Ohio, where the
organization had its beginning as a distinctive church movement, use the original
name, the Christian Union, for both local and State organizations; in nearly
all the other sections the local organization is called the Church of Christ in
Christian Union, and the State organizations are called the Churches of Christ
in Christian Union; but while thus differing somewhat in name, the several
State organizations affiliate and recognize one another as parts of the same general
movement, and the general council of all the States is known as the General
Council of Christian Union of the United States.
DOCTRINE
Apart from the brief summary already given, Christian Union can scarcely be
said to have a system of doctrine. Its members believe in the generally accepted
doctrines of all evangelical churches, making no distinction between Arminian
and Calvinistic. They require no special creed, but say, as did Paul, "Let every
man be fully persuaded in his own mind." Each individual has the right to his
own interpretation of the Scriptures without controversy on disputed theological
questions, and on admission to membership is expected to make a public confes-
sion of Christ as his personal Savior, to accept the Bible as the revealed Word of God,
and give his promise to read and study it and to follow its teaching, thus "keeping
and observing whatsoever He hath commanded us," as set forth in the basis of
union adopted at the first convention in Columbus, Ohio.
The Lord's Supper, baptism, and, in rare instances, foot washing, are observed
among the churches, but none of these is required as a condition of fellowship,
"good fruits" or Christian character being the only test of fellowship. The
various modes of water baptism are practiced, each individual choosing the method
by which he wishes the ordinance administered.
275318-^41 25
372 CENSUS OF IlKOGIOIIS BODIES, 1936
The ordination of ministers is in the hands of the State councils and follows
recommendation, from the local church of which the candidate is a member, but
the candidate is generally required to preach under a license for 2 or more years
and to pass certain examinations by the board of ordination. Men and women
alike are ordained to the ministry and are admitted to the charge, district, State,
and general councils on an equality.
ORGANIZATION
The local church or congregation is absolutely self-governing in all things
pertaining to its individual affairs. For purposes of fellowship, however, and for
the transaction of such business as pertains to the general movement in their
territory, various councils have been organized. Charge councils, composed of
contiguous churches employing the same pastor, usually meet quarterly, all
members and church officers participating. District councils are composed of a
number of counties and generally meet semiannually, with the church officers,
ministers, and sometimes delegates, taking part. State councils meet annually,
and are composed of all licensed and ordained ministers together with church
officers or delegates. The general council meets every 4 years and is composed
of an equal number of ministerial and lay delegates from the different State
councils, although some States have more delegates than others, because of their
larger number of churches and membership.
WORK
Christian Union is engaged in a small way in missionary activities, local, home,
and foreign. The local activities are in the hands of the State missionary boards,
while the home and foreign work is in the hands of a general mission board ap-
pointed by the general council. The local mission, work consists of evangelistic
efforts among the local churches that have become run down and unable to carry
on the work with regular pastoral services or to go into neglected and needy
communities and minister to their spiritual needs. What is known, as home
mission work is carried on through the Chicago Tract Society and is confined
chiefly to Americanizing and Christianizing the foreign-speaking people in our
large cities. What is designated as foreign mission work is carried on through
the Ceylon and India General Mission. An accurate statement of the amount
contributed to these departments of the work cannot be given for the reason that
until recently no deiinite work had been undertaken by regularly constituted
boards. For this reason many have been contributing through various denomi-
national boards and others have made their offerings direct. Official and un-
official records, however, show that approximately $2,500 was contributed during
1936 to the local, home, and foreign work, most of which was sent direct to the
workers and did not pass through the treasury of the mission board.
Christian Union has no educational institutions at present. Sunday schools
and Christian Endeavor societies are maintained in most of the local churches
and several of the States are making special efforts to promote the work among
the young people of the churches.
A home for aged ministers is being maintained on the individual cottage plan,
depending solely upon freewill offerings. It is known as Christian Union Home
and is located at Excelsior Springs, Mo.
CHRIST'S SANCTIFIED HOLY CHURCH COLORED
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for Christ's Sanctified Holy Church Colored for the
year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these
figures between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from
schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual
churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who will endorse
and do all in their power to enforce the rules regulating the church, and pledge
themselves to expose all evil to officers in charge.
Although this denomination may have been in existence prior to the 1936
Census of Religious Bodies, it has not been reported, and comparative data are
not available.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
Total
In urban
Territory
territory
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations) number
31
1 14
17
Members, number - -
605
' 257
408
3S 6
61 4
Average membership per church
21
18
24
Membership by sex:
Male - — .
208
70
138
33 7
66.3
Female
457
187
270
40 9
59.1
Males per 100 females
45 5
37 4
51 1
Membership by age:
Under 13 years _ _
21
16
13 years and over
462
206
256
44 6
55.4
Age not reported __ __
182
35
147
19 2
80.8
Percent under 13 years 2
4 3
7 2
1 9
Church edifices, number .
' 13
14
Value — number reporting
24
I 12
12
Amount reported _
$21,215
SS, 885
$12,330
41 9
58.1
Constructed prior to 1936
$18,115
57, 435
$10, 680
41 0
59.0
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936
Average value per church
$3, 100
$884
$1, 450
$740
$1, 650
$1 028
46 S
53.2
Debt — number reporting
6
5
1
Amount reported ..
$1,319
$432
$887
32 §
67.2
Number reporting "no debt"
12
4
8
Parsonages, number
5
2
3
Value — number reporting
5
2
3
Amount reported
$1, 950
$1,225
$725
62.8
37.2
Expenditures:
Churches reporting number
31
14
17
Amount reported
$6. 177
$2, 878
$3,299
46.6
53.4
Pastors' salaries
$3,057
$1, 040
$2, 017
34.0
66.0
All other salaries __
$421
$48
$373
114
88 6
Bepairs and improvements
$231
$130
$101
56 3
43.7
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest
$746
$441
$305
59.1
40.9
All other current expenses, including
interest
$846
$700
$146
82.7
17.3
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc._-
Home missions _
$196
$253
$129
$137
$67
$116
65.8
54.2
34.2
45.8
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
$305
$122
$159
$94
$146
$28
52.1
77.0
47.9
23.0
Avera°°e expenditure per church
$199
$9Q6
$194
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
29
14
15
Officers an ^ teacher?
298
122
176
40.9
59.1
Scholars __
628
322
306
51,3
48.7
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting number
3
o
1
Officers and teachers
10
g
2
Scholars
46
dQ
6
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting number
1
1
Officers and teachers
12
|
12
Scholars _ _
40
40
In rural
PERCENT OF
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
J Based on membership with age classification reported.
373
374
CENSUS OP RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
State tables. — Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for 1936 for Christ's
Sanctified Holy Church Colored by States. Table 2 gives for each State the
number and membership of the churches classified according to their location in
urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 3 gives for selected States the number and membership of the
churches and the membership classified as "under 13 years of age7' and "13 years
of age and over." Table 4 shows the value of churches and parsonages and the
amount of debt on church edifices. Table 5 presents the church expenditures,
showing separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In
order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, sepa-
rate presentation in tables 4 and 5 is limited to those States in which three or
more churches reported value and expenditures.
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN" URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
s
13
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
S
AND STATE
g g
O C?
03 c3
3
I
g
3
fl
.g
g
is
1
f!
"o"S
ij
y
"o
4=
£-1
0
«
&
!=>
«
S
*
^
O
O
&
United States
31
14
17
685
257
408
208
457
45.5
29
298
628
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
1
1
33
33
11
22
1
9
38
Illinois
1
1
8
8
2
6
1
6
20
WEST NORTH CENTRAL
Iowa
1
1
16
16
6
10
1
11
30
IVIissouri
1
1
7
7
4
3
1
7
12
Kansas
2
2
19
19
7
12
2
10
23
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Louisiana
16
7
9
327
137
190
85
242
35 1
14
156
288
Texas-- -_
9
2
7
255
44
211
93
162
57.4
9
99
217
i Katio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHTJBCHES AND MEMBEESHIP BY
AGE, BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
Total
Number
MEMBERSB
OP BY AGE
STATE
of
churches
of mem-
bers
Under 13
years
13 years
and over
Age not
reported
Percent
under 13 1
United States
31
665
21
462
182
4 3
Louisiana.- „ _ . -.
16
327
11
204
112
5 4
Texas
9
255
g
177
70
4 5
Other States
26
S3
2
81
1 Based on memb3rship with age classifies tion reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Includes* Ohio, 1; Illinois, 1; Iowa, 1; Missouri, 1; and Kansas, 2.
CHRIST'S SANCTIFIED HOLY CHURCH COLORED
375
TABLE 4. — VALUE OF CHUKCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PABSONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States. „
Louisiana
31
27
24
S21, 215
6
SI, 319
5
1
:
81, 950
~
1,225
16
9
6
14
9
4
14
7
23
9,765
8,250
3,200
3
2
1
337
907
75
Texas
Other States
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
2 Includes: Iowa, 1, and Kansas, 2.
TABLE 5. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
8
43
EXPEXDITUEES
s
1
$
CQ
a
J2 C*
£S
si
P
4
CO
STATE
o
1
1
p
8
1
.2
J3
«j g
if ^
1!
"o c3
EC
C
g|
2
0
CJ
pj
S3
X3
S
s
O
jEj
1
S3
0
o,cs<
o
III
in
S
O
3
o
o
"o
£_
o
<J
P5
PH
O
H
EH
-<
United States..
31
31
86, 177 i
S3, 057
S421
S231
S746
S846
S196
S253
S305
SI22
Louisiana
161
16
2,094!
1,201
62
155
121 i 188
78
112
167! 10
Texas
9
9
3,200!
1,705
359
76
455
332
103
73
76
81
Other States
6
* G
R23
151
170
326
15
68
62
31
I
1 Includes: Ohio, 1; Illinois, 1; Iowa, 1; Missouri, 1; and Kansas, 2.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
In the year 1903 a band of white saints from Virginia came to West Lake,
La., and preached sanctification and holiness to the people of the Colored Method-
ist Church. Many of them believed their doctrine and began reading their
Bibles and praying, and sought and obtained the blessings of sanctification.
The white saints, Asher Fisher, Charlotte Gray, Mary Handson, and others
made several visits and preached. C. E. Rigmaiden, colored, became deeply
convinced that she could not be saved without holiness, though she was living in
a justified state. With this conviction she sought and obtained the blessings of
sanctification by power of the Holy Ghost, through faith in the cleansing blood of
Jesus Christ, and immediately began preaching and teaching to all she had
opportunity.
Soon others became interested and sought and obtained the blessing as a dis-
tinct and separate blessing from that of justification, among whom were Dempsey
Perkins, A. C. Mitchell, James Briller, Sr., Lizzie Pleasant, and several others.
From time to time, others by the grace of God have been sanctified by the power
of the Holy Ghost, and united in the work.
In the year 1904 the white saints came back to West Lake, La., to help destroy
the work of the devil. The colored people felt they were right and that they had
the baptism of the Holy Ghost and needed a church. On April 16, 1904, Asher
Fisher, Charlotte Gray, and others of the white saints organized the Colored
i This statement was prepared from information furnished by Mary A. Paul, secretary, Christ's Sancti-
fied Holy Church Colored, Jennings, La.
O/O CENSUS OP RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Church South. God has prospered their work and through their untiring efforts
the work has spread north, south, east, and west.
This Christ's Sanctified Holy Church Colored was organized and given permis-
sion to do its own work as it felt led in the Lord, and from that day has gone forth
in the strength of the Lord.
Special emphasis is placed upon sanctifi cation by faith as a distinct experience
from justification by faith in Christ, which is not brought about by a growth in
grace but is wrought instantaneously. Briefly stated this church believes in one
Lord, one faith, one baptism; that unequal persons (holy and unholy) should
not be joined in matrimony; members should observe the rules of the church;
no difference should be made in the sexes as to ministers and officers; and no
person should be received into full membership who uses or sells tobacco and
intoxicating liquors.
A board known as Board No. 1 and composed of five members is the supreme
ruling power; its officers are a president, vice president, and secretary. Under
the direction of Board No. 1 are several boards such as the Board of Extension,
Board of Investigation, Board of Managers, and Ministers, Leaders, and Deacon
Board.
There is also an overseer who has general oversight of the church, a recording
secretary, corresponding secretary, financial collector, treasurer, sexton, and
deputy. All officers are elected for a term of 2 years. There are three annuaJ
meetings — annual conference held in September, district conference in June, and
Sunday school convention in March. Deacons, deaconesses, and ministers are
ordained by Board No. 1. Ministers' salaries are not fixed by the board but must
be adjusted by the individual congregations. Donations are made annually by
each church fo*r educational purposes and all churches are required to have a mis-
sionary society.
CHURCH OF ARMENIA IN AMERICA
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of Armenia in America for the year
1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures
between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules
sent directly to the Bureau By the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and
the data relate to these churches only.
All persons baptized in the church are considered members thereof.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
ChurcL.es (local organizations) , number
37
IS, 737
5Cb
6,5SO
6,447
5, 7GO
102 1
2,312
10,047 !
6,428
18 7
26
24
8584,000 '
$524,000
<SF,O, o^o
£04 3H3 !
35
18,632
532
6,467
6, 405
5,760
j 101. 0
i 2,312
9,892
6,428
IS. 9
24
22
$576,000
$510, 000
1 «no, ooo
$26, 1S2
13
! $106. 02S
8
4
3
$13,500
30
$102,888
| $30, 921
$15, 557
$12, 356
$5, 173
$25, 172
$3, 183
$265
$476
$3,466
$6,319
$3, 430
19
124
1,485
S
49
957
J>S
2
155
78
113
42
Members, number
99.2
0.8
Average membership per church _
Membership by sex:
Male
9S 3
99 3
100 0
1.7
Female
Sex not reported ... , . _ _..
Males per ] 00 females
(2)
Membership by age
Under 13 years
100.0
98.5
100.0
13 years and over -
155
1.5
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 3
_
Church, edifices, number .
2
$8, 000
$S, 000
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
OS, 6
98 5
100 0
1 4
1.5
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, m 1930.
$4,000
Debt — number le porting
13
$100, 02S
10
5
4
$15, 500
31
$105, 688
$32,221
$16,057
$12,506 ;
$5, 173
$25,522
$3,333
$265
$476
$3,616
$0,469
$3,408 j
20
126 '
1,517
9
52
995
8
J$
Amount reported
100.0
Number reporting "no debt"
2
1
1
$2, 000
1
$2, 750
$1, 300
$500
$150
~
Parsonages, number . _ _ _ _
Value — number reporting
Amount reported _
87.1
12.9
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number _
Amount reported - -
97.4
06.0
96.9
98.8
100.0
98 6
95. 5
100.0
2.6
4.0
3.1
1,2
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding inter-
est
All other current expenses, including inter-
est
$350
$150
1.4
4.5
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc...
Home missions
Foreign missions
100.0
95.9
97.7
4.1
2.3
To general headquarters for distribution...
All other purposes -
$150
$150
$2, 750
1
2
32
1
3
38
Average expenditure Der church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers .
98.4
97.9
1.6
2.1
Scholars
Weekday religious schools:
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
96.2
3.8
Parochial schools:
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
100 0
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
3 Based on membership with age classification reported.
377
378
CENSUS OP RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
E arisen, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of Armenia in America
:>r the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Clmrclies (local organizations), number
37
29
34
73
Increase * over preceding census.
Number
8
—39
Percent 2
Members, number
18, 787
28, 181
27, 450
19,889
Increase l over preceding census:
Number
—9, 394
731
7,561
Percent _______
oq o
2 7
38 0
jVvorofje "membc/rPhip per church
508
972
807
272
Clruiclx edifices, number ...
26
18
10
3
Value — number reporting
24
17
10
3
Amount reported
$584, 000
$476, 000
$142, 500
$38, 000
-A.ver8.ge v&lue per church.
$24, 333
$28 000
$14 250
$12, 667
Debt — 'number reporting - ._ --_
13
12
7
Amount reported _ .-
$106, 028
$136, 600
$31, 300
$4, 000
Parsonages , number
5
Value — number reporting
4
5
1
Amount reported -- - --
$15, 500
$43, 500
$2, 500
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
31
23
24
Amount reported - -.- - -
$105, 63S
$114 793
$32 440
Pastors' salaries., _
$32, 221
All other salaries .,
$10, 057
Repairs and improvements ..
$12, 506
$98, 780
$15, 778
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest...
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions . „ , _
$5, 173
$25, 522
$3, 333
$265
1
Foreign missions
$476
}• $9 444
$4, 421
To general headquarters for distribution
$3, 616
All other purposes . .-
$6, 469
]
Not classified
$6, 569
$12,241
Average expenditure per church .-_ _ .
$3, 408
$4, 991
$1,352
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
20
13
6
4
Officers and teachers .. , - . _
126
57
17
9
Scholars
1,517
1,134
665
340
1 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Church of
Armenia in America by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table
4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four
census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as
"under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the
value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for
1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing
the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5
and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value and
expenditures.
CHUECH OP ARMENIA IN AMERICA
379
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHTJECHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1036
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
*C3
"o
&H
37
a
1
35
7
1
3
6
3
2
1
2
1
3
1
1
4
1
§
2
rs
1
c
«3
X2
£
"3
t-4
s
rv*
155
•2
*3
*H
r=3
Female
£_
4-0
OTJ
Bl
X
£
Males per 100
females 1
Churches re-
porting
Ofhccis and
teachers
Scholars
United States
18, 787
6,462
600
956
2,288
558
1,230
49
238
535
674
95
300
4,802
18, 632
6,580
6,447
5,760
102 1
80.9
140.0
103.0
122.1
143.7
112.1
20
126
34
5
1
19
8
16
1,517
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
7
1
3
6
3
2
1
2
1
3
1
1
6
6,462
600
956
*g
1,230
49
238
535
674
95
300
4,647
2,733
350
485
763
329
650
40
172
225
407
43
3,379
250
471
625
229
580
9
66
310
267
42
350
4
1
1
3
2
2
359
100
45
116
SO
220
Rhode Island-
..::
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York __ .
900
New Jersey.
Pennsylvania
....
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Illinois.-
Michigan
72 6
152.4
1
2
2
12
85
130
Wisconsin _ «_„
2
10
300
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
District of Columbia-
Virginia
PACIFIC:
California
155
383
219
4,200
174.9
4
29
382
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CSURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 2936
1936
37
1026
29
1
1916
34
1906
73
1936
1926
1916
1906
"Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13 »
United States™
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
18, 787
28, 181
27, 450
19, 889
2,312
10,047
6,428
18.7
4
269
318
465
6,960
2,103
579
3,295
New Hampshire
4
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
7
1
3
6
3
3
1
2
5
11
1
1
4
29
4
3
10
6,462
600
956
2,288
558
238
535
674
4,802
1,674
4,786
3,500
1,100
3,917
9,285
4,000
112
2,693
965
5,119
600
571
968
510
208
454
405
531
681
378
15.9
Connecticut
385
420
48
30
81
269
71
43
40.3
30.3
8.6
12.6
15.1
39.9
11.8
5.9
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
900
New Jersey
EAST NOBTH CENTRAL:
Illinois
2
1
3
6
25
3
1
2
6
5
3
5
3
4
2
5
2
3
4
5
2,678
655
570
5,490
5,216
245
5,000
165
3,347
2,603
1,446
168
154
2,134
2,267
Michigan
Wisconsin
PACIFIC:
California
4,200
950
Other States
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
» Includes: Pennsylvania, 2; Ohio, 1; District of Columbia, I; and Virginia, 1.
380
CENSUS OF BELIGIOTJS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PABSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of
church
edifices
VALUE OP CHUECH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHUECH
EDIFICES
VALUE OP PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
37
26
24
S584, 000
13
S106, 023
4
$15, 500
Massachusetts
7
6
6
IS
5
3
6
12
3
3
6
2 12
113, 000
108, 000
68, 000
205, 000
2
3
12, 700
37, 375
I
1
2
(0
0)
CO
15, 500
New York- . ...
California
Other States
8
55, 933
1 Amount included In figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
2 Includes: Rhode Island, 1; Connecticut, 2, Nt-w Jersey, 2; Pennsylvania, 2; Illinois, 2, Michigan, 1; and
Wisconsin, 2.
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
STATS
Total
number
of
churches
( EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All
other
salaries
Repairs
and
improve-
ments
"United States
37
31
$105, 638
S32, 221
$16, 057
SI 2, 506
Massachusetts
3
6
3
3
6
9
5
3
6
3
3
5
16
21, 985
6,556
23, 790
7,412
5,372
14, 720
25, 803
5,999
3,050
4,190
2.259
1,421
7,420
7,882
3,436
791
562
3,900
811
2,581
1,000
2,861
Connecticut _ _ „_
New York __
3,000
1,416
195
3,700
4,310
New Jersey __
"Wisconsin
California
Other States
STATE
EXPENDITURES— -continued
Payment
on
church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All
other
purposes
United States - _ ._
$5, 173
S25, 522
S3, 333
$265
S476
S3, 616
86, 469
3,332
102
980
1,126
350
150
429
Massachusetts . __
1,000
2,000
600
453
5,636
402
10, 340
968
650
1,250
6,276
345
120
240
303
100
850
1,575
1,446
320
290
60
Connecticut
New York
250
26
New Jersey
190
75
Wisconsin
California
200
150
1,350
Other States
1,120
1 Includes* Rhode Island, 1; Pennsylvania, 2; Illinois, 2; and Michigan, 1.
OH [TECH OF AmiEXIA IX AMERICA 381
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
From general history the Armenians appear as a strong, vigorous, intellectual,
and progressive people in Asia Minor, whose fame had spread throughout the
civilized world long prior to the days of Caesar and the dawn of the Christian
period. During the ministry of St. Paul, immediately after the ascension of
the Lord, it is claimed that the Armenians were visited by Apostles Thaddeus
and Bartholomew, who introduced Christianity among them early in the first
century. The new faith spread throughout the land, and in 301 A. D. it was
accepted by the King of Armenia, Tiri dates the Great, by the evangelizing of
St. Gregory the Illuminator, and thus the new faith became the state religion
of Armenia. From that time on the Armenian race has persevered in its adher-
ence to the Christian faith, and no persecution has been sufficient to alienate it.
The Armenians were imbued with the fact that they were the very guardians of
immortal truth and were to be ambassadors of the risen Lord for the salvation
of man. The literature and art of Armenia reveal how strongly their lives were
influenced by Christianity. During the early centuries of the* Christian era an
Armenian alphabet was developed, the Bible* was translated into the vernacular
of the people, as were also the great works of the fathers of the church and the
Greek philosophers. They erected thousands of churches which exhibited the
most beautiful forms of architectural design and testified to the religious devotion
and spiritual aspirations of the people.
St. Gregory became the first bishop of the church which he had organized,
and from him a regular succession of supreme patriarchs, who bear the title of
"Catholicos," has come down without interruption to the present time. The
residence of the Catholicos, which is at the same time the headquarters of the
Armenian Church, is at Etchmiadzine, a famous monastery at the foot of Mount
Ararat in Armenia, near the cathedral of the "Only Begotten" (Miadzine),
which is one of the oldest Christian edifices in the world, founded and built by
St. Gregory himself.
Until the time of the Fourth General Council, held at Chalcedon, 451 A. D.,
the Armenian Church was in full communion with all sections of the church*
Owing to a conflict with the Persian king, who was seeking to force Mazdaism
upon the people, the Armenian Church was not represented at that council and
did not receive the report of its action for some time. When the report came,
there was apparently some misunderstanding as to its meaning, and at a general
synod held in 491 A. D., the decrees of the Council of Chalcedon were formally
denounced, although the general doctrine of the Armenian Church continued to
be in substantial accord with that of the Greek Church. As a result of a bitter
controversy with the Greek Church over this matter, in which misrepresentation
and misunderstanding played a large part, the Armenian Church took no part in
subsequent general councils but maintained its independence under its own
autocephalous hierarchy.
The establishment of the Ottoman Empire and the adoption by the Turks
of the principle of the absolute identity of church and state, so that the ecclesi-
astics of the different Christian churches became also the civil heads of Christian
communities, resulted in emphasizing the separation between the churches and
in intensifying national and churchly loyalty. As certain sections of the Otto-
man Empire acquired independence, the Armenians developed a desire for
similar freedom, and, at the Congress of Berlin, in 1878, presented a plea for
Armenian autonomy, emphasizing it in the claim of their national church upon
the sympathy of Christendom. This effort was unsuccessful; nevertheless it
aroused the suspicion of the Turkish Government, and, after some years of
general disturbance, successive outbreaks occurred in the years 1894-96, in
which thousands of Armenians lost their lives.
For many years, as a result largely of the influence of schools established by
Americans, the attention of the people had been turned to the United States, and
a number of young men had come to this country, chiefly for education. With
* This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by the Right Reverend Mampre Calfayan, acting primate, Church of Ar-
menia in America, and approved by him, in its present form.
382 CEKSUS OF EELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
the increase of political disturbances and the disappointment of political hopes,
others followed until there were several large communities of Armenians. Some
of these had belonged to the Protestant Armenian Church, and, on coming to
America, identified themselves with either the Congregational or Presbyterian
denominations. The greater number, however, especially as the immigration
grew, belonged to the national church and felt the need of special services.
In 1889 Rev. Hovsep Sarajian, a bishop from Constantinople, was sent to
minister to a few hundred Armenians, most of them living in the State of
Massachusetts; and in 1891 a church was built in Worcester, ^Mass., which
was, until recently, the headquarters of the Armenian Church in the United
States. The great increase of Armenian immigrants made it necessary for
him to have several assistants, and the still greater influx of Armenians during
and after the outbreaks in 1894 and later, induced the Catholicos to raise the
United States to a missionary diocese, Father Sarajian being consecrated as first
bishop. Since then the Armenians have increased so rapidly, in both the United
States and Canada, that the Catholicos found it necessary in 1902 to grant a
special constitution, and in 1903 to invest the bishop with archiepiscopal au-
thority. The mission was then reorganized and divided into pastorates — the
nuclei of future dioceses — over each of which a pastor in priest's Borders was
appointed. All places outside these pastorates are regarded as mission stations
under the direct management of the archbishop, who either visits them or sends
missionaries to them from time to time.
Pending the building of churches, arrangements have frequently been made
with the rectors of Episcopal churches for weekly services, to be conducted by
Armenian pastors for their congregations. In other places halls have been
rented and fitted up as churches, and regular weekly services have been con-
ducted in them. Besides these regular weekly services, the pastors have bi-
weekly, monthly, or quarterly services in different places, while occasional
services, such as baptisms, marriages, and other devotional exercises, are fre-
quently conducted in private houses.
On the outbreak of the World War the Turkish Government allied itself with
Germany and asked the aid of the Armenians for the Central Powers, promising
to establish them in their homeland under their own government in return for that
aid. Only those in Turkish Armenia were able to respond, since those under
Russian rule were already in the war on the other side. Claiming that Armenia
was helping the Allies, Turkey annulled the constitution granted in 1862 to Turk-
ish Armenia and began a policy of extermination which continued until 1918.
During this time 1,500,000 were slain and 250,000 more were driven into the
Arabian desert to starve or perish. The atrocities committed by governmental
orders aroused great indignation in this country, and the Near East Relief was
organized to care for the refugees.
Prior to this war practically every Armenian in the United States had some
one in Turkey dependent upon him, and large sums of money were sent annually
for the relief of these dependent persons. In most cases the money was .sent
through the State Department at Washington and was distributed by the United
States consuls, the American missionaries, or other persons known to the Govern-
ment. Under war conditions and afterwards many of these channels were closed
though the need for relief grew constantly greater as persecutions increased.
In September 1922, Smyrna was sacked and burned. The major portion of the
entire Christian population of Asia Minor was packed into Smyrna and the ships
of Smyrna Harbor, and the city was filled to overflowing with frightened human-
ity— about 700,000 all told. After a reign of terror for several days a fire was
started which wiped out two-thirds of the town, including the Armenian, Greek,
and French quarters. In this debacle 100,000 people were massacred and 160,000
able-bodied men were torn from their families and deported into the interior
never to be seen again. The American Relief Committee, the Near East Relief,
and the United States Navy succeeded in rescuing 300,000 persons. The Greek
Government did all in its power to help in the work and opened wide its doors to
take the homeless in. During the series of persecutions culminating at Smyrna
more than 1,150,000 refugees were driven from their homes and belongings and
expelled from the land on which they had lived for centuries, to find what haven
they could in Greece and on the islands of the Aegean.
As soon as the disaster at Smyrna became known to the American public the
United States rang with the desire to be of service. As always in such an emer-
gency, there was a great overlapping and duplication on the part of those wishing to
aid, and in consequence the Red Cross stepped in and offered to take charge of the
situation. In the more than 9 months that it remained in the field the Red Cross
fed an average of 600,000 refugees per month and expended $3,000,000. The
CHUECH OF ARMENIA IN AMERICA 383
Near East Belief was assigned to Asiatic territory, yet it did much for the child
refugees in Greece, and the Greek Government strained every resource to deal
with the situation. The medical work was carried on by the American Women's
Hospitals, and other agencies like the Young Men's Christian Association, the
Young Women's Christian Association, and the American Collegiate Institute of
Smyrna gave much assistance.
The pages of history, perhaps, do not record a more courageous and valorous
people than the Armenians nor one with a more tragic fate. In the eddy of the
great contending forces of the East and the West, from a once powerful nation of
some 30,000,000 souls in early times, it has been reduced to 13000,000 in the
Republic of Erivan, under the suzerainty of the Union of Soviet Republics.
Here the Armenian Church still has its headquarters and is allowed some measure
of freedom. Besides the Armenians in Erivan — the historic home of the race —
there is a scattered remnant permanently settled in Russia, western Europe, and
the New World, and others, perhaps another million altogether, existing under
conditions of exile in the Near East, Syria, and Greece. All the others have
perished, a sacrifice to religious persecution and the passions of war.
DOCTRINE
The doctrinal system of the Armenian Church is founded on the Nicene Creed
without the addition made by the Western Church in regard to the Procession
of the Holy Ghost from the Son as well as from the Father. It has also a longer
creed peculiar to itself, and accepts the canons of the first three General Councils
of the Primitive Church, held at Nicea, Constantinople, and Ephesus, as well as
the writings of the recognized fathers of the church of the period of those councils.
While it has "not adopted the formula of the Council of Chalcedon with respect
to the two natures of Christ," it is "explicit in teaching that Christ was perfect
God and perfect man." The authorized version of the Scriptures is the transla-
tion made early in the fifth century (432 A. D.) by the Catholicos St. Sahak and
St. Mesrob and other fathers of the Armenian Church. In both the interpreta-
tion of the Bible and ecclesiastical ordinances the tradition of the church is regarded
as of paramount importance. Seven sacraments are accepted. Baptism is in-
variably administered by immersion, generally 8 days after birth, and is followed
immediately by the sacrament of confirmation, which is administered by anointing
with the chrism, or sacred oil, and by laying on of the hands of the officiating priest.
Holy Communion is administered in both kinds, even to infants, so that practi-
cally every baptized Armenian is also a communicant.
Auricular confession is practiced and priestly absolution is given. Every
communicant is required to present himself to the priest, even if he has no specific
sins to confess, and to obtain individual absolution, before he can receive the Holy
Communion.
Prayers for the dead are offered without any definite teaching as to the inter-
mediate state. The saints and the Blessed Virgin are venerated, but the doctrine
of the Immaculate Conception is not taught as a part of the creed.
ORGANIZATION
The government of the Armenian Church is democratic, inasmuch as every
ofiicer of the church, from the lowest to the highest, is chosen by the people.
It is at the same time strictly hierarchical, inasmuch as every minister has to be
ordained by a bishop who can trace his own commission to the Apostles through
bishops in apostolic succession. No bishop may ordain a man to the diaconate
or priesthood before the members of the church at which he is to officiate have
given their consent, and the objection of the humblest member of such a con-
gregation must be taken into consideration. Similarly, a candidate for the
episcopate must be duly elected by representatives of the whole diocese, each
church or congregation having one or more votes according to the number of
parishioners, and he must be furnished with proper credentials from the diocesan
synod before he can be consecrated by the Catholicos in Etchmiadzine. Accord-
ing to a late ruling of the Catholicos, women may vote in affairs of the parish
churches, though they are not eligible for the higher orders of the church. There
are, however, in some places deaconesses who are equal in rank with deacons,
and who, besides devoting themselves to general works of mercy and of education,
are allowed to take a limited part in the public services of the church and to
assist the priest in performing the liturgy. But this institution has not found
general favor with the Armenians, and in all other places where women are
engaged in works of mercy they do not take prominent part in the public services
of the church, nor are they invested with any sacerdotal orders.
384 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
The Catholicos of Etchmiadzine is the supreme head of all the Armenian
churches throughout the world, He is elected by both lay and ecclesiastical
representatives of all the Armenian dioceses and once was subject to approval
by the Czar of Russia. It is his exclusive privilege to consecrate bishops and to
bless the chrism, or sacred oil, used for baptism, confirmation, ordination, and
other rites. .
Next in rank come the patriarchs of Jerusalem and Constantinople, tne titular
Catholicos of Sis, and the titular Catholicos of Agthamar, each with archiepis-
copal jurisdiction, archbishops of other provinces, and bishops of dioceses. The
patriarchs are elected by their synods and were formerly subject to approval by
the Sultan. There are altogether 80 dioceses in Turkey and Transcaucasia and
4 missionary dioceses in Persia, India, Europe, and America. Many of the
dioceses in "Turkey are vacant and are governed by vicars general in priests
Although the government of the church is under the general supervision of the
Catholicos, and in certain cases of ecclesiastical ordinances and discipline his
decision is indispensable, each province is allowed to have a constitution of its
own suited to its special needs, provided that such constitution has been previously
ratified by the Catholicos. Thus, in Russia a code of laws known as the Pala-
jenia" was in use from 1836 to the recent revolution, and in Turkey the con-
stitution of 1861 is in force; while a constitution, drawn up at a general conven-
tion of representatives of all the Armenians in the United States, was duly
ratified by the Catholicos in 1902 for the government of the church in this country.
The Armenian clergy in the United States includes the following grades:
Archbishop, resident pastors, missionary priests, and deacons. Missionary
priests and deacons hold no fixed appointments, but assist the archbishop gen-
erally in supplying, so far as possible, the needs of the numerous mission stations.
In each place a committee, or an agent, is appointed who is responsible for bring-
ing to the notice of the church authorities any matter requiring their attention
and for raising the funds necessary for carrying on the work of the church.
The principal divine service is the Holy Sacrifice, or Mass, which is generally
celebrated on Sundays and feast days and is conducted with as much ritual
solemnity as possible. On week days all churches hold public services, including
hymns, psalms, and selections of Scripture, both morning and evening, and
sometimes at noon and at midnight. In this way practically the whole Bible
is read in public at least once a year, while certain portions of it, such as the Gospels
and the Psalms, are read more often. The services of the church are held wholly
in the classical Armenian language, the grammatical construction of which vanes
considerably from the modern colloquial dialect. The vocabularies, however, are
very similar, so that most educated Armenians can follow the services easily.
The Armenians, like other Orientals, used the ancient Julian calendar, which,
in the present century, is 13 days behind the new, or Gregorian calendar; but,
since November 13, 1925, by a special bull of the Catholicos, they have used the
Gregorian calendar.
WORK
Wherever Armenians have church edifices of their own, and in a few other
placee, efforts are made to teach the children their native tongue, so as to make
the services of the church and the teaching in the Sunday schools intelligible to
them, and to instruct them in the language, history, and literature of their race.
The schools are held in the halls or rooms of their churches or in the rooms rented
for religious and social work, and the teaching is absolutely gratuitous. There
are also a number of libraries in different places, well supplied with the wrorks
of standard Armenian authors and with Armenian newspapers and periodicals,
in order to offer the readers an opportunity to study their national literature and
history. Frequently, in connection with the libraries, courses of lectures on
various educational and scientific subjects are given in the Armenian language or
in English, a small fee being charged. The current expenses are small, as the
books are mostly presents, kept generally in the parish hall or in whatever other
place is rented for church services.
Numerous educational societies exist which before the World War contributed
to the support of Armenian schools in Turkey. It is claimed that there is^an
Armenian educational society named for each place in Armenia from which
enough Armenians! have come to this country to support a school in their native
place, but the actiyities of these have all been temporarily suspended since the
outbreak of the WJfld War.
CHURCH OF CHRIST (HOLINESS) U. S. A.
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification, — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of Christ (Holiness) U. S. A. for the
year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these fig-
ures between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from
schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual
churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of persons who have declared
their experience of salvation, their belief in the doctrines of this church, and
their willingness to submit to its government.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCEXT OF
TOTAL *
"Urban
Eural
Churches (local organizations), number .
106
7,379
70
2,751
4,628
594
75S
6,39S
223
10 6
91
8S
$305, 152
$269, 537
$35, 615
$3,468
20
$40, 812
46
12
12
$16,250
97
$52,901
$19, 674
$4, 2*9
$7.345
$7,886
$6, 765
$1. 615
$S96
$181
$2. 704
$1, 606
$5*0
%
S92
3, 675
48
3,535
74
1,199
2,336
51.3
323
3,208
4
9.1
39
37
} $238, 200
$212, 20G
$20, 000
$6,438
16
$39, 981
14
11
11
$15, 750
43
$38, 727
$12,936
$3,313
$4,616
$7, 215
$6,121
$068
$604
$125
$1, 806
$973
$934
41
398
!,75S
58
3,844
68
1,552
2,292
67.7
435
3,190
219
12.0
52
51
$66,946
$57,331
$9, 615
$1,313
4
$831
32
1
1
$500
54
$14,234
$6, 6S8
$976
$2, 729
$671
$544
$f,47
$2^t2
$56
$898
$633
^•"iS
F4
494
1,917
45.3
47.9
54.7
52.1
Members, number „ „ „
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
43.6
50.5
SB. 4
49.5
Pemale _
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
42.6
50 1
1-8
574
49.9
98. 2
13 years and over
4°e. net reported.
Percent under 13 years 2
Church edifices, number
Value— number reporting
Arnormt. repnrfpd
78.1
78 7
73.0
21.9
21.3
27.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Debt-— number reporting
Amount reported _ ..
98. 0
2.0
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number
Value— number reporting _
" -"*"•*"—«*
Amount reported.. __ _.
96.9
3.1
Expenditures :
C hurches reporting, number
Amount reported
74.2
660
772
628
91.5
90 5
599
67.4
69.1
66.8
60,6
25.8
34.0
22.8
37.2
8.5
9.5
40.1
32.6
30.9
33 2
m 4
Pastors* salaries - ,
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Pavment on church debt, excluding in-
terest _.,.-_
All other current expenses, including in-
terest-- -. -
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions
Foreign missions ._ - . .
To general headquarters for distribution^
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, nurtibfr ,.» i
~T*~ 6
52.2
' "an. 4
47.8
Officers and teachers _ '
Scholars - - - - 1
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
385
386
CE2STSTUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1936 and 1928. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for
comparison, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of Christ (Holi-
ness) U. S. A. for the census years 1936 and 1926.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1936 AND 1926
ITEM
1936
1926
Chiirches (local organizations), number .» ._.«_
106
82
Increase over preceding census:
Number . _ __ -
24
Percent- „_ _ . _ _ _ „ _
29.3
MeTTifrp-Ts, num'hfvr - „ , „ r „,--,.-
7,379
4,919
Increase over preceding census:
Number . .. _, _
2,460
Percent - - .- -- - - --
50 0
Av6rflgft Tn6TTib6rsih1p p?r nhurnh , r
70
60
Churcli edifices, number _ _.
91
69
Value — number reporting - - _ . .
88
68
Amount reported - -
$305. 152
$326, 850
Average value per church _ ____ __
$3,468
$4, 807
D$]-»t — Titfmhfir rapnrtiiig -
20
20
Amount reported
$40, 812
$79, 224
Parsonages, number . . _
12
11
Value — number reporting
12
11
Amount reported - ____
$16, 250
$30, 500
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
97
64
Amount reported
$52, 961
$48 968
Pastors' salaries _ .
$19, 674
All other salaries
$4, 289
Repairs and improvements _ » „
$7, 345
> $36, 532
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
$7, 886
All other current expenses, including interest
$6, 765
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$1, 615
Hnrnfl TTiifi^iOTis . ,
$896
Foreign missions
$181
I- $8, 191
To general headquarters for distribution
$2 704
All other purposes
$1, 600
Not classified
$4 245
Average expenditure per church
$546
$765
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
95
72
Officers and teachers
892
460
Scholars
3,675
2 511
State tables, — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Church of
Christ (Holiness) U. S. A. by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the
number and the membership of the churches classified according to their location
in urban or rural territory, the membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the
churches for the census years 1936 and 1926, together with the membership for
1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table
5 shows the value of churches and parsonages and the amount of church debt
for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing sepa-
rately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid
disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation
in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches
reported value and expenditures.
CHURCH OE CHEIST (HOLINESS) XT. S. A.
387
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP
BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
3
§
1
£
"ea
S
1
£
fl
5
e
S
•S?
Female
1
§,8
Ja
!«
Churches re-
porting
1|
§+*
O
60
45
CO
United States
106
48
58
7,379
3,535
3,844
2,751
4,628
59.4
95
892
3,675
25
15
40
76
265
43
24
29
295
7
35
8
30
90
1,817
157
453
25
20
221
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
3
13
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
3
5
1
25
7
25
7
7
3
35
45
131
15
10
30
218
2
21
5
23
52
1,476
72
353
8
3
242
18
4
62
100
233
19
15
54
366
11
21
3
52
80
2,264
179
599
18
9
521
2
1
1
2
1
1
2
2
12
1
1
1
2
2
46
5
8
1
1
3
11
5
15
18
21
11
11
11
100
4
10
3
12
11
458
53
94
5
5
34
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
97
145
364
34
25
84
584
13
42
8
75
132
3,740
251
952
26
12
763
97
145
364
34
25
84
426
13
42
Indiana
45.0
56.2
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
District of Columbia,
Virginia
8
158
59.6
North Carolina
Georgia
1
1
2
2
52
5
10
1
1
4
1
Florida
1
1
2
38
2
5
8
29
132
2,743
87
672
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
1
46
Tennessee
Mississippi
14
3
5
1
1
3
997
164
280
26
12
748
65.2
40.2
58.9
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
MOUNTAIN:
Nevada _. >_
1
15
46.4
PACIFIC:
California
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, 1936 AND 1926, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936 or 1926]
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1936
1926
Tinder
13 years
13 years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent un-
der 13 »
United States.
106
1
2
3
13
2
82
7,379
4,919
758
_
2
8
54
4
6,398
833
10.6
ITi
Illinois
3
3
364
25
84
584
132
571
189
321
23
72
530
128
Missouri .
District °f Colmnhfa
4
Virginia
17
4
3
25
7
6
7
7
733
123
130
1,632
287
393
538
323
9.2
3 0
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi _ __ _..
52
5
10
4
*14
3,740
251
952
763
484
470
12
69
18
48
3,089
239
815
745
436
181
13 2
4.8
1C. 8
2.4
9.9
Arkansas. _
Louisiana
38
California..
Other States
i Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
* Includes 2 churches in each of the following States — New York, Indiana, and Kentucky; and 1 in each of
the following— Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma, and Nevada.
275318 — 41-
-26
388
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHTOCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices)
STATE
Total
num-
ber of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDI-
FICES
DEBT ON
CHUECH EDI-
FICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Church-
es re-
porting
Amount
Church-
es re-
porting
Amount
Church-
es re-
porting
Amount
United States _
106
91
88
$305, 152
55, 900
81, 720
5,050
34, 600
45, 700
82, 182
20
_-
4
2
2
3
7
$40, 812
12
$16, 250
Virginia .
13
52
5
10
4
22
11
48
5
10
4
13
10
47
5
10
4
»12
5,350
731
1,074
196
3,940
29, 521
1
4
3
2
1
1
0)
4,950
3,000
0)
0)
8,300
Mississippi
Arkansas _-
[Louisiana _ . ._ .
California
Other States .
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
2 Includes 2 churches each in the States of Indiana and Kentucky, and the District of Columbia; and
1 each in the following— Ohio, Illinois, North Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Nevada.
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
United States
106
97
__
51
5
10
4
118
$52, 961
7, 695
13, 282
2,044
5,189
8,146
16, 605
S19, 674
$4, 289
87, 345
Virginia
13
52
5
10
4
22
2,173
6,546
743
2,327
2,969
4,916
623
1,003
31
366
1,052
1,214
1,414
2,011
286
965
300
2,369
Mississippi
Arkansas
Louisiana
California,.
Other States
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Pay-
ment on
church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To
general
head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
$7, 886
2,632
713
160
68
1,437
2, 876
$8, 765
SI, 615
8896
S181
—-
138
$2, 704
__
985
87
298
670
569
81, 606
11
371
36
419
430
339
Virginia.
479
932
597
333
938
3,486
198
358
69
265
153
572
37
225
35
148
197
254
Mississippi..,
Arkansas
Louisiana ...
California
Other States __ _
10
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and
the District of Columbia; and 1 in each of the following — New York, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, North Caro-
lina, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Nevada.
CHURCH OF CHRIST (HOLINESS) U. S. A. 389
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
This church was organized in 1894 by Dr. C. P. Jones, a pastor of the Taber-
nacle Baptist Church, of Selma, Ala. He was dissatisfied with his own spiritual
experiences and longed for a new faith which would make him one of wisdom's
true sons and, like Abraham, "a friend of God." After fasting and prayer, he
had a new inspiration in his work and accepted a call to another Baptist church
at Jackson, Miss., where he called a Holiness convention, inviting men who
appeared to be interested in his purposes.
The movement was at first interdenominational and antisectarian, but its
mission was misunderstood, and it finally developed into a new denomination in
1898, the original church at Jackson, Miss., being joined by others in Virginia,
North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky, under the National Convention of the
Church of Christ (Holiness) U. S. A.
DOCTRINE
This denomination stresses belief in original sin, the atonement, repentance,
justification, regeneration, sanctification, the resurrection, the second coming of
Christ, baptism by immersion, the Lord's Supper as a New Testament ordinance,
the gift of the Holy Ghost, foot washing, and divine healing. The membership
consists of persons who have declared their experience of salvation and their
belief in the doctrines of this denomination and willingness to submit to its
government.
ORGANIZATION AND WORK
The supreme authority for expressing the doctrine and making the laws of this
denomination is vested in the National Convention, which meets biennially.
This body is composed of its regular and elected officers, district chairmen and
superintendents, ordained elders, and. both elected and general delegates.
Episcopal in form of government, it elects bishops, one of whom is designated
senior bishop and is the executive head of the National Convention. At present
the national work is divided into seven dioceses, namely: Northern, Eastern,
Southeastern, Southwestern, Western, North Central, and Northwestern, each of
which is presided over by a junior bishop. This convention also elects recording,
corresponding, financial, and statistical secretaries; treasurer; one or more mis-
sionaries and evangelists; a committee on episcopacy; a general board of educa-
tion; a general mission board; and a general board of publications.
The district convention is composed of representatives of the local churches
and of their various auxiliaries, as well as all elders and licensed ministers in its
jurisdiction. It meets semiannually.
Each local church may elect a pastor, clerk, treasurer, deacons, deaconesses,
trustees, and such other officers as are necessary. The auxiliaries of the church
are the Sunday school, the Holiness Young People's Union, and the Christian
Women's Willing Workers.
Mission work, both home and foreign, is under the supervision of the general
mission board.
The general board of education has charge of all matters pertaining to educa-
tion. C. M. and I. College at Jackson, Miss., is under the supervision of this
denomination.
All church literature and publications are under the supervision of the secretary
of publications of the National Publishing Board.
The official organ of the denomination is Truth Messenger, published monthly
at the National Publishing House, Los Angeles, Calif.
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Rev. W. H. Dunn, D. D., presiding bishop of the Eastern Diocese,
Church of Christ (Holiness) U. S. A., and approved by him in its present form.
CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with, urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of Christ, Scientist, for the year 1936
is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
In the Church of Christ, Scientist, the term "member" denotes persons who
have applied for membership and have been admitted and enrolled as members.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OP STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM:
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
18.1
5.1
Churches (local organizations), number
2,113
i 268, 915
87
42,939
137,029
188,947
31.3
i 268, 915
1,600
1,544
$65, 361, 301
$63, 753, 563
$1, 607, 738
$42, 332
531
$10,124,992
896
2,076
$10, 429, 418
$3, 635, 307
$635, 649
$1,108,977
$3, 641, 411
$180, 176
$368, 589
$31, 734
$219, 492
$608, 083
$5, 024
1,742
34, 287
139, 758
1,731
173, 935
100
40,722
129,844
3,309
31.4
173,935
1,357
1,307
$63, 804, 809
$62, 279, 586
$1, 525, 223
$48, 818
467
$9, 881, 884
746
1,709
$10,057,709
$3, 499, 667
$606, 978
$1,077,396
$3, 515, 218
$171,537
$367, 143
$31,666
$209, 203
$578, 901
$5,885
1,471
32, 134
133, 176
382
9,417
25
2,217
7,185
15
30.9
9,417
243
237
$1,556,492
$1, 473, 977
$82, 515
$6, 567
64
$243, 108
150
367
$371, 709
$135, 640
$28, 671
$31, 581
$126, 193
$8, 639
$1,446
$68
$10, 289
$29, 182
$1,013
271
2,153
6,582
81.9
94.9
Members, number
Average membership per church s
Membership by sex:
Male
94.8
94.8
99.6
5.2
5.2
.4
Female
Sex not reported _ „
Males per 100 females
Membership "by age:
13 years and over - .._
94.9
84.8
84.7
97.6
97.7
94.9
5.1
15.2
15.3
2.4
2.3
5.1
Church edifices, number - -
Value — number reporting - -
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in
1936
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
87.9
97.6
83 3
82.3
96 4
96.3
95.5
97 2
96.5
95.2
99,6
99.8
95.3
95.2
12 1
2.4
16.7
17.7
3.6
3.7
4.5
2.8
3.d
4 8
.4
.2
4.7
4.8
Amount reported ..
Number reporting "no debt"
Expenditures : *
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported -
Salaries, other than pastors'
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest.
All other current expenses, including
interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc.
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribu-
tion
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
84.4
93.7
95.3
15.6
6.3
4.7
Officers and teachers . ... __
Scholars
i Includes 85,563 persons, members of The Mother Church, but not affiliated with any local church or
society and, therefore, not distributed geographically, and not reported by sex and age.
« Based upon the membership of local organizations.
* Figures include the expenditures of The Mother Church and, therefore, con tarn some duplications.
This is particularly true of the figures for benevolences and denominational support, resulting from the fact
that certain contributions made by the local organizations to The Mother Church are again counted in the
expenditures of The Mother Church.
390
CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST
391
Comparative data, 1890, 1906, 1926, and 1936. — Table 2 presents, in convenient
form for comparison, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of
Christ, Scientist, for the census years 1936, 1926, 1906, and 1890. Data for 1916
are not available.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1936, 1926, 1906, AND 1890
ITEM
1936
1926
1906
1890
Churches (local organizations), number
2 113
1 913
635
221
Increase over preceding census.
Number .. .
200
1 278
414
Percent _
10.5
201.3
187 3
Members, number _
i 208, 915
2 202, 098
3 65 717
8 724
Increase over preceding census:
Number —
66 817
136 381
56 993
Percent
33 1
207 5
653 3
Average membership per church 4
87
73
103
39
Church edifices, number _ .
1 600
1 206
253
7
Value — number reporting
1 544
1 185
253
Amount reported _
$G5, 361, 301
$69 416 744
$8, 806 441
$40, 666
Average value per church _ _ _ •
$42, 332
$58 580
$34 808
Debt — number reporting
531
411
88
Amount reported
$10, 124, 992
$9 638 400
$391 338
Expenditures: 8
Churches reporting, number
2,076
1 859
Amount reported
$10 429 418
$14, 202 116
Salaries, other than pastors'
$3, 635, 307
Repairs and improvements
$635, 649
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$1, 108, 977
$3, 641, 411
$180, 176
• $11,809,738
Home missions..
$368, 589
Foreign missions . .
$31, 734
I $2, 312, 540
To general headquarters for distribution
$219, 492
All other purposes
$608, 083
Not classified
$79, 838
Average expenditure per church
$5, 024
$7, 640
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
1,742
1,655
550
Officers and teachers
34, 287
27, 439
3,155
Scholars
139, 758
140, 566
16, 116
1 Includes 85,563 persons, members of The Mother Church but not affiliated with any local church or
society.
2 Includes 62,017 persons, members of The Mother Church but not affiliated with any local church or
society.
a Exclusive of persons (estimated at about 20,000) who were reported both as members of local organiza-
tions and also as members of The Mother Church.
* Based upon the membership of local organizations.
« See footnote 3, table 1.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Church of
Christ, Scientist, by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table
4 gives for each State the number and membership of the churches for the three
census years 1936, 1926, and 1906. Table 5 shows the value of church edifices
and the debt on such property for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church ex-
penditures, showing separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc.
392
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBEB AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BT SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVI-
SION AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
HEMBEBSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
1
EH
!
&
?
S
I
1
S
2
S
»2
1
42
13
S
cb
Td
•g-2
fl 3
g0
03
Males per 100
females
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States-
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
2,113
25
20
14
79
6
25
157
67
78
96
79
132
99
71
50
55
61
11
18
36
65
1
12
14
S
20
5
14
40
14
10
15
12
15
14
52
69
24
19
14
39
11
16
6
7
96
50
268)
1,731
11
13
72
5
19
139
56
75
90
72
120
82
61
44
44
55
10
14
25
51
1
10
4
12
8
19
K
12
34
13
10
14
12
13
14
47
63
16
15
7
28
9
13
5
4
51
35
190
382
1 268, 915
173, 935
9,417
42, 989
137. 029
i 88, 947
31 3
1,742
34, 287
139, 758
14
•
6
18
11
3
fi
12
17
10
6
11
6
1
4
11
14
1,152
736
386
8,416
847
2,111
15, 875
4,963
6,534
12, 247
6,737
21,512
9,183
5,094
4,973
3,325
6,931
312
599
2,105
2,887
152
1,357
1,826
845
576
692
181
1,144
2,819
1,185
1,404
643
376
623
1,198
3,373
4,972
1,128
701
429
3,088
326
558
559
168
6,445
3,752
25,907
824
640
272
8,106
813
1,921
15, 351
4,608
6,088
12, 104
6,574
21,290
8,844
4,945
4,865
3,191
6,751
299
541
1,913
2,653
152
1,318
1,826
766
576
682
181
1,119
2,676
1,170
1,404
616
376
589
1,198
3,295
4,835
977
633
301
2,888
300
513
551
118
5,514
3,426
23,342
328
96
114
233
161
64
1,924
217
545
3,951
1,305
1,791
2,952
1,658
5,386
2,188
1,257
1,230
813
1,582
74
129
492
588
60
364
357
171
142
177
33
264
675
270
374
115
74
116
246
789
1,237
256
124
67
673
62
83
151
39
1,673
736
5,071
919
575
284
5,783
630
1,566
11, 924
3,658
4,651
8,505
5,024
15, 983
6,959
3,777
3,678
2,512
5,349
238
470
1,613
2,171
92
993
1,469
672
424
515
107
880
2,144
915
1,030
503
302
490
952
2,584
3,723
872
577
362
2,397
264
295
408
129
4,235
2,974
20,452
25 4
28 0
22 5
33.3
34.4
348
33.1
35.7
38.5
34.7
33.0
33.7
31.4
33.3
33.4
32.4
29.6
31.1
27 4
30.5
27.1
(a)
36 7
24.3
25 4
33.5
34 4
30.8
30.0
31.5
29.5
36 3
22.9
24.5
23.7
25.8
30.5
33.2
29.4
21 5
18 5
28 1
23.5
28.1
37.0
30.2
39 5
24.7
24.8
22
15
12
73
25
137
60
63
86
64
110
85
57
44
44
50
8
15
31
50
1
8
4
10
6
16
3
12
34
-<),
~9
12
10
12
8
39
54
20
11
9
32
8
10
3
5
67
38
233
151
88
56
1,533
94
452
2,785
980
1,099
1,851
976
3,344
1,758
838
760
560
991
44
119
343
1,159
16
202
244
143
47
136
19
159
586
1*5
164
98
65
92
117
451
841
178
97
91
457
67
158
26
36
1,299
535
7,837
565
252
173
6,170
532
1.644
11, 744
4,137
4,090
8,754
3,876
14, 332
6,934
4,146
2,905
1,895
4,819
125
443
1,017
6,176
90
721
1,192
467
160
447
45
641
2,268
547
535
357
193
368
423
1,621
3,155
824
267
349
1,748
216
586
79
116
4,413
2,384
30, 817
New Hamp-
shir©
Verm out
38
709
Massachusetts. _
Rhode Island—
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
310
34
190
524
355
446
143
163
222
339
149
108
134
180
13
58
192
234
~~"39
"~~79
.....
"""25
143
15
"~~27
34
New Jersey
Pennsyl vania__ _
E N. CENTRAL:
Ohio
92
790
55
143
36
60
65
Indiana . -
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
W. N. CENTRAL
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota. _
South Dakota...
Nebraska
~"~"l28
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
Dist.ofColumMa
Virginia-
...
6
1
"I
2
"5
6
8
4
7
11
2
3
1
3
45
15
78
2
10
West Virginia „_
North Carolina.
South Carolina.
Georgia
41
Florida
E. S CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama-
25
Mississippi
W. S. CENTRAL:
Arkansas
17
Louisiana
Oklahoma
78
137
151
6S
128
200
26
45
8
50
931
326
2,565
Texas
12
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
Wyoming
Colorado—
18
New Mexico
Arizona . .
180
Utah
Nevada
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
537
42
384
California
* Includes 85,563 members of The Mother Church, not affiliated with any local church or society, and
therefore not distributed geographically and not reported by sex.
* Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
CHURCH OF CHEIST, SCIENTIST
393
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, BY STATES, 1936, 1926,
AND 1906
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
1936
1926
1000
3930
1936
1906
United States., .
2,113
1,913
635
14
7
6
33
3
10
51
12
25
34
25
54
33
29
20
34
20
3
8
18
31
/ 1
\ 2
2
3
4
1
7
6
4
5
3
2
3
1
10
16
6
3
i 268, 915
2 202, 098
3 65, 717
384
431
144
3 23, 547
234
521
5,671
540
1,551
2,582
1,931
5,675
1,580
1,704
2,387
1,485
2,644
139
237
994
1,131
f 74
\ 223
347
175
74
110
23
397
171
137
337
94
92
82
63
391
796
213
119
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine —
25
20
14
79
6
25
157
67
78
96
79
132
99
71
50
55
61
11
18
36
65
1
12
4
14
8
20
5
14
40
14
10
15
12
15
14
52
69
24
* 19
14
39
11
16
6
7
96
50
268
23
22
12
72
5
26
141
54
64
90
80
123
87
70
43
60
57
15
16
38
63
} ;
12
8
14
4
12
37
15
9
13
11
15
8
37
53
21
23
12
41
9
12
5
9
78
48
235
1,152
736
386
8,416
847
2,111
15, 875
4,963
6,534
12,247
6,737
21, 512
9,183
5,094
4,973
3,325
6,931
312
599
2,105
2,887
152
1,357
1,826
845
576
692
181
1,144
2,819
1,185
1,404
643
376
623
1,198
3,373
4,972
1,128
701
429
3,088
326
558
559
168
6,445
3,752
25, 907
Sll
702
310
8,536
580
1,517
11,530
3,190
4,776
9,477
5,514
16, 763
6,338
4,035
4,430
3,171
5,979
411
528
2,085
2,719
} 990
1,257
616
477
492
124
809
2,024
844
1,064
542
263
506
788
2,118
3,296
926
771
359
2,948
228
335
601
ISO
4,773
2,893
16,355
New Hampshire -
Vermont
Massachusetts _
Rhode Island
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey ..
Pennsylvania . .
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan... _
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota... . . ._
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota . ...
South Dakota .... .
Nebraska ,
"Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia- _.
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina _ .
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky..
Tennessee
Alabama _ . .
Mississippi - . - ~-
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas - ... ... ...
Louisiana . ..
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana., ,
Idaho
M^yomins
Colorado - - - -
20
1,489
New !Me^ico
Arizona
3
5
78
452
Utah -
Nevada
PACIFIC:
Washington
14
8
35
924
591
2,753
Oregon
California --
i Includes 85,563 persons, members of The Mother Church, not distributed by States.
» Includes 62,017 persons, members of The Mother Church, not distributed by States.
* Exclusive of persons (estimated at about 20,000) who were reported both as members of a local church
or society and also as members of The Mother Church.
394
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5* — VA.LTJE OF CHURCHES JLND AMOUNT OP CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GBOGBAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total
number
of churches
Number
of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHUECH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHUECH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States. _ -
2,113
1,600
1,544
17
13
8
60
4
19
121
51
49
61
64
90
64
56
34
38
45
8
15
27
49
1
6
4
7
6
12
3
10
33
11
8
7
10
11
10
35
55
17
18
7
32
5
6
5
2
74
40
216
$85, 361, SOI
267, 000
378, 773
154,500
5, 100, 250
311, 947
917, 521
11,241,942
1, 791, 934
2,445,930
4,829,006
2,063,060
5,846,031
2,392,878
2,068,924
1, 2S9, 76s
827, 881
3, 595, 130
34, 200
198, 800
437, 090
582, 960
|- 1518,685
955, 142
203, 335
224, 580
143, 464
26, 640
247, 800
1,451,315
659, 532
265, 500
116, 427
60, 538
87, 147
292, 517
477, 335
1, 197, 454
256, 130
102, 000
53, 672
1,031,516
35, 425
192, 120
• 1172,700
1,184,206
1,047,143
7,583,453
531
$10, 124, 992
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
25
20
14
79
6
25
157
67
78
96
79
132
99
71
50
55
61
11
18
36
65
1
12
4
14
8
20
5
14
40
14
10
15
12
15
14
52
69
24
19
14
39
11
16
6
7
95
.50
268
20
14
8
61
5
21
126
51
49
64
65
95
66
58
35
42
46
9
15
28
52
I
6
4
9
6
12
3
10
34
11
9
7
10
12
10
37
59
18
18
7
33
7
6
5
2
74
40
220
7
2
1
15
3
7
61
29
31
26
24
19
16
19
5
5
14
1
1
4
14
(
34, 105
5,799
13, 480
186, 202
30, 825
63, 480
2, 590, 587
383, 447
447, 597
801, 914
503, 594
170, 644
247,022
359, 781
SO, 850
135, 956
674, 477
1,900
1,000
52, 110
116, 623
N?>w Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut -
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania - .-
EAST NORTH CENTKAL:
Ohio,-
Indiana
Illinois -~ --..- ...
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTBAL.
Minnesota .. - ---
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska .. _» ..
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
I 4
3
4
6
5
1
3
10
7
3
2
4
2
5
7
23
6
3
3
5
3
2
64, 600
284, 789
14, 910
70, 916
18, 827
63
12,750
371,419
200, 169
35, 887
6,650
6,015
4,090
82,734
47, 604
9flfi eys;
District of Columbia
Virginia
West Virginia ...
North Carolina.—
South Carolina
Georgia..
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky -
Tenflfisse^. -__-..-, -...„
Alabama
Mississippi . -__
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
55, 162
8,616
5,468
38, 580
7,402
11, 800
Idaho _ _ _.
Wyoming
Colorado
New Mexico.. ... .
Arizona
Utah
Nevada .. ,. -
1 1
21
13
81
500
145, 013
284,767
1, 238, 233
PACIFIC:
Washington ,
Oregon
California, ._
1 Amount for Delaware combined with figures for Maryland, and, also the amount for Nevada with
Utah, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
CHUECH OF CHBISTj SCIENTIST 395
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total num-
ber of
churches
EXPENDITURES 1
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Salaries,
other than
pastors'
Eepairs
and im-
provements
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
United States _
2.113
25
20
14
79
6
25
157
67
78
96
79
132
99
71
50
55
61
11
18
36
65
1
12
4
14
8
20
5
14
40
14
10
15
12
15
14
52
69
24
19
14
39
11
16
6
7
96
50
268
2,076
25
20
14
78
5
25
156
66
77
95
77
130
98
69
50
54
61
11
18
36
61
1
12
4
13
8
19
5
14
37
13
10
14
12
15
14
51
65
24
19
13
39
11
16
6
7
95
46
267
$10, 429, 418
45, 248
30, 376
20, 808
1, 636, 410
42, 556
130, 087
1, 266, 655
301, 184
416, 505
576,166
253, 699
954, 103
386, 184
221, 161
169, 678
118,400
332, 517
11,899
21,892
63, 935
111,874
|- * 70, 418
130, 576
34, 898
30, 188
26, 144
6,819
38, 074
171, 557
44, 601
30, 772
21,464
12, 829
19, 554
45, 843
106, 581
190, 837
57, 310
30, 293
12, 762
105, 197
13, 197
24, 994
14, 244
26, 008
245, 869
157, 853
1, 649, 199
$3, 635, 307
8335, 649
•„,; :
3,095
2,531
6,859
115, 244
1,508
11,834
46,310
19, 883
28, 106
28, 958
14, 384
71, 568
20, 643
27, 028
9,735
5,905
19,8(59
2,712
1,139
2,344
19,434
1, 634
13, 539
1,398
4,801
2,098
476
2,728
9,245
1,582
2,911
1,085
465
785
6,033
10, 744
6,994
730
1,972
144
4,653
916
2,274
976
233
18, 014
4,856
75, 284
81, 108, 977
1,976
1,250
55
21, 558
5,395
3,370
172, 630
33, 504
84, 231
122, 535
31, 733
83, 175
51, 137
17,292
8,804
16,950
44, 542
187
100
6,172
6,318
3,450
27, 915
5,761
3,066
2,972
1,020
500
56, 062
2,272
1,300
1,300
4,019
701
5,634
14, 030
23,248
20, 797
4,914
1,221
5,525
1,532
3,032
NEW ENGLAND,
Maine --
17,367
13, 672
5,065
646, 352
15, 147
51, 641
448, 951
101,153
115, 590
156,531
75, 281
357, 467
141,863
77, 864
53, 454
35, 115
98, 637
3,863
8,517
24, 627
29, 840
25, 581
28, 575
13, 793
8,677
8,727
1,833
15,164
36,152
17, 077
12, 246
7,3^6
3,031
5,679
11,639
35, 455
61,416
16,360
10, 335
4,925
44, 931
3,590
9,512
6,708
15, 157
81, 301
56, 089
616, 211
New Hampshire.. _ _.
Vermont
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut- _
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania ._ _.
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL
Minnesota -
Iowa.
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC.
Delaware
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia
West Virginia ..
North Carolina - _. .-
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL
Kentucky .
Tennessee _ _.
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana _„ _ .
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
Wyoming -.
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
Utah
Nevada -
1,000
27, 229
12, 099
165, 464
PACIFIC:
Washington -
Oregon
California ....
i Figures include the expenditures of The Mother Church and therefore contain some duplications.
This is particularly true of the figures for benevolences and denominational support, resulting from the feet
that -certain ^contributions made by the local organizations to The Mother Church are again counted in
^Tmou^ figures for Maryland, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any tadl-
vidual church.
396 CENSUS 01? RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
GEOGBAPEIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES i— continued
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local relief
and chanty
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To general
headquar-
ters
All other
purposes
United States
$3,641,411
8180, 176
$388, 539
145
531, 734
S219, 482
S608, 083
3,391
1,013
1,009
91, 445
12, 235
5,292
67, 912
13, 515
19, 008
25, 356
15,083
54, 642
14, 303
9,380
28, 726
2,097
25, 292
100
2,154
9,793
3,778
8,359
2,151
1,475
137
1,470
722
236
3,198
448
2,320
2, 516
584
2,524
1,933
5,009
8, 933
2,695
2,394
828
4,836
2,229
3,887
36
3,600
7,679
15, 269
117, 091
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
17,423
10, 298
7,113
381,923
7 278
831
833
311
21, 903
704
2,688
24, 857
2,429
7,355
6,525
3,638
16, 279
9,959
1,005
2,022
1,344
2,480
78
254
955
895
753
2,423
935
831
4S4
77
446
2,893
276
531
144
160
440
597
2,382
211
250
43
786
350
468
3TO
2,550
8,440
1,816
43, 962
1,020
779
396
9,722
289
3,351
32, 943
7,590
8,983
12, 446
3,243
17, 821
9,978
3,364
3,356
1, 864
6, 864
218
524
903
1,314
1,638
5,857
515
219
854
32
842
5, ."560
217
484
608
291
195
1,708
1,979
5,923
735
773
395
2,121
145
529
343
Now llanipshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
322, 068
26, 195
C onnGCticut
50, 773
465, 226
122, 408
152, 058
221, 937
109, 718
346, 120
131, 080
84,439
62, 956
54, 767
133, 328
4,741
9,199
19,116
50, 253
\ 229,003
50, 116
11,021
12, 457
9,539
2,659
18, 122
58, 120
20, 827
10, 980
8,465
4,279
8, 443
IS, 456
35, 007
75, 480
15, 9S2
9,518
4,907
42, 173
4,435
5,292
5,871
3,468
97, 969
63, 482
573, 180
1,138
5,707
702
1,174
1,696
619
4,383
7,215
789
625
358
1, 515
MIDDLE ATLANTIC-
New York. __
2,119
Nsw Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NOETH CENTRAL.
Ohio
182
Indiana
Illinois,-. _
2,648
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
5
25
42
Nebraska,
Klansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC
Delaware -
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virgin i«i
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia. .
36
327
1,902
Florida .
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Kentucky.. , . ,.
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL
Arkansas
513
441
Louisiana
Oklahoma
3,760
6,461
Texas
MpTJNTAIN'
Montana
Idaho
120
299
172
17
Wyoming
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
Utah
Nevada
PACIFIC:
Washington .
705
974
5,114
4,532
3,268
52, 761
Oregon . ,
California
132
1 Figures include the expenditures of The Mother Church and therefore contain some duplications. This
is particularly true of the figures for benevolences and denominational support, resulting from the fact that
certain contributions made by the local organizations to The Mother Church are again counted in ex-
penditures of The Mother Church.
3 Amount for Delaware combined with figures for Maryland, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any
individual church.
OHU'RCH OF CHBI'ST, SOIENTISlT 397
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
Christian Science is the religion founded by Mary Baker Eddy and represented
by the Church of Christ, Scientist. The Christian Science denomination was
founded by Mrs. Eddy at Boston in 1879, following her discovery of this religion
at Lynn, Mass., in 1866, and her issuing of its textbook, Science and Health with
Key to the Scriptures, in 1875.
For many years prior to 1866 Mrs. Eddy observed and studied mental causes
and effects. Profoundly religious, she was disposed to attribute causation to
God and to regard Him as divine Mind. In that year, she recovered almost
instantly from a severe injury after reading an account of healing in the Gospel
according to Matthew. The discovery of what she named Christian Science
ensued from this incident. As she has said, "I knew the Principle of all harmoni-
ous Mind-action to be God, and that cures were produced in primitive Christian
healing by holy, uplifting faith; but I must know the Science of this healing, and
I won my way to absolute conclusions through divine revelation, reason, and
demonstration." (Science and Health, p. 109.)
As her discovery developed in her thought, Mrs. Eddy demonstrated its im-
portance to mankind by many cases of healing and by teaching which equipped
students for successful practice. In due course, a distinct church became neces-
sary to facilitate cooperation and unity between Christian Scientists, to present
Christian Science to all people, and to maintain the purity of its teachings and
practice. Accordingly, she and her followers organized the Church of Christ,
Scientist, "to commemorate the words and works of our Master" and to "reinstate
primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing." (Church Manual, p. 17.)
Mrs. Eddy passed away in 1910. Until then, she had initiated every step in
the progress of Christian Science. Although the organic law of the Christian
Science movement, its Church Manual, confers adequate powers upon an adminis-
trative board, The Christian Science Board of Directors, yet this board always
had functioned under her supervision. Mrs. Eddy's demise, therefore, tested the
Church Manual as an organic law in the absence of its author, but it has fulfilled
the most confident expectations. The period since 1910 has been the most fruitful
and prosperous in the history of Christian Science.
The primary source of information about Christian Science is Mrs. Eddy's
book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, first published in 1875 and
occasionally revised "only to give a clearer and fuller expression of its original
meaning." This book received from the author its final revision in 1907. Mrs.
Eddy is the author of other books on Christian Science, published from 1886 to
1913, which are collected in her Prose Works Other Than Science and Health and
her Poetical Works. Her writings can be found in many public libraries and in all
Christian Science reading rooms.
DOCTRINE
Christian Science is a religious teaching and practice based on the words and
works of Christ Jesus, which is applicable to health for the same reasons that the
Christian religion originally was. As defined by Mrs. Eddy, the religion she
founded is "divine metaphysics"; it is "the scientific system of divine healing";
it is "the law of God, the law of good, interpreting and demonstrating the divine
Principle and rule of universal harmony." (Science and Health, pp. Ill, 123;
Rudimental Divine Science, p. 1.)
The theology of Christian Science begins with the propositions that God is
"All-in-all"; He is the "Divine Principle of all that really is." To define God
further, it employs frequently the word "good," besides such terms as Life,
Truth, Love, and Mind, Soul, Spirit. Next to God, the name of Jesus and
references to him occur most frequently in the authorized literature of Christian
Science. Concerning Jesus Christ and His relation to God and man, Christian
Science distinguishes between what is in the New Testament and what is in the
creeds, doctrines, and dogmas of later times. Accordingly, Christian Scientists
* This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Clifford P. Smith, editor of the bureau of history and records of The First
Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Mass., and approved by him in its present form.
398 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
speak of Him oftenest as the Master or the "Way-shower," and they regard the
atonement, His chief work, as "the exemplification of man's unity with God*
whereby man reflects divine Truth. Life, and Love." (Science and Health,
p. 18.)
The most distinctive feature of Christian Science teaching is its absolute
distinction between what is real and what is apparent or seeming, but unreal.
This distinction Mrs. Eddy explains, for instance, as follows: "All reality is in
God and His creation, harmonious and eternal. That which He creates is good,
and He makes all that is made. Therefore the only reality of sin, sickness, or
death is the awful fact that unrealities seem real to human, erring belief, until
1od strips off their disguise. They are not true, because they are not of God."
(Science and Health, p. 472.)
Contrary to common misapprehension, Christian Science does not ignore what
it regards as unreal. This religion teaches its adherents to forsake and overcome
every form of error or evil on the basis of its unreality; that is, by demonstrating
the true idea of reality. This it teaches them to do by means of spiritual law and
spiritual power.
In this connection, Christian Science maintains that the truth of being — the
truth concerning God and man — includes a rule for its practice and a law by which
its practice produces effects. To a certain extent Jesus declared this rule and law
when he said, "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free"
(John vin, 32) . Accordingly, for an individual to gain his freedom from any form
of error or evil, he should know the truth, the absolute truth of being, applicable
to his case; and Christian Science further teaches that this practice is effective when
employed by one individual for another, because such is the unity of real being
and such is the law of God. For these reasons, evidently Jesus could and did
declare the possibility of Christian healing in unlimited terms. (See Matthew
x, 5-10 and xxvm, 16-20; Mark xyi, 14-18; John xiv, 12.)
The practice of Christian Science is not merely mental; it must be also spiritual.
Indeed, it is truly mental only as it is absolutely spiritual. The nonspiritual
elements in the so-called human mind do not contribute to harmony or to health.
The practitioner must know or realize spiritually, and his ability to do this is
derived from the divine Mind. Therefore, he must agree with the Teacher and
Way-shower, who said, "I can of mine own self do nothing" (John v, 30), and he
must prepare for the healing ministry and keep himself in condition for it by
living the life of a genuine Christian. The practice of Christian Science is not
limited, as is commonly supposed, to the healing of the sick. On the contrary,
Christian Scientists regard their religion as applicable to practically every human
need.
Membership in this denomination is limited to those applicants who are at
least 12 years of age; not members of any other denomination; of Christian char-
acter; and who believe in and understand Christian Science according to the
teaching and tenets in its textbook Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.
ORGANIZATION
Since its reorganization in 1892, the denomination has consisted of the Christian
Science Mother Church, the proper name of which is The First Church of Christ,
Scientist, in Boston, Mass., and branch churches or branch societies at all places
where there are enough adherents for a local organization. A branch church is
called First Church of Christ, Scientist, of its city or town, or is called Second
Church of Christ, Scientist, of that place, and so on. A society is the beginning
of a church, and is called Christian Science Society of its locality.
Viewed in another way, The Mother Church consists of members who consti-
tute the local congregation in Boston and of members who reside in other places
throughout the world, either where there are branch organizations or where there
are not. Thus, on December 31, 1936, The Mother Church had 255,563 members,
of whom 222,067 were in the United States (not including Canal Zone, Alaska,
Hawaii, and Philippine Islands) and 33,496 were in these possessions and in other
countries. At the same time, The Mother Church had 136,504 members in the
United States (as defined above) who were members of branch organizations. At
approximately the same time, 2,113 of the branch organization? in the United
States had 183,352 members of whom 136,504 were members of The Mother
Church and 46,848 were not. Therefore, at the end of 1936, there were in the
United States (as defined above) 268,915 persons who were enrolled as members
in the Christian Science denomination, or Church of Christ. Scientist.
GHUKCH: OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST 399
At the same time, there were enrolled in the Sunday schools of this denomina-
tion in the United States 139,758 pupils not more than 20 years of age, of whom
comparatively few were members of the church. The number of Christian Science
practitioners listed in The Christian Science Journal (official organ of The Mother
Church) was 10,994. In a sense, the Christian Science church can be said to
include a large number of persons who believe in Christian Science and attend its
services, or study the Bible with Mrs. Eddy's writings, but are not yet admitted
to membership; and the number of adherents who are not members is estimated
as exceeding the number who are.
The officers of The Mother Church consist of The Christian Science Board of
Directors, a president, the first and second readers, a clerk, and a treasurer. The
governing body of the denomination is The Christian Science Board of Directors,
but each branch church has its own self-government.
The lesson-sermon, which constitutes the principal part of the Sunday services
in Christian Science churches, is prepared by a committee connected with The
Mother Church and is read in every church by two readers who read alternately,
the first reader from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, the second
reader from the Bible.
A Wednesday evening testimony meeting, conducted by the first reader, is like-
wise held, at which are given the testimonies of those who have been healed and
reformed by Christian Science. In addition to Sunday and Wednesday meetings,
the churches of this denomination provide public lectures on Christian Science
which are delivered by lecturers appointed by The Mother Church.
Besides Sunday schools for children, the educational system of the Christian
Science denomination includes the teaching of classes composed of adult students.
This is done by authorized teachers who have been instructed and certified for this
purpose by The Mother Church's Board of Education.
All of the activities of the Christian Science denomination are intended to
promote spiritualization of thought, together with the innumerable results thereof
which include Christian healing. In the healing of the sick, practiced for the
benefit of particular persons, the service rendered by healers or practitioners is
regarded as an individual ministry, subject only to a degree of regulation by the
church. The efficacy of Christian Science as a practical religion is attested by a
constantly increasing multitude of witnesses who can speak from personal
experience.
The following are the principal publications of The Christian Science Publishing
Society: The Christian Science Journal (a monthly in English including directories
of churches and practitioners) ; the Christian Science Quarterly (containing cita-
tions from the Bible and from the Christian Science textbook for Sunday services
and study, and published in English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Norwegian,
Swedish, and revised Braille) ; the Christian Science Sentinel (a weekly in English) ;
The Herald of Christian Science (a monthly and quarterly in French, German,
Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, and Braille); and The Christian Science
Monitor (an international daily newspaper including articles on Christian Science
translated into many languages) .
CHURCH OF GOD
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with, -urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of God for the year 1936 is presented in
table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and
rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to
the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate
to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons, including
children, who are enrolled in the local churches upon profession of faith and
evidence of a Christian life.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Eural
Churches (local organizations), number. „ ,
1,081
44, 818
41
13, 803
30, 943
72
44.6
1,198
38,896
4,724
3.0
719
683
$954, 962
$766, 483
$188,479
$1, 398
197
$141, 842
270
203
177
$134, 495
1,011
$568, 030
$303, 285
$30, 920
$38, 387
$49, 055
$53, 670
$8,446
$11, 812
$11, 668
$33, 348
$27, 439
$562
884
6,668
52. 206
336
18, 564
55
5,713
12, 851
745
26, 254
35
8,090
18, 092
72
44.7
652
22, 721
2,881
2 8
487
466
$502, 736
$410, 195
$92, 541
$1,079
108
$62,486
190
120
103
$64, 645
688
$265, 681
$143, 582
$15, 473
$20, 863
$20, 899
$19, 882
$3, 236
$5,867
$6, 360
$16, 339
$13, 180
$386
579
4,126
29.947
31.1
41.4
68.9
58.6
Members, number - « -
Average membership per churcli
Membership by sex:
Male
41.4
41.5
58.6
58.5
Female
Sex not reported . __
M0,lftK per 100 females
44.5
546
16, 175
1,843
3. 3
232
217
$452, 226
$356, 288
$95, 938
$2, 084
89
$79, 356
80
83
74
$69,850
323
$302, 349
$159, 703
$15,447
$17, 524
$28, 156
$33, 788
$5, 210
$5, 945
$5, 308
$17, 009
$14, 259
$936
305
2,542
22. 259
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
45 6
41.6
39.0
54 4
58.4
61.0
13 years and. over
Age not reported _ _ -
Percent under 13 years 2
ClxTircli edifices, number
32 3
31 8
47.4
46.5
50.9
67.7
68.2
52.6
53.5
49.1
Value— -number reporting -
Amount reported . . _
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, m 1936 _
Average value per church -- - _ -
Debt — number reporting
45 2
55.9
29.6
40.9
41 8
51 9
31 9
53 2
52 7
50 0
45.7
57.4
63.0
61.7
50.3
45.5
51 0
52.0
54.8
44 1
70 4
59.1
58.2
48.1
68.1
46 8
47 3
50 0
54 3
42.6
37.0
38 3
49.7
54.5
49.0
48.0
Amount reported
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported . - . - - . .
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number __ _ _ . ,.
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries . . ._ .
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest _
All other current expenses, including in-
terest , „ _.__.,
Local relief and chanty, Eed Cross, etc.,.
Home missions
Foreign missions - » -
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes _
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
34.5
38.1
42.6
65.5
61.9
57.4
Officers and teachers. _ . .
Scholars _ . _
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Based on membership with age classification reported.
400
CHURCH OF GOB
401
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
1
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
11
75
519
26
122
1,114
6
34
288
5
35
300
7
35
| 461
1
7
40
6
40
219
19
87
653
5
27
248
Officers and teachers
Scholars
57 8
42 2
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
28 7
41 4
71.3
58 6
Scholars .
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number .
Officers and teachers
Scholars
13 9
86.1
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1916-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of God for the census
years 1936, 1926, and 1916. In 1916 this body was reported under the name
of Churches of God, General Assembly.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1916 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
Churches (local organizations), number
1,081
644
202
Increase over preceding census:
Number
437
442
Percent
G7.9
218.8
Members, number
44, 81b
23, 247
7,784
Increase over preceding census:
Number
21, 571
15, 463
Percent .. _ - . _
92.8
198.7
Average membership per church , _ _„ .
41
36
39
Church edifices, number « _. -
719
379
122
Value — number reporting
683
373
122
Amount reported . > ._
$954, 962
$718, 329
$73, 283
Average value per church
$1, 398
$1,926
$601
Debt — number reporting _„
197
119
31
Amount reported
$141,842
$85, 885
$6, 639
Parsonages, number -- .. . ..
203
Value — number reporting « , _ _
177
50
4
Amount reported
$134, 495
$58, 075
$3, 000
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
1,011
471
149
Amount reported .. . - _--- _.,„„-.-.-
$568, 030
$290, 981
$32, 090
Pastors' salaries
$303, 285
All other salaries .
$30, 920
1
Repairs and improvements
$38, 387
I $241,505
$22, 715
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
$49, 055
All other current expenses, including interest -- - -
$53, 670
j
Local relief and charity. Red Cross, etc __
$8,446
Home missions
$11,812
Foreign missions
$11. 668
$44, 972
$5,807
To general headquarters for distribution _. _
$33, 348
All other purposes __.
$27,439
Not classified . .___
$4,504
$3, 568
Average expenditure per church
$562
$618
$215
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number . __ _ ,_
884
429
142
Officers and teachers
6,668
2,644
740
Scholars _ — _.
52,206
21, 377
6,475
402
CENSUS OF KELJGIOT7S BODIES, 1936
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Church of God
by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and membership of
the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory, mem-
bership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives for selected
States the number and membership of the churches for the three census years 1916
to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of
age" and "13 years of age and over/' Table 5 shows the value of churches and
parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents,
for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, im-
provements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics
of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those
States in which three or more churches reported value and expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEM-
BERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
I
1
P
"=3
I
"3
o
B
i
,0
£
A
5
cs
S
p2
1
2
C3 o
a
1
Males per 100
females *
1 Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States.
1,081
336
t
745
44, 818
18, 564
131
10
26, 254
23
IS, 803
60
30, 943
72
44.6
884
6,668
52, 206
161
15
15
16
1,574
2,009
372
1,964
708
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
6
154
10
8
1,210
1,741
586
1,598
570
SO
839
415
270
176
90
356
32
1,159
3,004
3,378
3,289
4,029
4,245
2,640
4,230
4,071
1,659
716
705
899
1,990
106
20
ISO
53
15
281
94
e
1
1
1
29
28
7
28
12
29
6
6
8
262
222
56
237
85
New Hampshire
ACassschusetts
,
I
Q
y
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New Jersey
1
16
13
14
8
653
361
364
461
99
7
1
425
570
153
466
193
2
30
278
155
111
53
33
115
12
331
907
1,031
1,049
1,223
1,260
751
1,204
1,293
574
200
208
282
596
41
5
52
15
3
116
785
1,171
407
1,119
377
5
50
561
260
159
123
57
241
20
828
2,097
2,347
2,240
2,806
2,985
1,889
3,026
2,778
1,052
516
497
617
1,394
65
15
128
38
12
165
Pennsylvania
30
31
14
557
1, 380
222
1,137
471
"""§6
351
107
67
133
33
227
32
377
677
1,533
1,893
1,417
2,216
725
1,640
1,010
188
62
202
377
848
71
20
109
53
201
~~26
13
54.1
48.7
37.6
41.6
51.2
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
18
18
8
Indiana
8
32
12
Illinois
Michigan
4
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
1
Iowa
2
2
2
19
9
5
5
3
6
1
29
57
80
49
70
94
47
72
83
33
13
19
17
41
3
1
5
1
1
7
15
135
53
37
41
22
58
1
191
436
605
366
479
788
336
577
586
229
111
140
148
286
19
7
34
7
4
46
70
1,001
283
323
245
83
325
40
1,611
3,450
6,242
4,949
3,478
5,345
2,725
4,686
4,172
1,320
503
831
95*
1,934
133
40
190
50
20
367
Missouri
20
10
6
4
8
1
38
81
88
53
107
107
70
84
95
44
22
21
19
51
3
1
<5
2
1
1
]
r
3
1
8
10
31
19
29
39
12
25
20
4
3
5
8
21
2
1
2
2
13
9
4
1
2
"16
71
57
34
78
68
58
59
75
40
19
16
11
30
1
"~4
~"l
3
488
308
203
43
57
129
""782
2,327
1,845
1,396
2,612
2,029
1,915
2,590
3,061
1,471
654
503
522
1,142
35
::::
49 6
59 6
69. S
43 1
North Dakota
South Dakota
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland _ .
....
47.7
District of Columbia
Virginia
40.0
43 3
43 9
46 8
43.6
42.2
39.8
39.8
46.5
54.6
38.8
41.9
45.7
42.8
West Virginia
North Carolina .„
South Carolina .
Georgia _ _
~~33
Florida . .
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee ...
Alabama .
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas ___
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas. ..
MOUNTAIN:
Montana -
Wyoming- _
New Mexico
71
40.6
Arizona -
Utah .
15
80
PACDPIC:
California
9
6
70.3
1 Ratio not shovn where number of females is less than 100.
OltUECH OF GOD
403
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBEESHIP OF CHUHCHES, 1916 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, or 1916]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1036
1926
1918
1936
1926
1916
Under
13 years
13 years
and
over
Age not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13 i
United States
1,081
644
202
44, 818
23, 247
7,784
1,198
38, 898
4,724
8.0
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine..
6
154
1,210
1,741
586
1,598
570
839
415
270
176
90
356
1,159
3,004
3,378
3,289
4,029
4,245
2,640
4,230
4,071
1,659
716
705
899
1,990
106
180
281
232
3
36
36
7
13
30
15
6
12
5
3
22
33
120
64
109
135
66
24
97
86
42
42
19
56
88
151
1,067
1,510
160
1,507
540
742
361
239
165
68
290
1,026
2,696
2,966
2,961
3,714
3,727
2,234
3,246
3,547
1,436
605
668
843
1,815
66
150
210
186
1 9
3.3
2.3
4.2
.9
5.3
2.0
1.6
4.8
2.9
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
30
31
8
32
12
20
10
5
8
20
4
24
6
15
2
157
847
299
1,257
198
434
109
107
195
419
78
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
3
1
1
58
57
136
Indiana
Illinois _„
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
82
48
19
6
19
44
100
188
348
219
180
452
382
887
438
181
69
18
North Dakota
South Dakota
Kansas
6
4
2
78
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland . _ _
8
38
81
88
53
107
107
70
84
95
44
22
21
19
51
3
6
9
»11
7
27
42
33
24
68
84
37
75
57
32
25
9
8
28
I
3
1
2
2
13
7
8
2
27
44
6
39
27
11
1
3
..,_..
"~T
i
i
137
647
1,226
949
925
2,435
2,948
1,394
3,391
2,153
1,255
823
379
216
907
23
17
28
15
128
344
146
285
89
978
1,294
203
2,288
918
510
38
149
7.1
3.1
4.3
2.1
3.6
3.5
1 7
1.1
2.9
2.4
2.8
6.5
2.8
6 2
4.6
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas ._
Louisiana -_
Oklahoma
Texas - --_
84
87
40
20
63
35
MOUNTAIN:
IN^tontana
New Mexico
46
(3)
90
OO
10
8
11
63
3.7
5.6
PACIFIC:
California.
Other States
1 Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Membership included in figures for "Other States."
3 Includes 2 churches each in the States of Iowa and Arizona; and 1 in each of the following— New Hamp-
shire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Minnesota, Wyoming, and Utah, and the District of Columbia.
275318 — 41-
-27
404
CENSUS OP RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PAKSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHUECH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF
CHUECH EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
TTnited States ....
1,081
719
683
$954, 962
1S7
$141, 843
177
$134,495
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
6
30
31
8
32
12
20
10
4
8
38
81
88
53
107
107
70
84
95
44
22
21
19
61
9
31
3
16
11
4
25
5
13
7
3
6
25
39
65
39
83
93
34
59
67
28
11
19
12
39
5
8
3
15
11
25
5
12
7
3
5
22
35
64
39
83
89
31
57
58
28
11
17
11
37
4
87
3,000
32,075
35,689
3,280
46. 310
14, 650
10, 225
7,825
8,220
12, 450
25, 240
61, 263
91, 216
117, 121
58, 930
161, 808
26,875
93,979
45,765
13,235
5, 225
12, 150
16, 518
33, 163
6,500
12,250
2
6
7
8
2
3
3
2
3
5
10
22
16
14
31
9
16
11
2
2
2
5
13
437
7,782
4,956
560
5,345
3,900
2,107
705
657
3,562
4,554
8,335
12,013
21,744
21, 530
16, 356
2,067
15,491
2,003
630
177
265
2,370
2,776
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
3
1,400
EAST NORTH CENTEAL:
Ohio
Indians
Illinois
7
2
2
1
A«
8
Michigan „,
WEST NORTH GENTBAL:
Missouri __ __ _
North Dakota
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland __
1
1
5
20
6
9
37
5
10
20
7
3
7
7
22
8
5,300
18,800
6,600
3,650
34, 700
1,425
12,000
11, 275
2,850
800
5,875
3,665
10, 705
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina,
South Carolina
Georgia
Plorida -
EAST SOUTH CENTHAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma-
Texas -.
PACIFIC:
California
Other States
2
1,520
2
10, 850
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
2 Includes. Iowa, 1; South Dakota, 1; Kansas, 2; New Mexico, 2; and Arizona, 1.
CHURCH OF GOD
405
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
T^nfol
E:
£PENDITUR
ES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
number
of
churches
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Eepairs
and
improve-
ments
United States
1 081
1 Oil
$568 030
$303 285
$30 920
$38 387
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine — - . .. _
6
6
3,771
1,892
78
200
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
30
29
30 107
13 859
1 684
1 785
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
31
30
31 938
17, 322
1,462
1 494
Indiana
8
8
5 267
3 537
128
55
Illinois
32
31
22 190
11 040
1 099
1 017
Michigan
12
12
14 232
8 442
634
485
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri- ,
20
20
8,892
6,104
192
514
North Dakota
10
10
5,830
3,889
89
220
South Dakota
5
5
3,672
2,473
248
88
Kansas - ...
6
6
2,303
1,003
121
93
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware - __ _
4
3
1,331
486
137
113
Maryland
8
8
9,166
4,766
546
563
Virginia
38
34
11, 633
5,771
548
172
West Virginia
81
76
37, 934
21, 254
3,230
1,341
North Carolina
88
84
66, 278
37, 130
3,992
3,074
South Carolina
53
52
61, 215
27, 431
5,134
1,388
Georgia
107
94
34, 942
17, 969
1,715
5,006
Florida
107
103
70, 700
38, 670
2,890
9,417
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
70
62
20, 850
11, 181
1,409
1,322
Tennessee
84
79
42, 350
22, 164
1,834
3,808
Alabama
95
88
26, 714
15, 067
1,265
2,538
Mississippi
44
42
6,714
4,309
340
533
WEST SOOTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
22
17
2,931
1,828
201
268
Louisiana
21
19
5,499
3,154
268
410
Oklahoma. . -
19
16
8,313
4,023
725
425
Texas . _._.».
51
49
18, 654
10, 992
569
1,252
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
3
3
2,109
1,168
76
150
New Mexico , ._
6
6
2,865
1,523
337
PACIFIC:
California ^
9
8
4,888
2,795
261
263
Other States „
11
ill
4,742
2,043
45
56
1 Includes 2 churches each in the States of Iowa and Arizona; and 1 in each of the following— New Hamp-
shire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Minnesota, Wyoming, and Utah, and the District of Columbia.
406
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 0. — CHTTECH EXPENDITUEES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States haying 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDiTURES—continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief and
chanty
Home
missions
Foreign
rnissions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All otber
purposes
United States.-
$49, 055
$53, 670
$8, 446
811,812
$11, 668
SS3, 348
$27,439
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine ... _
246
5,390
1,384
520
3,128
163
310
541
1,163
3,031
4,894
579
2,635
2,080
678
300
427
273
315
1,908
1,098
2,566
5,264
6,904
2,361
4,755
2,044
3,636
1,371
206
48
438
871
1,453
245
366
912
844
3
87
427
16
40
151
70
35
n
19
444
697
77
477
241
166
133
87
26
9
137
309
563
1,694
1,385
588
1,195
465
801
933
262
50
101
356
399
53
42
46
57
10
331
466
42
106
291
129
97
84
14
5
64
473
559
1,362
2,309
1,036
787
308
792
1,360
219
50
76
99
311
11
54
82
141
43
1,036
1,806
185
1,100
1,015
569
311
201
97
23
239
753
2,467
3,611
4,016
2,140
3,834
1,372
3,066
1,752
431
311
443
320
1,412
92
99
235
369
117
2,460
1,986
128
1,548
730
160
215
53
70
30
313
1,225
2,426
2,838
1,812
1,763
3,554
920
1,412
1,459
260
124
244
106
810
111
194
244
127
MIDDLE ATLANTIC.
Pennsylvania _ _ _
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois - - -_~
Michigan „- - - -
WEST NORTH CENTRAL-
Missouri - -
North Dakota
South Dakota
Kansas
600
199
557
1,087
3,051
6,259
9,372
1,726
4,252
1,018
4,233
68S
10
6
14
73
197
477
1,054
1,464
638
1,346
811
604
281
144
51
40
147
158
11
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware - - -
Maryland _ - - -
"Virginia - - -
"West Virginia - .- -
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida —
EAST SOUTH CENTKAL:
Kentucky . _ ..
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
325
1,241
1,293
192
250
Oklahoma
Texas ,. -
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
New Mexico
PACIFIC*
California
50
40
Other States ,.
1,020
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The denomination known as the Church of God had its origin in the convic-
tion of a number of people, in different denominations in Tennessee, that existing
bodies with which they were acquainted were not strictly in accord with their
views of Scripture, and in the belief that their wishes for a body conforming to
their own views must be satisfied. The first organization was formed in August
1886 in Monroe County, Tenn,, under the name "Christian Union." In 1902
there was a reorganization under the name "Holiness Church," and in January
1907 a third meeting, at Union Grove, Bradley County, Tenn., adopted the
name "Church of God," with a membership of 150, representing 5 local churches
CHUKCH OF GOD 407
in North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. From that time the body has
grown until it is represented in 45 States and has churches in 1 1 foreign countries.
The international headquarters in 1936 were in Cleveland, Tenn.
DOCTRINE
In doctrine this body is Arminian and in accord with the Methodist bodies.
It recognizes no creed as authoritative, but relies upon the Bible "as a whole
rightly divided" and as the final court of appeals. It emphasizes sanctification
as an experience subsequent to regeneration; also the baptism of the Holy Ghost,
evidenced by speaking in other tongues, subsequent to sanctification. Conditions
of membership are profession of faith in Christ, experience of being "born again,"
bearing the fruits of a Christian life, and recognition of the obligation to accept
and practice all the teachings of the church. The sacraments observed are the
Lord's Supper, foot washing, and water baptism by immersion.
ORGANIZATION AND WORK
The ecclesiastical organization is described as "a blending of congregational and
episcopal, ending in theocratical," by which is meant that every question is to
be decided by God's Word. The pastor of the local church is the chief ruler,
and after conference with the board of deacons or councillors for the purpose of
ascertaining facts and general sentiment, he announces the decision of the board
of deacons or councillors, after which a vote is taken to determine the sentiment
of the church concerning the question.
The officers of the churches are bishops, deacons, evangelists, and exhorters.
Bishops and deacons must be at least 25 years of age, having experienced sancti-
fication and the baptism of the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking with other
tongues as the spirit gives utterance; and they must prove themselves to have
lived what they profess. There is no age limit for the evangelists and exhorters.
All are required to have a fair general education, good judgment, wisdom, and
ability to speak.
When a reasonable number of churches have been organized in a State an
annual State assembly is held, not legislative in character, but rather educational
and for the advancement and interest of the church in that State. A general
assembly Convenes annually, and is composed of representatives from all States,
provinces, and countries; and this is recognized as the supreme council.
The foreign mission work of the church is under the direction of a mission board,
with the general overseer as ex officio chairman. The home mission work is
under the direction of the State overseer, or superintendent and his council.
A general Bible school is being maintained for the education and the training
of the ministers together with a Bible training correspondence department. A
number of branch Bible schools are located in the various States of the Union.
The church operates an orphanage and children's home at its headquarters at
Cleveland, Tenn. This home is under the supervision of the general overseer
and the orphanage committee.
The Church of God Evangel is the official organ of the church and is a weekly
periodical.
The Lighted Pathway, a monthly periodical, is the official organ of the Young
People's Endeavor.
The church owns and operates a publishing house, printing its own Sunday
school literature, periodicals, and commercial printing.
The church maintains compensation for aged disabled ministers, also aid for
widows of deceased ministers. The direction of this matter is in the hands of
the 12 councillors with the general overseer as ex officio chairman.
CHURCH OF GOD
(HEADQUABTBKS, ANDEBSON, IND.)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of God (headquarters, Anderson, Ind.)
for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of
these figures between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled
from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual
churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this body consists of those persons who profess union with
Christ alone and who worship together in the local congregations, besides a num-
ber of scattered adherents.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN UBBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Olmr^h^S (loop! orgpTii'zflti^ris), niTmhp.r
1,032
56,911
55
21, 242
33, 281
2,3S8
63.8
8,059
42, 793
6,059
15.8
832
795
$3, 687, 312
$3,381,576
$305, 736
$4,638
305
$742, 361
356
201
187
$373, 475
942
$942, 568
$448, 620
$43, 926
$85, 455
$104, 523
$135, 034
$16, 198
$16, 681
$20, 974
$28, 080
$43, 077
$1, 001
953
10, 899
82. 277
531
39, 128
74
14, 456
22.636
2,036
63.9
6,056
29, 250
3,822
17.2
436
420
$2,979,441
$2, 73L 341
$248, 100
$7, 094
216
$690, 099
146
119
111
$273, 850
502
$722, 240
$336, 155
$34, 864
$63, 554
$87, 509
$107, 578
$11, 944
$11,532
$14, 707
$20,560
$33, 837
$1, 439
496
6,654
55.500
501
17, 783
35
6,786
10, 645
352
63.7
2,003
13, 543
2,237
12.9
396
375
$707,871
$650, 235
$57, 636
$1, 888
89
$52, 262
210
82
76
$99, 625
440
$220, 328
$112, 465
$9, 062
$21, 901
$17, 014
$27,456
$4, 254
$5, 149
$6, 267
$7, 520
$9,240
$501
457
4,245
26.777
51 5
68.8
48.5
31.2
Members, number.... . _ _
Avera^s rn^Tjbprfi'hip ppr church
Membership by sex:
Male
68.1
68 0
85 3
31.9
32 0
14.7
Female - -
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years _ .
75.1
68.4
63.1
24.9
31 6
36.9
13 years and over „ _ „..
Age not reported
Percent tinder 13 years l
Clmrch. edifices, number
52.4
52.8
80 8
80.8
81.1
47.6
47.2
19.2
19.2
18.9
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936..
Average value per church _ _
Debt — number reporting
70.8
93.0
41.0
59.2
59.4
73.3
53.3
76.6
74.9
79.4
74.4
83.7
79 7
73.7
69 1
70.1
73 2
78.6
29.2
7.0
59.0
40.8
40.6
26.7
46.7
23.4
25.1
20.6
25.6
16.3
20.3
26.3
30 9
29.9
26.8
21.4
Amount reported
Number reporting "no debt" .
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported , _ .
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number.- _
Amount reported . .
Pastors* salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and impro vements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions _.
Foreign missions _.
To general headquarters for distribution __
All otner purposes
Average expenditure per church _
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
52,0
61.1
67.5
48.0
38.0
32.5
Officers and teachers _
Scholars _ _
4 Based on membership with age classification reported.
408
CHURCH 01? GOD (ANDERSON,
409
TABLE 1. — SUMMAET OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEECENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Eural
Summer vacation Bible schools •
Churches reporting, number . _ _
73
587
4,670
43
179
1,583
3
46
102
51
412
3,540
27
107
1,129
2
35
82
22
175
1,130
16
72
454
1
11
20
(2)
70 2
75.8
(*)
59.8
71.3
(2)
(2)
80.4
(s)
29.8
24.2
('I02
28.7
(3)
(Ske
Officers and teachers _
Scholars _
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number _
Officers and teachers
Scholars
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1936 and 1926.- — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for
comparison, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of God (head-
quarters, Anderson, Ind.) for the census years 1936 and 1926.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1936 AND 1926
ITEM
1936
1936
Churches (local organizations), number. _
1,032
932
Increase over preceding census:
Number _. __ ._ _ __ ,
100
Percent . . _ „
10.7
Members, number- -- - - -- -
66,911
38, 249
Increase over preceding census
N"nrnhp,r
18, 662
Percent
48.8
Average membership per church
55
41
Church edifices, number
832
717
Value — number reporting
795
697
Amount reported _ _ ._
$3, 687, 312
$3, 541, 102
Average value per church
$4. 638
$5, 080
Debt' — number reporting _
305
314
Amount reported
$742, 361
$726, 126
Parsonages, number
201
Value — number reporting
187
123
Amount reported
$373, 475
$414, 950
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number , _-
942
817
Amount reported _. _.
$942, 568
$1, 115, 121
Pastors' salaries „ -. - - _
$448, 620
!"
All other salaries - .« _ . _ .. »
$13, 926
Repairs and improvements _ _
$85, 455
$895, 891
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
$104, 523
All other current expenses, including interest
$135, 034
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$16, 198
j
Home missions
$16, 681
Foreign missions.. _
$20, 974
Y $177, 601
To general headquarters for distribution __
$28, 080
1
All other purposes . _- _ _ ._
$43, 077
J
Not classified - «._ _ -
$41, 629
Average expenditure per church _
$1, 001
$1, 365
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting number
953
819
Officers and teachers -,„
10, 899
6,469
Scholars - - —
82, 277
61,448
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Church of God
(headquarters, Anderson, Ind.) by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936
the number and membership of the churches classified according to their location
410
CEWU'S OF KEOLrlGIOTJS BODIES, 1936
in urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the
churches for the census years 1936 and 1926, together with the membership for
1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table
5 shows the value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church
edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing
separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid
disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation
in table 5 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
of edifices.
TABLE 3. — NTTMBEK AND MEMBBESHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITOBY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGKAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
1
a
1
p
1
&
I
rt
£
(-4
£>
3
3
«>
1
r2
"«
£
£
•o
JI
Males per 100
females *
co I Churches re-
8 porting
ll
§ 28
§-
Scholars
TTnited States
1,032
531
f
'i
13
501
56, 911
242
39, 128
242
17, 783
21, 242
84
22
289
107
898
3,118
2,254
1,067
1,279
166
217
165
773
78
73
205
768
272
114
362
749
292
243
167
323
1,093
514
614
415
193
375
934
293
82
118
12
325
104
4
409
393
1,279
33, 281
2,388
63 8
53.2
10, 899
82, 277
236
115
1,038
436
4,151
12, 172
8,698
4,127
4,513
698
702
654
2,871
246
285
942
2,937
1,207
170
1,610
3,157
1,246
1,007
495
1,057
4,198
2,031
2,080
1,482
813
1,500
5,163
1,340
336
428
47
1,261
378
5
1,397
1,317
3,731
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts _
Hhode Island
5
4
17
158
64
i
17
48
75
65
48
59
12
10
8
37
6
5
15
36
9
IS
30
16
20
9
17
44
32
35
32
12
27
57
24
6
10
2
16
4
1
19
16
38
42
30
173
70
573
1,208
^
86
894
255
2,373
8,472
6,H8
2,822
3,434
56
785
255
1,661
7,433
4,996
1,905
2,613
255
324
30
109
""712
1,039
1,122
917
821
197
214
42
1,018
124
112
309
491
473
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York ... ...
605
148
1,450
4,384
"~25
970
370
70
210
47 8
72 3
61.9
71,1
64 5
63.3
65 8
58. 0
67.6
59.4
59 4
Pennsylvania
52
80
69
54
30
54
45
28
40
6
€
ll
t
i
26
3
c
14
10
9
11
11
17
7
5
10
28
13
1
3
1
9
3
1
12
11
34
22
26
24
26
22
2^
6
3
8
12
8
~~"l3
21
12
13
3
8
37
21
24
32
21
34
12
5
7
1
7
1
7
6
7
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio.
Ind lana
3,494
941
566
660
131
104
Illinois
1,685
1,945
286
321
278
1,301
90
98
369
1,253
351
141
526
1,196
458
403
299
479
1,689
705
1,088
741
298
592
1,798
519
171
172
14
569
122
8
663
604
1,746
Michigan
62
13
13
9
3€
5
17
38
9
2C
35
18
23
10
17
4S
32
41
39
12
31
62
25
6
10
2
16
4
1
19
17
41
Wisconsin
452
538
443
2,109
168
171
714
2,071
623
255
888
1,989
750
646
466
802
2,857
1,269
1,702
1,171
491
1,096
2,842
887
253
290
26
894
226
12
1,092
997
3,025
"WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota „
Iowa . -
401
109
409
79
37
192
481
139
43
181
387
148
161
88
145
454
266
302
248
118
208
687
210
52
80
10
180
53
2
208
208
516
Missouri _.
1,091
35
North. Dakota
44
South Dakota
59
405
1,580
150
255
462
1,172
348
422
393
442
1,231
607
936
296
258
481
1,625
550
81
153
10
612
213
12
807
751
2,756
Nebraska. .. ... ._
140
50
""44
75
50
55.6
61.3
77.5
80.9
68.8
62.6
63.8
60 3
55 9
67.4
64.7
72 9
56.4
56.0
64.8
63.3
51.9
56.5
48.0
68.6
"57.1
85.2
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia
426
817
402
224
73
360
1,626
662
766
875
233
615
1,217
337
172
137
16
282
13
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTBAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
15
""l29
110
75
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas .
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
Wyoming
Colorado
Arizona
Utah
PACIFIC:
Washington
285
246
269
20
61.7
65.1
73.3
Oregon. ... »- .
California
1 Eatio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
CHURCH OF GOD1 (ANDEBSON, IND.)
411
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBEBSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1936 AND 1926, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936 or 1926]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1936
1936
1926
TJnder
13
years
13 years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Percent
under
13i
United States _ _
1,032
932
56, 911
38, 249
8,059
42, 793
219
63
811
124
1,888
5,859
4,487
2,153
2,589
429
418
269
1,541
90
161
511
1,631
251
192
737
1,685
614
459
325
665
2,029
903
1,381
932
406
834
2,237
663
220
190
717
215
872
609
2,392
22
6,059
15.8
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
5
4
17
7
52
80
69
54
62
13
13
9
39
7
5
17
38
9
3
20
35
18
23
10
17
48
32
41
39
12
31
62
25
6
10
16
4
19
17
41
33
3
1
16
3
38
70
69
56
52
11
17
5
45
4
10
15
45
8
2
27
35
18
28
15
21
44
17
24
24
31
22
34
18
2
6
18
3
22
25
26
2
242
86
894
255
2,373
8,472
6,118
2,822
3,434
452
538
443
2,109
168
171
714
2,071
623
255
888
1,989
750
646
466
802
2,857
1,269
1,702
1,171
491
1,096
2,842
887
253
290
894
226
1,092
997
3,025
38
134
5
563
120
1,564
4,085
3,801
3,059
2,322
344
466
324
1,821
116
314
623
1,376
397
104
824
1,197
527
693
466
727
1,773
536
811
558
631
677
1,750
925
34
162
599
112
1,039
923
1,704
43
23
23
S3
55
286
1,594
1,069
409
433
23
65
82
249
22
10
49
252
72
63
138
160
21
31
125
107
485
149
180
96
49
113
364
91
19
67
117
11
182
127
575
9.5
Hhode Island
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
9.3
30.7
13.2
21.4
19.2
16.0
14.3
5.1
11.6
23.4
13.9
19.6
5.8
8.8
13.4
22.3
24.7
15.8
8.7
3 3
6.3
27.8
13.9
19.3
14.2
11.5
9-3
10.8
11.9
14.0
12.1
7.9
26.1
14.0
4.9
17.3
17.3
19.4
New Jersey
76
199
1,019
562
260
412
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana „
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
65
92
319
56
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
154
188
300
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
M!aryland
District of Columbia
Virginia
13
144
115
156
16
30
343
217
141
143
36
149
241
133
14
33
60
West Virginia
North Carolina -
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL;
Kentucky. _
Tennessee
Alabama.-
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
OklnhnrriH
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
2VTontana
Idaho
Colorado. _
Arizona
PACIFIC:
Washington
38
261
58
16
Oregon. . _ _
California
Other States - - - - -
1 Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
8 Includes: Wyoming, 2, and Utah, 1.
412
CEOSPSfUS1 OF KELIOIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1,032
832
795
$3,687,312
305
S742, 361
187
$378, 475
17
7
52
SO
69
54
62
13
13
9
39
7
5
17
38
9
20
35
18
23
10
17
4&
32
41
39
12
31
62
25
6
10
16
19
17
41
19
9
4
37
64
60
3S
48
6
10
6
31
7
4
14
34
9
15
31
16
23
10
13
39
28
34
30
12
29
50
24
5
9
13
13
15
35
7
9
4
35
60
60
38
47
6
10
6
30
7
4
12
33
8
15
31
14
21
9
13
37
27
34
29
12
29
44
22
5
6
12
12
15
32
27
160, 189
31, 500
202, 500
599, 882
492, 475
209, 350
151, 515
29, 800
25, 700
21, 000
80, 850
15, 700
8,400
26, 400
108, 550
85, 600
68, 810
158, 940
52, 650
33, 700
27, 500
36, 500
242, 750
63, 410
84,886
27,995
16, 195
57, 790
102, 325
56,425
8,625
9,850
37, 400
58, 200
65,600
158, 100
70, 250
4
3
14
37
33
16
23
3
2
1
7
3
1
6
16
5
5
12
6
8
2
4
11
4
4
6
4
8
15
6
3
2
5
4
6
13
3
17, 350
18, 100
24, 201
188, 909
136, 201
34, 397
30, 705
6,500
2,600
940
4,647
900
170
6,950
26, 767
22, 398
4,850
31, 125
17, 447
2,124
800
4,417
37, 790
1,503
2,133
1,889
2, 125
5,750
18, 625
5,582
1,035
1,065
9, 200
11, 276
8,274
22, 925
30, 691
New Jersey
2
6
10
7
6
11
3
6
2
9
1
29, 000
31, 000
19, 250
6, 450
29, 500
4,300
13, 000
10, 800
0)
Pennsylvania..
EAST NORTH CENTBAL
Ohio
Indiana -
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska _ _.
4
17
3
4
3
3
2
1
6
3
3
5
6
2
10
14
7
2
1
6
3
4
13
2
6,900
23, 250
9,500
15, 500
13, 200
3,500
0)
(0
8,400
14, 400
7,000
5,350
5,300
0)
12, 150
17, 775
9,600
CO
W
7,450
5,000
4,300
26, 000
35, 600
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland _
Virginia ,
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida,
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky _
Tennessee _ _
Alabama. ... _
Mississippi .
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas . .
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Washington ,.
Oregon
California
Other States
1 Amount included in figures for " Other States, " to avoid disclosing the statistics of any indi vidual church .
2 Includes: Massachusetts, 2; Rhode Island, 2; District of Columbia, 2; and Arizona, 1.
C'HURCH O# GOD ( ANDERSON, IND. )
TABLE 6. — CHTTRCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
413
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
United States..
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts.,.
Khode Island.—.
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York...
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NOETH OENTBAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan _
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota _.
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland..
District of Columbia.
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTEAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas__
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho..
Wyoming __
Colorado
Arizona
Utah.
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
Total
number
of
churches
1,032
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
942
Total
amount
£942, 568
4,803
1,109
21, 272
8,336
60, 521
133, 652
99, 482
51, 637
54, 105
9,255
9,229
7,239
31, 503
2,681
2,493
12, 484
33, 658
16, 528
5,104
14,643
41, 499
11, 426
7, 659
6,104
14, 970
15, 605
17, 569
9,173
6,328
12, 827
46, 936
16, 266
3,801
4,304
i 14, 218
• 23,956
18, 517
19, 741
53, 071
Pastors'
salaries
920
350
6,125
28, 322
58, 639
42, 579
24, 044
29, 472
4,116
5,457
4,551
17, 251
1,220
1,063
6,662
19, 341
6,810
1,118
6,308
19, 472
5,220
3,353
3,626
3,165
13, 804
8,310
8,398
4,816
6.757
24, 708
10, 70S
1,660
2,189
7,192
2,013
10, 164
9,291
27, 451
All other
salaries
S43, 926
266
1,671
184
2,535
5,248
3,385
2,362
117
336
195
1,538
62
220
285
700
935
172
614
1,283
542
378
150
472
1,647
773
1,015
397
25
452
2,371
289
327
624
416
2,318
Repairs
and
improve-
ments
$85, 455
253
20
922
1,314
7,836
9,054
7,123
7,277
3,264
494
332
2,336
150
118
1,583
3,159
1,103
95
1,030
5,767
897
955
1,175
3,901
4, 579
1,492
2,214
725
1,535
1,816
3,853
1,440
290
964
1,553
304
2,723
1 Amount for Wyoming combined with figures for Colorado, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any in-
dividual church.
2 Amount for Utah combined with figures for Arizona, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
414 CEN'snre OF RBSDIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITTJKES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
EXPENDITURES— cont mued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To
general
head-
quarters
All
other
purposes
"United States
$104, 523
$135,034
$16, 198
S16, 681
S20, 974
$28, 080
$43, 077
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
1,014
875
300
4,525
1,659
6,769
22,356
17,255
6,077
7,875
1,756
1,086
1,080
4,608
432
402
2,132
4,045
3,592
996
1,641
6,888
1,533
838
478
925
3,596
1,148
2,897
760
1,111
1,942
5.079
2,012
663
629
1,074
1,087
2,892
1,862
8,159
228
65
418
174
1,045
1,818
1,284
1,056
1,048
111
66
10
444
20
1
43
368
492
118
456
714
390
176
85
313
1,677
238
229
398
2
53
976
267
127
5
248
40
268
7
720
50
50
424
47
636
1,299
852
892
817
129
39
113
316
222
100
313
592
85
149
303
360
323
285
88
408
364
295
207
445
75
306
689
315
160
38
550
39
37
453
117
838
3,453
2,632
2,076
1,514
555
184
166
404
107
295
566
661
214
118
148
489
60
125
68
199
388
280
288
240
68
156
675
142
90
28
838
10
200
353
1,700
186
972
287
1,758
197
3,020
8,132
2,602
1,781
2,360
538
537
80
1,683
65
8
315
500
897
358
1,435
1,327
1,361
228
128
272
1,241
1,215
431
358
110
585
1,816
250
170
112
2i5
206
641
790
4,066
Rhode Island .
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
4,258
226
7,212
15, 552
15,836
3,443
4,160
727
744
475
1,845
200
230
260
3,650
1,877
1,960
2,199
3,954
1,025
963
271
315
10, 640
1,432
1,661
805
274
635
5,389
550
583
252
} 2,382
} ,0
653
3,363
3,458
718
432
2,308
4,085
4,071
1,606
1,233
324
286
237
1,078
203
56
325
642
523
20
509
1,245
75
358
35
New Jersey. ,
Pennsylvania---. .
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
"Wisconsin „ ,.
WEST NOETH OENTBAL:
Minnesota..
Iowa
Missouri . _ - _
North Dakota . _ _
South Dakota
Nebraska
K"a"nsas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland _
District of Columbia ...
Virginia ..- ...
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina „„. „ _...-_
Georgia . - -
Florida ..
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
928
422
229
229
139
125
1,380
293
40
37
489
206
969
688
1,351
Tennessee
Alabama -
Mississippi . .
WEST SOUTH CENTEAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas - ..
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
Wyoming
Colorado ..
Arizona
Utah
PACIFIC:
Washington...
553
2,667
1,125
Oregon
California
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
HISTORY
The name Church of God is used by a number of small religious groups in the
United States, and this fact makes for confusion. This particular group some-
times attempts to differentiate itself from the others using this name by inserting
i This statement was furnished by Dr. Earl L. Martin, professor of theology and Bible in the Anderson
College and Theological Seminary, Anderson, Ind.
CHURCH OF GOD (ANDERSON, IND.) 415
the name of its headquarters (Anderson, Ind.), but regards such insertion as no
part of the name. At Anderson, Ind., are the offices of its general boards, its
college and seminary, its publishing plant, and other promotional organizations.
The group uses the name Church of God, which it holds as the Scriptural designa-
tion of the church, not in a denominational or exclusive sense, but in an inclusive
sense, as the name of the church to which all true Christians belong, and that a
recognition of this fact would be a big step forward in the direction of Christian
unity, and the name Church of God would then be applied to all Christians in all
the world.
From the beginning this group has regarded itself as a movement within the
church rather than another denomination or church among churches, working, as
it holds, for the restoration of the New Testament standard of faith and life,
particularly in the matter of church or Christian unity.
The movement began about 1880 when D. S. Warner, of the Church of God,
Winebrennerian movement, began to work in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois,
and other Midwestern States, and soon found others in various sections of the
United States who were possessed of like beliefs and ideals. They believed that
the church was too much restricted by human organization and ecclesiasticism and
demanded that the church be more directly under the rule of God. The move-
ment was strongly evangelistic and spread rapidly into many States. Consider-
able emphasis was put upon the doctrine of holiness, and in this the church held
many things in common with the various holiness movements of that period,
though in other respects differing from them.
DOCTRINE
In doctrine the Church of God would be classed orthodox and evangelical. The
members, in common with many groups of Christians, hold: The divine inspira-
tion of the Scriptures ; that the Bible is a book at once divine and human ; that it
grew out of human life in touch with God. They believe in the Holy Trinity;
that Christ is the Son of God; that the Holy Spirit is a person, in His indwelling
presence in the heart of man, sanctifying and giving power for life and service;
that the Holy Spirit gives gifts for the work of God in the world, but that none or
all of these gifts are evidences of the presence of the Holy Spirit; that sin sepa-
rates men from God; in the forgiveness of sin on the basis of the atonement of
Christ and by repentance and faith on the part of the person; in the doctrine and
experience of holiness; in a personal second coming of Christ, that this coming has
no connection with a millennial reign, but that the kingdom of God is here and
now; in the final judgment, the general resurrection of the dead, with reward of
the righteous and punishment of the wicked.
Generally, they practice baptism by immersion, the Lord's Supper, and feet
washing, but do not regard their practice as an essential basis of fellowship.
Perhaps their most distinctive doctrine is that concerning the nature of the church
and the unity of Christian people; that the church is the body of Christ, made up
of all Christians, and that all Christians are one in Christ Jesus, but the denomi-
nationalism and the sectarian system are a hindrance to the expression of this
unity, hence are unscriptural. They believe that God is working in this time to
restore the New Testament ideal of this church; and that this restoration is based
upon the fact of spiritual experience rather than of creedal agreement.
ORGANIZATION
The local churches of the movement, numbering nearly 2,000, are congrega-
tional in form of church government, and though they hold the ideal of God govern-
ing His church, they recognize that He does it through human instrumentality,
and that this government may be expressed in any one of the many forms. Mem-
bership in the local churches is not on a formal basis, and there are no membership
lists kept, in accordance with the belief that being a Christian constitutes one a
member of the Church of God. In the business affairs of the local church other
qualifications must be met. The ministers of the various States meet in State or
regional conventions, but such associations are purely voluntary, and in no way
are invested with authority over local churches, but act in an advisory capacity.
The General Ministerial Assembly meets annually in connection with the annual
convention and camp meeting in June at Anderson, Indn which has jurisdiction
over the business and cooperative aspects of the work, but not in doctrinal matters
or over the local churches. Ministers are ordained by other ministers.
THE (ORIGINAL) CHURCH OF GOD
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for The (Original) Church of God for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination includes all persons who have been
formally received into any of the local churches.
TABLE 1. — SUMMAKY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Eural
ChTfTrtTh*1-? floral organisations) Twrn'hAr
58
2,269
39
765
1,504
50.9
107
2,134
28
4.8
35
31
$61, 750
$61,050
$700
$1,992
11
$7,569
15
2
2
$2, 200
54
$15, 477
$8, 464
$204
$289
$644
$3313
$255
$258
$207
$761
$1,082
$287
41
311
2,699
15
843
56
2S3
560
50.5
28
815
43
1,426
33
482
944
51.1
79
1,319
28
5.7
25
22
$36,350
$35,650
$700
$1, 652
5
$1, 194
12
2
2
$2, 200
40
$7, 253
$4, 364
$179
$64
$354
$1, 613
$35
$8
$107
$377
$152
$181
28
194
1,581
Members, number
37.2
62.8
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male .
37.0
37 2
63.0
62.8
Female - - __ .. _„ .
Males per 100 females _ _ _ _
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
26.2
38.2
73.8
61.8
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent tinder 13 years 2 .
3.3
10
9
$25, 400
$25,400
Church edifices, number .. „_.
Value — number reporting
/ rnnnnt r^portA<i
41.1
41.6
58.9
58.4
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936
Average value per church
$2, 822
$6, 375
3
Debt — number reporting _ ______
Amount reported
84.2
15.8
Number reporting "no debt".-
Parsmmg'P-s, nnTnhp.r
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number
14
$8, 224
$4, 100
$25
$225
$290
$1,700
$220
$250
$100
$384
$930
$587
13
117
1,118
Amount reported
53.1
48.4
12.3
77.9
45.0
51.3
86.3
96.9
48.3
50.5
86.0
46.9
51.6
87.7
22.1
55.0
48.7
13.7
3.1
51.7
49.5
14.0
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
"Repairs and im pro VPTD Ants
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest. __
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc...
Home missions
Foreign missions „ _
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number,
Officers and teachers
37.6
41.4
62.4.
58.6
Scholars
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
416
THE (OEIGinTiAIO 'CHURCH OF GOT)
417
Comparative data, 1936 and 1926. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for
comparison, a summary of the available statistics of The (Original) Church of
God for the census years 1936 and 1926.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1936 AND 1926
ITEM
1936
1926
ITEM
1936
1936
Churches (local organizations),
number
58
8
50
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number..
Amount reported
54
$15, 477
$8,464
$204
$289
$644
$3, 313
$255
$258
$207
$761
$1, 082
$287
41
311
2,699
11
$5, 348
$4, 120
$1, 228
$486
11
69
644
Increase over preceding cen-
sus:
Number. . _.
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Percent l
Kepans and improve-
ments
Members, number „
2,269
400
21.4
1,869
Payment on church debt,
excluding interest
Increase over preceding cen-
sus:
Number _.
All other current expen-
ses, including interest ..
Local relief and charity,
Ked Cross, etc
Percent
Average membership per
church
39
35
31
$61, 750
$1, 992
U
$7, 569
2
2
$2, 200
37
22
21
$37, 415
$1, 782
$3, 684
Home missions
Church edifices, number
Foreign mispionp
To general headquarters
for distribution. . _ _.._
Value— number reporting
Amount reported _
All other purposes
Average value per church.
Debt — number reporting. . ».
Average expenditure per
church _ »
Amount reported..
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number .
Officers and teachers
Parsonages, number
Value— number reporting
.Amount: r eport.fi n"
1
$400
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for The (Original)
Church of God by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools.
Table 4 gives the number and membership of the churches for the census years
1936 and 1926, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13
years of age" and 13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of church
edifices and the amount of debt on such property for 1936. Table 6 presents, for
1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improvements,
benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any
individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those
States in which three or more churches reported value and expenditures.
418
S' OF BJEOGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3.— -NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS* BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
l
s
1
•8
£
1
1
£
1
©
1
r2
§
fc
ii
ii
Churches re-
porting
73
!i
Scholars
United States
58
15
43
2.2C9
843
1,426
161
28
27
765
1,504
50.9
41
311
14
2,699
100
NEW ENGLAND:
jMaine
2
1
2
1
1
161
28
27
207
87
120
55
10
98
76
501
S74
525
70
8
14
70
31
27
20
2
32
21
159
131
180
91
20
13
137
56
93
35
8
66
55
342
243
345
2
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
IVIictussn
1
2
2
1
2
1
5
1
1
1
2
4
9
12
3
17
13
29
10
9
5
14
48
60
89
15
233
150
225
100
65
45
120
535
443
668
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Alissouri
2
207
511
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
2
3
87
68
5
1
2
1
52
55
10
South Csrolma
GQOTSISL
1
3
1
Florida
3
1
3
14
13
98
30
169
320
438
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentu cky
2
5
17
16
1
2
3
3
46
332
54
87
Tennessee .
46 5
53. §
52.2
Alabama
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
* Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4=. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1936 AND 1926, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
193G
1926
1936
1926
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States
58
50
2,269
1,869
107
2,134
28
4.8
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
2
5
2
161
178
57
161
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
New York
1
28
11
17
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Illinois
1
I
4
2
7
12
31
441
60
116
Michigan
3
2
2
5
1
1
3
2
5
17
16
27
207
87
120
55
10
98
76
501
374
525
15
1
1
4
3
12
206
86
116
52
10
93
76
477
345
483
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
.«
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia __> .
North Carolina . _
3.3
South Carolina _. . _
Georgia _
1
2
2
8
11
4
38
47
54
540
197
98
Florida
5
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky.—
Tennessee
7
18
42
17
11
1.4
5 0
8,0
Alabama
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas „„„ .
* Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
THE (ORIGINAL) OHUBCH OF GOD
419
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHUKCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHUECH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
58
35
31
$81,750
11
87,569
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
North Carolina
5
17
16
20
3
5
11
16
3
5
10
113
2,050
2,700
5,900
51, 100
1
1
5
4
150
12
682
6,725
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Alabama..
WEST SOUTH CENTEAL:
Arkansas. . _.
Other States
1 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Maine, Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee; and
1 in each of the following—Michigan, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida,
TABLE 6. — CHURCH ESPENDITUHES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
]
SXPE1S
rDITUKE
s
o
§
1
3
1
„
X3
s
_, 05
ft <o
f-4
"^
GEOGEAPHIC DIVISION
0
fl
o
3'fl
fl
cS
•s
C3*
S
AND STATE
JSt
8
.1
.2
i*
•sr.
P M
«>
g
rj-J
o
fl
&
|
1
I
g
§1
C3
•3
i
-a
1
•3
0
i>
1
"OB
S
§ «
"1
2
S
E
0
0
o
3
3
o
a
a°
1"
S)
"o
o
*«
*
^
«
O
^
w
A!
^
^
United States
58
54
$15,477
$8,464
$204
S289
S644
S3, 313
$255
$258
$207
$761
$1, 082
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
5
4
381
47
53
50
189
42
Florida
3
3
760
500
135
50
75
EAST SOUTH CENTEAL:
Tsnn6ss60
5
4
2,892
1,612
285
100
200
59
600
Alabama
17
Ifi
1,400
290
6
4
912
10
8
110
60
WEST SOUTH CENTBAL:
Ark&nsas
16
Ifi
1,810
524
M>,
153
210
745
2ft
___
4
87
________
Other States
1?,
m
8,234
5,491
100
83
380
1,047
120
50
203
455
305
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Maine, Missouri, Virginia, and Kentucky; and 1 in
each of the following— Michigan, South Carolina, and Georgia.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The (Original) Church of God was organized August 19, 1886, near Birch-
wood, Tenn. (in what was at that time James County, but at present is Hamilton
County), by Rev. R. Spurling, with 13 members.
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Rev. Joseph L. Scott, D. D., editor, publisher, and general manager of
Tb« (Original) Church of God, Chattanooga, Teim,, and approved by him m its present form.
275318—41-
-28
420 OElSPSfUSl OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
The name Church of God was chosen because it was a Bible name and, so
far as was known, had never been applied to any other denomination.
From the place of organization, the church spread first into the State of North
Carolina, where it went through the trials and difficulties common to all new
denominations. However, it multiplied and spread farther into several other
States, to the Bahama Islands, to Japan, and to South America. ^
In 1917 a difference of opinion arose among the members in regard to the
fundamental principles and teachings of the church and it divided into factions.
Later, one faction withdrew. The faction which claimed to adhere to the original
teachings and doctrines of the church adopted the word "original," as part of the
title and legally inserted it into the name of the denomination, which has since
been known as The (Original) Church of God, incorporated in 1922.
DOCTRINE
This denomination stands for the whole Bible, rightly divided. It believes in
and teaches repentance, justification, regeneration as defined by Martin Luther;
sanctification as set forth by John Wesley; divine healing for the body, not exclu-
sively, but does believe in praying for the sick; the premiHennial second coming of
Jesus; eternal life for the righteous; and eternal punishment, with no liberation or
annihilation, for the wicked.
This church invites all persons who avow faith in Christ and live a Christian life
to become members. Christian fruits are taken as an evidence of Christian living
for "By their fruits ye shall know them." The only reason for exclusion is a known
violation of God's word, for each member is accountable to God. Conscience
binding creeds are regarded as being contrary to the Scripture and love.
It accepts pentecostal experience, when, under divine power of the Holy Ghost,
it speaks in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance, as the disciples did on the
Day of Pentecost. (Acts 2: 4.)
All Christians who are eligible to vote, have a right to vote, remembering to
obey all laws that are not sinful to obey and if anyone is elected to an office to let
God rule in his heart and office.
The ordinances of the church are baptism by immersion, the Lord's Supper,
tithing, and freewill offerings.
ORGANIZATION AND WORK
This church, in its organization, is founded on the practices of the apostolic
church of God. Like the early churches, each individual organization takes
a local name, such as the Church of God at Corinth, etc. They have local
government, each church with its pastor, officers, and members having authority
to transact its own business, such as dealing with its own members, finances, and
church property.
It recognizes the orders of the ministry as given in the New Testament —
apostles, exhorters, evangelists, bishops (elder bishops), and teachers as given in
Eph. 4: 11-14. Any local church may recommend a person whom it believes to
be called of God and qualified for the ministry, and after an examination by the
presbytery, he may be ordained or licensed to preach.
A general convention meets annually in the autumn at Chattanooga, Tenn.
It is a delegated body in which all the churches are represented.
In connection with the usual work of evangelization, the church has a general
office and publishing house, located at Chattanooga, Tenn. This city is also the
location of the official headquarters of the denomination. Here a church manual,
various tracts and other church literature, as well as the official organ, The
(Original) Church of God Sunday School Weekly, are published.
CHURCH OF GOD (SALEM, W. VA.)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with, urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of God (Salem, W. Va.) for the year 1936
is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate ^ to these churches only.
The disciples (members) shall consist of all faithful men and women whom the
Lord has seen fit to add unto the Church of God, who keep the commandments of
God and the faith of Jesus, as upheld in the constitution of this church.
This body was not reported prior to 1936, hence no comparative data are
available.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
39
1,154
30
399
755
52.8
65
1,089
5 6
12
10
$9, 600
$7,350
$2, 250
$960
5
$1, 372
4
2
2
$2, 500
31
$14, 130
$2, 975
$248
$194
$1, 620
$2,988
$184
$73
$366
$4, 643
$839
$456
25
182
754
15
475
32
167
308
54,2
5
470
1.1
5
3
$6, 200
$4, 500
$1, 700
$2, 067
5
$1, 372
24
679
28
232
447
51.9
60
619
8.8
7
7
$3,400
$2,850
$550
$486
Members, number
41.2
58.8
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
41.9
40.8
58.1
59.2
Female
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over
43.2
56 8
Percent under 13 years
Church, edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported _
64.6
61.2
75.6
35 4
38.8
24.4
Constructed prior to 1936 __
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936-
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting _.
Amount reported
100.0
Number reporting "no debt"
4
Parsonages, number
2
2
$2, 500
13
$10,943
$2,397
$208
$74
$1, 620
$2, 900
$169
$67
$146
$2, 782
$580
$842
9
57
309
Value— number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
18
$3, 187
$578
$40
$120
Amount reported
77.4
80.6
83.9
38.1
100.0
97 1
91 8
22.6
19.4
16.1
61.9
Pastors' salaries _ _
All other salaries. _ - »
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
$88
$15
$6
$220
$1, 861
$259
$177
16
125
445
2.9
8.2
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions .
Foreign missions
39 9
59 9
69 1
60.1
40.1
30.9
To general headquarters for distribution. -
All other purposes -- - - —
Average expenditure per church . ...
Sabbath schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers - _.
31.3
41.0
68.7
59.0
Scholars _ _
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
421
422
GEN'STO OF BELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
State tables. — Tables 2 and 3 present the statistics for 1936 for the Church of
God (Salem, W, Va.) by States. Table 2 gives for each State the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural
territory, membership classified by sex and by age, and data for Sabbath schools.
Table 3 presents the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses,
improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial sta-
tistics of any individual church, separate presentation in table 3 is limited to those
States in which three or more churches reported expenditures.
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY. MEMBERSHIP BY SEX AND AGE, AND SABBATH SCHOOLS, BY STATES,
1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NTTMBEK OP
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBEES
MEMBEESHIP
BYSES
MEMBERSHIP
BY AGE
SABBATH
SCHOOLS
1
&<
§
X3
6
15
«
3
o
^
3
x>
£
1
(§
o>
03
a
399
Female
|
£J
t»
&
eo
!
65
r^j
§
c|
!§
CO
s* 1 Percent under
« 1 13 s
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
beachers
Scholars
United States
89
24
1,154
475
679
755
52.8
1,089
25
182
754
NEW ENGLAND:
Vermont
1
1
1
1
1
2
4
1
2
2
2
3
3
5
60
20
24
99
175
66
81
224
53
54
75
52
17
100
49
~if
48
82
66
53
77
5
4
17
61
49
5
60
20
11
51
93
2
21
7
6
43
61
23
29
60
24
12
22
26
S
38
17
3
39
13
18
56
114
43
52
164
29
42
53
26
9
62
32
5
Connecticut
T
60
1
1
1
1
6
6
3
6
5
42
57
7
24
18
134
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1
20
24
Pennsylvania
2
3
6
1
4
3
ft
1
1
2
1
3
1
EAST NORTH CENTEAL:
Michigan
53.5
18
6
81
169
66
3.4
WEST NOETH CENTEAL:
Missouri
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
West Virginia _
28
147
53
49
71
52
39
81
2
3
2
2
1
1
12
20
12
11
35
4
49
159
54
35
25
25
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee
36 6
1
31
6
223
22
48
75
.4
Alabama
WEST SOUTH CENTEAL:
Arkansas... ._ ...
3
4
3
1
1
Oklahoma
Texas
2
58
17
MOUNTAIN-
Idaho--
1
2
2
1
1
2
PACIFIC:
Oregon, .
1
1
99
49
1.0
2
2
15
11
121
46
California..,
* Batio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
CHURCH OF GOD (SALEM, W. VA.)
423
TABLE 3. — CHUECH EXPENDITUEES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
8
•s
EX
PENDITI
IRES
STATE
Total number of chu
Churches reporting
Total amount
Pastors' salaries
A]l other salaries
Repairs and im-
provements
Payment on church
debt, excluding
interest
^
sIL
tp7c
KB
o
1
"S&
13 g
"€
i
3
Home missions
Foreign missions
rrj
8
rQ ca
15 "£
§§
i*
o
fr
All other purposes
United States
39
R1
$14, 130
$2, 975
$248
$194
$1, 620
$2 988
SI 84
$7S
$368
$4, 643
$839
Michigan
3
3
601
51
85
315
TiO
Missouri -
6
4
804
100
22
5
15
205
4^7
West Virginia-
" 4
3
1,828
360
19
118
1,311
^O
Tennessee
3
3
2 996
1 000
160
1 500
25
50
?1
31
189
10
Arkansas
R
3
244
48
40
30
106
?0
Oklahoma
4
3
1,027
52
120
29
826
Other States
If)
M3
6,630
1,467
48
142
2,861
110
4?
87
1,691
18?
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States—Pennsylvania, Alabama, Texas, Oregon, and Cali-
fornia; and 1 each in New York and Idaho.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
HISTORY
The Church of God (seventh day) was organized in separate church organiza-
tions in this country soon after the landing of the Pilgrims, who came here from
London, England, in 1620, at which time there were known to be seven local
churches in London.
In the year 1664 Stephen Mumford settled at Newport, R. L, having come from
England, and in 1671 a church was organized there with William Hiscox chosen
and ordained the elder. He served as pastor of the church until his death (1704)
when William Gibson became pastor, serving till 1717. He was in turn succeeded
by Joseph Crandall who held the pastorate until 1737. He was succeeded by
Joseph Maxen and he was followed by William Bliss, who remained pastor until
his death in 1808.
During this same period there were Churches of God established at the following
cities in Pennsylvania: Newton, Pennepeck, Jottingham, and French Creek.
These churches fraternized with the Churches of God in Rhode Island and others
in New Jersey. Some of the New Jersey churches were at Piscataway and Cohan-
sey. These are the oldest Sabbatarian churches in America. The Church
History of New England, 1783 to 1796, chapter 11, section 10, mentions Stephen
Mumford and his faith in connection with the Ten Commandments being the
Christian standard of a sinless life and of keeping Saturday instead of Sunday.
The oldest Sabbatarian Christian Church in America was connected with the
oldest in London — the Mill Yard Church — and on the old church records of this
church is found a copy of a letter dated December 21, 1680, addressed to the
church in Newport, R. L, which proves their connection. There is much other
evidence in the records of both churches besides, which is set forth verbatim on
page 271 of The History of the True Church by Dugger and Dodd.
In the year 1705 a church was organized at Piscataway, N. J., and according
to a letter from Samuel Hubbard, one of the charter members of the Newport,
R. L, church, there was another church organized that year at Noodles Island,
now East Boston, Mass.
Thomas Ward, a prominent lawyer of Newport, R. L, in 1689 was an out-
standing member of the Rhode Island church. Richard Ward, Governor of
Rhode Island, 1741-42, was a member of the church also. Col. Jobe Bennett in
1763 was the treasurer of this church and that year served on a committee in
drafting the constitution for the Brownsville University.
* This statement was furnished by Elder A. N. Dugger, general overseer, the Church of God (Salem,
W. Va.), Salem, W. Va.
424 CEN'SiUS' OX EEUEGIOUS BODIES, 1936
One of the outstanding Churches of God in the early days of American history
was the church at Shrewsbury, N. J. Elder Davis was pastor of that church
early in the seventeenth century, and other churches in New Jersey were or-
ganized as this church branched out. For instance, the church at Piscataway was
organized in 1705 and at Hopewell at about the same time. The records of this
church are still to be found, and in Randolph's History of the Seventh Day
Baptists it is also mentioned as one of the early Sabbatarian churches in this
country. It was the Shrewsbury, N. J., church that went westward and settled
in Salem, W. Va., in 1789. It was called New Salem, Va., then and is now
Salem, W. Va. At this time there were churches organized at Lost Creek, W. Va.,
and at South Fork of Hughes River, W. Va.
Between the years 1845 and 1860 State conferences were formed and started
functioning in Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan,
New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and other States. Two gospel
tents were paid for and operated in the State of Iowa in evangelical meetings and
tents were also in operation in other State conferences during the summer months.
In the year 1861 a general conference convened at Battle Creek, Mich., and
voted to change the name, adopting the name Seventh-day Adventist, for various
reasons set forth by Mrs. E. G. White, a supposed prophetess of the denomination.
Because of the undaunted faith in the leadership of their prophetess, many of
their leaders recommended the change in all parts of the country and the great
majority of the ministers followed the decision of the church, but there was a
remnant who refused to sanction this name in the place of the Scriptural name,
"Church of God" mentioned just 12 times in the New Testament. Consequently
they called an assembly at Battle Creek, Mich., the following year and launched
a paper called the Remnant of Israel, printed monthly. This was later changed
to a weekly and the name changed to the Sabbath Advocate, and later to The
Bible Advocate, which is the present name of the publication. The church head-
quarters were transferred from Battle Creek, Mich., to Marion, Iowa, and the
paper issued from there for a number of years, then it was moved to Stanberry,
Mo. The name was changed from Sabbath Advocate to The Bible Advocate since
being printed at Stanberry, Mo.
The reorganization. — In the fall a general meeting was called of many ministers
and leaders of the church to consider a reorganization of the body patterning it
more in accordance with the Bible organization. The meeting was called to
convene at Salem, W. Va., on November 4, 1933. Ministers and local elders of
congregations in many parts of the world were invited to attend or submit names
of ministers favoring the reorganization policy, and consequently there were 145
names submitted together with the company assembled. These names were used
in choosing officers, respectively, for the different offices according to the Scrip-
tural organization. There were 12 men chosen as spiritual leaders, known as
apostles (I Cor. 12: 28), and 70 for the elders, and then 7 business stewards
(Acts 6: 1 to 6).
It was unanimously voted at this gathering to move our world headquarters to
Jerusalem, Palestine, and all foreign fields to consider this the world headquarters,
as a work had previously been started at Jerusalem.
DOCTRINE
The doctrine of this body shall in all cases be according to the Holy Bible, and
inasmuch as the Scriptures clearly teach the following points of doctrine, the
same are listed as essentials of our faith : The Bible is inspired as no other writing
is, and is complete, infallible, and expresses God's will to man; Jehovah alone is
God, the Creator of the heaven, earth, the sea, and all therein ; Jesus of Nazareth
was the only begotten Son of God, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the
Virgin Mary, and is our Lord, Savior, and Redeemer; Jesus proved his Messiahship
by remaining in the tomb exactly 3 days and 3 nights, rising in the end of the
Sabbath; the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, which abides in the believer; Satan
is a personality and is an adversary of God and the children of God; man was
created perfect originally, but through disobedience fell, bringing imperfection,
death, and God's wrath upon mankind; the Christian's life must be patterned
after the example of the perfect man Christ Jesus; the inspired Bible name for
God's called put assembly is the ' 'Church of God"; the apostolic organization and
government is the only one taught in the Bible for the Church of God; experi-
mental religion, or religion personally experienced by the one regenerated by its
power, is the only safe one to trust in; repentance must be preached; conversion
is essential to salvation; sanctifi cation is commanded for the people of God;
immersion is for the remission of sins; there is efficacy in the prayer of the right-
CHURCH OF GOD (SALEM, W. VA.) 425
eous; prayer and anointing will save the sick; laying on of hands is to be practiced;
the Lord's Supper is to be observed annually, on the beginning of the Passover,
the 14th of Nisan, and after the example of Jesus; we ought to wash one another's
feet; we should observe the seventh day of the week, from even to even, as the
Sabbath of the Lord; the paying of the tithe of all increase is a continued obliga-
tion; all carnal warfare, and the participation therein, is condemned; the law of
the clean and unclean is still to be observed in this age; the habitual use of intoxi-
cating liquors, alcoholic stimulants, narcotics, tobacco, and any habit-forming
drug, is condemned; the perfection and continuality of the law of God, the Ten
Commandments, should be taught; sin is the transgression of the law; justifica-
tion from sin is through Christ alone; the return of Jesus Christ will be literal,
visible, personal, and is imminent; the throne of David will be established at
Jerusalem in the person of Jesus Christ; the institution of the kingdom of heaven
is at the return of Jesus; judgment is upon the house of God during the gospel
age; the righteous are resurrected and rewarded at the coming of Jesus; the meek
shall inherit the earth and dwell therein forever; there shall be a final regather-
ing of the dispersed nation of fleshly Israel; the dead are unconscious; the wicked
dead are resurrected to final judgment, and not to probation; the wicked are
eternally destroyed; the third angel's message is a present-day message, and will
continue to the advent of Jesus; and the seven last plagues are literal, and fall
at the termination of this gospel age.
ORGANIZATION
This body retains the apostolic form of the primitive church and consists of:
The Twelve, The Seventy, The Seven, the elders, the overseers, the helpers, and
the disciples.
The Twelve have the oversight over the body of believers as a whole; The
Seventy give themselves to the evangelistic ministry of the Word; The Seven
have general oversight and management of the business of the church; the elders
give themselves to the ministry of the Word and to prayers; the overseer under
the supervision of The Twelve has general care over the church as a whole and
has assistant overseers to care for the affairs of the church in States, territories,
or various countries, as the need may require; the helpers give themselves to the
advancement of the work and the truth, as the Lord has given them talents and
opportunities; and the disciples give themselves wholly into the Lord's hands
to use as He will.
(TOMIINSON) CHURCH OF GOD
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the (Tomlinson) Church of God for the year 1936
is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of persons who accept the Bible
as the Word of God and promise to follow the discipline of the church.
This body was not reported prior to 1936, hence no comparative data are
available.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN UKBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churciies (local organizations), number ,.
441
18, 351
42
6,051
12, 140
150
49.9
823
17, 508
20
4,5
239
226
$410, 559
$376, 648
$33, 911
$1, 817
68
$104, 229
112
51
40
$41, 400
391
$179, 268
$86, 143
$7,472
$12,961
$17, 362
$19, 840
$3, 684
$7,569
$6, 017
$11, 301
$6,919
$458
352
2,536
17,083
142
7,759
55
2,535
5,184
40
48.9
505
7,234
20
6.5
77
73
$207, 503
$180, 552
$26, 951
$2, 843
34
$39, 735
26
20
16
$19, 650
127
$97, 388
$45, 675
$4, 629
$8,194
$8,398
$12, 714
$2, 764
$2, 944
$2, 981
$5, 517
$3, 572
$767
118
1,006
7,810
299
10, 592
35
3,526
6,956
110
50.7
318
10, 274
32.2
42.3
67.8
57,7
Members, number ._ „
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male „_ -. .
41.8
42.7
26.7
58.2
57.3
73.3
Female _.
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females - - -
Membership by age:
Under 13 years - ---
61.4
41.3
38.6
58.7
13 years and over - - _*.—
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 2
3.0
162
153
$203, 056
$196, 096
$6, 960
$1, 327
34
$64,494
86
31
24
$21, 750
264
$81,880
$40,468
$2,843
$4,767
$8,964
$7, 126
$920
$4,625
$3,036
$5, 784
$3. 347
$310
234
1,530
9. 273
Church, edifices, number
32 2
32 3
50 5
47 9
79 5
67 8
67.7
49.5
52.1
20.5
Value — number reporting
Amount reported _ _ _
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or m part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
38.1
23.2
61.9
76.8
Number reporting "no debt" - - —
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported - - -
47.5
32.5
54.3
53 0
62 0
63.2
48.4
64.1
75.0
38.9
49 5
48 8
51.6
52.5
67.5
45.7
47.0
38.0
36.8
51.6
35.9
25.0
61.1
50.5
51.2
48.4
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number ..
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries .
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest . .
AH other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc- .
Home missions . ,
Foreign missions _
To genera! headquarters for distribution,.
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
33.5
39.7
45 7
66.5
60.3
54 3
Officers and teachers
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based OB membership with age classification reported.
426
(TOMMNSO-N) CHURCH 01! GOD
427
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
5
24
164
11
38
240
1
1
4
3
15
122
3
13
44
2
9
42
8
25
196
1
1
4
Officers and teachers
Scholars .
74 4
25.6
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number. -. _
Officers and teachers _ _ _
Scholars ..
18.3
8L7
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for 1936 for the
(Tomlinson) Church of God by States. Table 2 gives for each State the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, and membership classified by sex. Table 3 gives the number and
membership of the churches, the membership classified as "under 13 years
of age" and "13 years of age and over," and data for Sunday schools.
Table 4 shows the value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on
church edifices. Table 5 presents the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing
the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 4
and 5 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
TABLE 2* — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, AND MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BT SEX
To-
tal
Ur-
ban
Ru-
ral
Total
TJrban
Rural
Male
Fe-
male
Sex
not re-
ported
Males
per 100
females1
United States
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
441
142
2
1
1
5
5
4
1
3
""""§"
4
299
18,351
7,759
10, 592
6,061
12, 140
150
49.9
4
1
9
6
7
4
1
3
2
3
18
2
4
2
._....
1
2
2
1,455
14
337
282
281
185
45
129
61
100
599
38
71
94
50
L205
24
14
39
248
255
185
45
129
1,431
606
5
126
107
101
46
22
53
26
24
223
21
33
32
15
334
849
9
211
175
180
139
23
76
35
76
376
17
38
62
35
871
71.4
New Jersey
P ennsyl vania
298
34
26
59.7
61.1
56.1
33.1
BAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
61
Iowa
100
118
Missouri
14
2
4
§5"
481
38
71
59.3
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
3
1
38
3
1
8
94
50
411
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Virginia-
794
38 §
* Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
428
OF REOG-IODS BODIES, 1930
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, AND MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
GEOGKAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHUKCHES
NUMBEE OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
To-
tal
Ur-
ban
Ru-
ral
Total
Urban
Rural
Male
Fe-
male
Sex
not re-
ported
Males
per 100
females1
SOUTH ATLANTIC—COD.
West Virginia
15
38
8
44
18
37
40
15
32
20
6
12
26
2
11
3
3
2
1
2
2
18
5
18
8
8
10
5
6
13
20
3
26
10
29
30
10
26
20
3
22
2
11
440
1, 171
767
2,045
696
1,878
2,172
497
1,200
384
226
513
627
34
330
265
44
24
7
85
41
628
715
1,219
445
825
1,071
183
111
399
543
52
826
251
1,053
i,iai
31*4
1,089
384
107
302
551
34
330
90
345
238
672
233
612
715
152
409
117
6,5
151
210
11
116
90
20
4
1
36
274
794
529
1,373
463
1,264
1,457
345
791
267
121
362
417
23
214
175
24
20
6
49
76
32
32 8
43 5
45 0
48.9
50.3
48.4
49.1
44.1
51.7
43. R
53.7
41.7
50.4
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTKAL-
Kentucky
2
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
3
5
4
119
211
76
40
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
Wyoming
54 2
51.4
Colorado
3
2
1
1
2
265
39
7
7
85
New IVEexico
1
1
5
17
Arizona
PACIFIC:
Orsgon
0 alif ornia
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number of
churches
Num-
ber of
mem-
bers
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Under
13 years
13 years
and
over
Age not
re-
ported
Percent
under
13i
Churches
reporting
Officers
and
teachers
Schol-
ars
United States
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York,,
441
18,351
823
17, 508
20
4.5
352
2,536
17, 083
4
1
9
6
7
4
1
3
2
8
18
2
4
3
1
38
15
38
8
44
18
1,455
14
837
282
281
185
45
129
61
100
599
38
71
94
50
1,205
440
1,171
767
2,045
696
12
1,443
14
314
275
246
184
44
117
60
93
579
38
65
94
50
1,165
425
1,136
736
1,913
692
.8
3
1
9
6
4
2
1
3
2
3
13
2
3
3
1
32
10
31
6
36
16
18
4
71
58
28
17
8
29
11
20
102
10
19
18
8
221
65
225
58
274
124
125
11
420
364
340
140
45
70
88
151
642
70
89
88
80
1,795
407
1,459
910
1,822
708
New Jersey. _
Pennsylvania
EAST NOETH CENTRAL.
Ohio
23
7
35
1
12
1
7
20
6.8
2.5
12.5
.5
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
9 3
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
7.0
3 3
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska _„ __
6
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Virginia.--
40
15
35
31
132
4
3.3
3.4
3.0
4.0
6.5
.6
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
i Based on'membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
(TOMLINSON) CHURCH OF GOD
429
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHUECHES, MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936— Continued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number of
churches
Num-
ber of
mem-
bers
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Under
13 years
13 years
and
over
Age not
re-
ported
Percent
under
13i
Churches
reporting
Officers
and
teachers
Schol-
ars
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
37
40
15
32
20
6
12
26
2
11
3
3
2
1
2
1,878
2,172
497
1,200
384
226
513
627
34
330
265
44
24
7
85
176
55
15
39
20
3
8
31
1,702
2,097
482
1,161
364
223
505
596
34
307
200
43
23
5
83
9.4
2.6
3:0
3.3
5 2
1 3
1.6
4.9
25
38
9
25
15
5
10
20
2
9
2
2
1
178
282
65
158
100
33
72
126
15
60
26
12
7
1,485
1,989
381
880
425
191
442
620
59
250
350
60
42
Tennessee
20
Alabama.-.
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL.
Arkansas __
Louisiana..
Oklahoma
Texas _
MOUNTAIN"
Idaho
Wyoming
23
65
1
1
2
2
7.0
24 5
Colorado . _.
New Mexico
Arizona
PACIFTC:
Oregon
California
2
14
85
i Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
TABLE 4=. — VALTTE OP CHURCHES AND PAESONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
Total
number
Num-
ber of
VALUE OI
EDIF
CHURCH
ICES
DEBT ON
EDIF
CHURCH
[CES
VALU
PARS01
E OP
?AGES
AND STATE
of
churches
church
edifices
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States _
441
239
226
S410, 559
68
$104, 229
40
$41,400
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
9
4
4
5 200
2
S©3
1
(i)
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
18
8
8
3,650
2
675
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
38
22
22
21 575
3
302
North Carolina
South Carolina
38
8
19
4
19
4
21, 775
29. 500
9
2
2,477
2,095
3
2
3,050
(i)
Georgia
44
35
34
3Q, 578
11
5,354
9
16, 500
Florida
18
13
13
19, 700
3
991
4
4,450
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
37
20
19
19, 591
3
1,713
Tennessee
40
25
22
48 402
8
17, 246
5
1,300
Alabama
15
8
7
6,425
1
612
1
o5
Mississippi
32
22
20
9,325
1
150
1
0)
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
20
10
8
1.295
1
19
2
(l)
[Louisiana
6
4
4
2,700
1
C1)
Oklahoma
12
7
7
6,000
3
894
4
1,150
Texas
26
9
9
3,275
2
388
1
0
MOUNTAIN:
Wyoming
11
9
8
11, 260
5
1,720
1
(1)
Other States
69
20
218
170, 308
12
68, 730
5
14,950
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
2 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— New York, Indiana, Illinois, "West Virginia, and
Colorado; and 1 in each of the folio wing— Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, Maryland,
Idaho* and Arizona.
430
OEOSPSlUBi OF KESLIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — CHURCH EXPENDITTJKES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
El
CPENDITUR]
33
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
number
of
churches
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
United States _
441
391
S179, 268
S86, 143
S7, 4=72
S12, 961
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York _
4
3
7,335
87
10
Pennsylvania _ „„_ .„ _ , _ _
9
9
4,037
2,354
156
115
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
6
5
4,739
1,741
519
Indiana
7
5
2,519
808
80
57
Illinois
4
4
3,706
2,250
111
300
Wisconsin - -
3
3
535
67
WEST NOETH CENTRAL:
Iowa „ --
3
3
558
152
25
Missouri
18
16
4,679
2,556
55
139
Soiith Dakota
4
4
841
508
34
40
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
38
37
15, 136
8,659
294
1,025
West Virginia
15
11
2,726
1,188
60
60
North Carolina .., _
38
34
13, 550
7,148
573
1,579
South Carolina -
8
8
16, 894
6,465
340
597
Georgia
44
41
20, 821
12, 636
882
519
Florida
18
15
11, 328
5,086
1,652
2,418
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
37
33
10, 521
5,368
449
1,131
Tennessee _ ._ _ .__
40
37
19, 736
9,600
973
1,623
Alabama
15
12
3,362
1,913
348
Mississippi
32
27
6,005
3,019
95
975
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
20
15
1,995
649
43
230
Louisiana __ _ --„_ _ ...
6
5
1,142
555
111
145
Oklahoma
12
12
3, 766
2,317
75
40
Teias
26
21
5,960
2,044
8
97
MOUNTAIN:
Wyoming
11
10
4 734
2,776
162
150
New Mexico _. - - -
3
3
451
119
Other States
20
* 18
12 192
6,145
800
1,271
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Idaho,
Colorado, Arizona, and California; and 1 in each of the following — New Jersey, Michigan, Maryland, and
Oregon.
(T'OMLINSON) CHURCH OF GOD
431
TABLE 5. — CHUKCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
EXPEND
[TUBES— CO
ntinued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local re-
lief and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
$17 862
819 840
$3, 684
$7, 569
$6, 017
§11,301
$8, 919
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
3 000
3 223
100
280
280
355
Pennsylvania
452
253
12
166
122
313
94
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
1 488
236
178
350
227
Indiana
1,348
23
23
170
10
Illinois
75
564
10
210
16
121
49
Wisconsin . ._
140
157
5
143
23
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
38
132
30
30
31
120
Missouri
536
444
2
229
230
359
129
South Dakota
78
54
6
55
37
27
2
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
397
1,074
200
892
526
1,213
856
West Virginia
630
304
5
75
84
207
113
North Carolina
1,750
910
158
249
228
544
411
South Carolina _. __
1,950
2,337
1,325
387
1,171
1,308
1,014
Georgia
2,708
1,054
562
911
537
672
340
Florida . .
267
1,003
114
98
73
314
303
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
99
774
200
782
326
933
459
Tennessee^ __._ _.__
1,850
1,874
212
546
531
1,324
1,203
Alabama
378
382
53
39
140
68
41
Mississippi
55
42
35
537
379
543
325
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
226
94
70
211
217
127
128
Louisiana
29
14
82
82
89
35
Oklahoma
405
186
60
118
128
299
138
Texas
1,375
572
123
592
114
826
209
MOUNTAIN:
Wyoming
538
33
64
376
186
307
142
New Mexico
66
5
4
23
41
193
Other Slates
555
1,460
354
284
351
617
355
432 CELSIUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
HISTORY AND DOCTRINE
To distinguish this Church of God from others of a similar name it has been
the custom of this body to add the name of the general overseer to the title,
thus — (Tomlinson) Church of God. The name of the general overseer is no part of
the name of the church and the name of the church remains as the Bible gives
it — Church of God.
There are no creeds connected with the (Tomlinson) Church of God, but only
the whole Bible, rightly divided, with the New Testament as the only rule of
faith and practice. This principle was followed until the year 1922, when a
division occurred in the Church of God as a result of an attempt to abrogate the
constitution which had been adopted in 1921. This division was very grievous
to all concerned, and loyal members discarded the constitution and continued
with the original principles and government. Since that time the growth of
the body holding to the original doctrine, faith, and practice has been quite
healthy and successful.
ORGANIZATION
A General Assembly was called in 1906 to correspond with the early Church
Assembly at Jerusalem. It has been the practice to hold an annual assembly
and feast ever since that time. These feasts, which continue for 7 days, are
held in Cleveland, Tenn., and many members from foreign countries attend, as
well as persons from nearly every State in the United States.
According to the latest estimates there are 177 bishops, 163 deacons, 707 male
evangelists, and 467 female evangelists, and approximately 1,000 local churches.
The purpose of this organization is the spread of the glorious gospel of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, to every creature in the whole wide world, and fulfill the
prophecies of Scripture for the last days, and make special preparation for the
return of the same Christ who went away while His followers watched as He
ascended. Then will come the fulfillment of the story of the angels who sang
at His birth — "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward
men." Luke 2: 14.
* This statement was prepared from information furnished by A. J. Tomlinson, general overseer, (Tom
linson) Churah of God, Cleveland, Tenn.
CHURCH OF GOD AND OF CHRIST
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of God and Saints of Christ for the
year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these
figures between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from
schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual
churches and the data relate to these churches only.
In this denomination persons are admitted to membership in the local churches
upon profession of faith and baptism by immersion.
TABLE I. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Church.es (local organizations), number
213
37, 084
174 <
14, 026
23, 058
60.8
10, 373
26, 711
28 0
79
78
$544, 270
$499, 270
$45, 000
$6, 978
17
$104, 300
11
35
33
$88,400
213
$363, 049
$166, 744
$31, 917
$18, 506
$21,706
$26,826
$28,271
$6, 758
$1, 127
$43, 012
$18, 182
$1,704
211
1,385
17, 356
1
5
103
184
35, 001
190
13, 220
21,781
60.7
9,743
25, 258
27.8
76
75
$527, 520
$492, 520
$35, 000
$7, 034
17
$104, 300
32
30
$76, 350
184
$300, 006
$150, 361
$28, 650
$16, 506
$13, 671
$22,745
$17, 940
$5,845
$827
$26,450
$17, Oil
$1, 630
183
1,208
15, 612
29
2,083
72
806
1,277
63.1
630
1,453
30.2
3
3
$16, 750
$6, 750
$10, 000
$5, 583
86.4
94.4
13.6
5.6
Members, number-
Average membership per Ghiirch
Membership by sex:
Male
94.3
94.5
5.7
5.5
Female
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years.— _ __ _ . _
93.9
946
6.1
5.4
13 years and over
Percent under 13 years
Church edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
96.9
98.6
77.8
3.1
1.4
22.2
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or m part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
A'rnou'nt reported.
100.0
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number
3
3
$12, 050
29
$63, 043
$16, 383
$3,267
$2,000
$8,035
$4,081
$10,331
$913
$300
$16, 562
$1,171
$2, 174
28
177
1,744
1
5
103
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
86.4
86.4
82 6
90.2
89.8
89.2
63.0
84.8
63.5
86.5
73.4
61.5
93.6
13.6
13.6
17.4
9.8
10.2
10.8
37.0
15.2
36.5
13.5
26.6
38.5
6.4
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number .
Amount reported „„ ,.
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries- -
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest . . „ _
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc.—
"Home missions
Foreign missions -
To general headquarters for distribution. _
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches report! ti^, "number __ __,„,,
86.7
87.2
90.0
13.3
12.8
10.0
Officers and^eacher's
Scholars
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting" number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
100.0
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
433
434
CEN'SiU'S CKF RELIGIOUS BODIES., 193(5
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics for the Church of God and Saints
of Christ for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number. _
213
112
92
48
Increase over preceding census:
Number
101
20
44
Percent 1
90.2
Members* number
37, 084
6,741
3,311
1,823
Increase over preceding census:
Number
30, 343
3,430
1,488
Percent
450.1
103.6
81.6
Average membership per church
174
60
36
38
Clmrcli edifices, number - - _„
79
49
37
1
Value — number reporting
78
48
26
I
Amount reported
$544, 270
$149, 210
$43, 746
$6, 000
Average value per church
$6, 978
$3, 109
$1, 683
$6, 000
Debt — number reporting _ .
17
20
12
Amount reported _ . _~ ,
$104, 300
$30, 219
$11, 754
Parsonages, number ,_ „.».... „., «,
33
Value — number reporting- . .
33
23
Amount reported _ _. _
$88, 400
$68, 450
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
213
100
45
Amount reported .. _
$363, 049
$137, 345
$18, 674
Pastors' salaries.-
$166, 744
All other salaries.
$31, 917
Repairs and improvements
$18, 506
> $76, 414
$14, 522
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest...
Local relief and chanty, Red Cross, etc
$21, 706
$26, 826
$28, 271
Home missions
$6, 758
Foreign missions.. ._ .
$1, 127
> $53, 917
$4, 152
To general headquarters for distribution _
$43, 012
All other purposes . _
$18, 182
Not classified ._ ,._ . _>_
$7, 014
Average expenditure per church _.__.„
$1, 704
$1, 373
$415
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number.
211
67
57
1
Officers and teachers
1 385
303
257
6
Scholars
17, 356
2,010
1 526
150
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Church of God
and Saints of Christ by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban
or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools.
Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches
for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936
classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5
shows the value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church
edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing
separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to
avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presenta-
tion in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches
reported value and expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each district in the Church of
God and Saints of Christ, the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by
States in the preceding tables, including number of churches, membership, value
and debt on church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
CHURCH OF GOD AND SAINTS OF CHRIST
435
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
I
fl
03
»Q
£
1
3
«
3
o
1
P
1
«
•i
s
«0
£
Males per 100
females l
Churches re-
porting
T3
1*
Scholars
United States
213
184
29
37, 084
35, 001
2,083
14, 026
23, 058
60 8
211
1,385
17, 356
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts ._
5
3
7
26
19
23
13
3
3
3
2
S
9
2
9
1
30
7
27
1
5
4
3
2
1
1
5
3
7
25
18
21
13
3
3
3
1
3
8
2
6
1
19
7
19
1
4
4
3
2
1
1
704
710
697
6,366
3,421
7,644
1,879
275
620
458
61
355
456
260
495
1,500
6,808
406
2,817
30
430
328
90
119
70
40
45
704
710
697
6,291
3,381
7,525
1,879
275
620
458
26
355
405
260
391
1,500
5,576
406
2,435
30
385
328
90
119
70
40
45
232
186
237
2,107
1,256
3,248
614
128
247
210
27
124
168
85
200
642
2,514
119
1,230
20
159
150
39
39
25
10
10
472
524
460
4,259
2,165
4,396
1,265
147
373
248
34
231
288
175
295
858
4,294
287
1,587
10
271
178
51
80
45
30
35
49.2
35.5
51.5
49 5
58 0
73 9
48.5
87.1
66.2
84.7
5
3
7
26
19
23
13
3
3
3
2
3
9
2
8
1
29
7
27
1
5
4
3
2
1
1
1
34
25
47
189
126
154
82
18
22
23
10
19
52
15
48
11
190
43
162
7
31
29
17
12
6
6
7
182
250
316
3, 574
1,418
3,573
951
170
122
195
38
335
325
210
282
300
2,801
302
1,230
25
248
213
82
94
50
35
35
Rhode Island -
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1
1
2
75
40
119
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio.. _ .
Indiana
Illinois
....
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
1
35
Missouri
53 7
58 3
48.6
67.8
74 8
58 5
41.5
77.5
Kansas
1
""§"
"II"
""§"
"I"
51
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware __
Maryland
104
i~232~
District of Columbia
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
382
South Carolina
Georgia
45
58 7
84 3
Florida .
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
....
Alabama
MOUNTAIN:
Utah
PACIFIC:
California
1
1
....
i Batio not shown where number of females is less than 100
275318—41-
-29
436
TABLE
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEN'SUJ'S OF EEfLIGIOUS BODIEIS, 1936
1. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936,
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STAfE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER, OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
AGE, 1936
1936
1936
1016
190G
1036
1936
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Per-
cent
un-
der
13
United States
213
112
92
48
37, 084
6,741
3,311
1,823
10, 373
105
112
170
1,634
976
2,514
328
60
206
127
106
142
168
1,805
82
967
114
83
19
655
26, 711
28 0
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
5
3
7
26
19
23
13
3
3
2
2
704
710
697
6,366
3,421
7,644
1,879
275
620
458
355
456
495
6,808
406
2,817
430
328
90
2,125
188
76
202
599
598
527
4,732
2,445
5,130
1, 551
215
414
331
249
314
327
5,003
324
1,850
316
245
71
1,470
14 9
15 8
24 4
25 7
28 5
32 9
17 5
21 8
33 2
27 7
29 9
31. 1
33.9
26.5
20 2
34.3
26 5
25 3
(0
30.8
Rhode Island
Connecticut
6
13
7
6
8
5
16
8
9
3
4
7
5
5
381
711
458
472
356
145
473
245
603
44
42
102
263
548
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey ______
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL-
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
3
Michigan
3
WEST NOETH CENTRAL-
Missouri
3
9
9
30
7
27
5
4
Kansas
3
6
19
5
14
4
2
3
17
2
11
3
2
10
47
255
1,298
182
692
392
56
82
439
86
301
174
78
44
260
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Virginia
West Virginia . -
North Carolina
2
2
32
32
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Kentucky
3
Other States
211
18
10
6
1,309
587
230
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States — Iowa, Delaware, and Tennessee; and 1 in each of
the following States— South Carolina, Alabama, Utah, and California, and the District of Columbia.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OP CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number of
churches
Number
of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAB-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
Massachusetts
213
79
78
$544, 270
17
$104, 300
33
$88,400
26
19
23
13
9
9
30
27
5
3
44
3
10
9
4
6
4
6
10
8
4
3
12
3
10
8
4
6
4
6
10
8
4
3
312
12, 700
101, 000
84, 920
54, 500
37, 500
7,300
10, 750
72, 200
19,800
7,400
5,000
131. 200
1
4
1
2
3
2
2
4
5
1
1
7
15,000
0)
0)
7,300
0)
(0
15, 800
5,900
C1)
(0
44.400
New York
1
3
1
2
17, 000
45, 890
25, 000
1,560
Nfiw Jersey
Pennsylvania _.
Ohio
Kansas . -
Maryland
Virginia _
North Carolina
5
2,850
Georgia
Kentucky
Other States
5
12. 000
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
2 Includes 2 churches each in the States of Connecticut and Indiana; and 1 in each of the following —
Rhode Island, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, Florida, West Virginia, Tennessee, and the District of Columbia.
CHURCH OF GOD AND SAINTS OF CHRIST
437
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
United States
213
213
$363, 049
$166, 744
831,917
818, 506
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts _
5
3
7
26
19
23
13
3
3
3
3
9
9
30
7
27
5
4
3
11
5
3
7
26
19
23
13
3
3
3
3
9
9
30
7
27
5
4
3
i 11
10, 090
8,180
11, 088
57, 600
33, 912
34, 966
22, 417
6,807
7,664
4,264
2,071
7,057
9,755
83, 973
7,156
21, 177
4,689
10, 575
1, 480
18, 128
5, 445
4,400
4,945
30, 800
15, 240
15, 297
11, 825
3,930
2,975
2,500
1,625
4,350
6,029
25, 051
3, 425
13, 147
3,150
3,450
675
8,485
606
1,104
960
7,233
2,087
2,432
2,417
1,179
1,800
595
1,100
500
800
1,003
2,560
2,765
440
Rhode Island
Connecticut _ ______
MIDDLE ATLANTIC.
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio .. __ --_
Indiana-- ._
Illinois
400
Michigan .
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri.-
Kansas
827
466
5,441
400
1,322
276
660
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland _ __
Virginia __ _ -'.
5,000
582
654
102
2,000
West Virginia . _ .
North Carolina _ __
Georgia __
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky. _
Other States
2,112
600
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local re-
lief and
chanty
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All
other
purposes
United States
$21, 706
$26, 826
$28, 271
$6, 758
81, 127
843,012
$18, 182
NEW ENGLAND-
Massachusetts _ _ _
20
1,000
1,300
2,750
5,040
805
140
1,650
2,633
3,289
3,862
2,481
640
1,010
358
210
240
658
5,539
759
818
279
265
610
580
975
22
656
3,593
1,227
1,132
1,700
438
297
368
45
365
133
11, 376
331
874
170
3,045
33
1,491
163
90
103
1,571
308
908
378
77
117
95
50
334
145
1,172
100
445
143
127
25
407
573
150
209
5,478
1,990
5,557
2,030
165
165
241
71
791
1,092
19, 764
253
1,451
439
290
65
2,238
403
774
465
2,539
2,171
2,186
1,095
378
900
107
70
110
1,047
2,180
500
921
130
638
47
1,515
Rhode Island
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York __
New Jersey - . -
Pennsylvania
827
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
51
Indiana
Illinois _
Michigan „_
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
Kansas -_
40
185
8,150
800
1,545
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Virginia _
300
West Virginia
North Carolina
Georgia _
Florida
100
25
700
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Other States
1 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Iowa, Delaware, and Tennessee; and 1 in each of
the following— -South Carolina, Alabama, Utah, California, and the District of Columbia.
438
CE-N'SIU'S OF BiEILIOIOITS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES. AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY DISTRICTS,
1936
o
t-t
03
•OR
1
rQ
a
s>
VALUE OF
CHTJKCH EDI-
FICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH EDI-
FICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
ri£
a
,
DISTRICT
a&
"o
*»
5-
>
2«
•^
S3
SI
G
l£
"3
£$
p
oS
XJ •£
t-»
03
,Q
So
D
2 o
a
g o
g
go
&
0
a
D
3 ft
fl
s
Oft
-E)
a
5a
a
3 ft
-a
0
c-i
z
0
«}
O
<i
O
•<
O
v>
Total
213
37, 084
78
$544, 270
17
S104, 300
213
$363, 049
211
17,356
Eastern
108
23, 879
41
394,870
11
100, 150
108
203, 112
107
lCl89
Southern -- .-
85
11, 198
29
112, 100
6
4,150
85
135,262
84
5,122
Western
20
2,007
8
37, 300
20
24, 675
20
1,045
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
In the latter part of the year 1896 William S. Crowdy, a Negro employed on the
Santa Fe Railroad as a cook,, claimed to have a vision from God, calling him to
lead his people to the true religion and giving him prophetic endowment. He
immediately gave up his employment, leaving his home in Guthrie, Okla., went
into Kansas, and soon after organized the Church of God and Saints of Christ,
November 1896, at Lawrence, Kans. At first only a few persons joined him, but
the numbers increased rapidly. In 1900 the headquarters were removed to
Philadelphia, Pa. He was appointed bishop of the new body, and a white man
who was associated with him was subsequently raised to the same office.
In September 1900 the first annual assembly convened, officers were appointed,
the church constitution drawn and adopted, and the Daughters of Jerusalem and
Sisters of Mercy organized, and its constitution approved. The districts were
made.
In 1904 the general officers' ranks were completed, naming Bishop Albert
Christian to the African Continent, as its presiding bishop. Under his guidance
thousands joined and the church prospered. At his death his successor. Bishop
John M. Sykenia, was called to the African post.
During the Passover session of 1906 the founder, Prophet William S. Crowdy,
named the following: Chief Evangelist, Joseph W. Crowdy as chief speaker over
all pulpits; Evangelist, William H. Plummer; Grand Father Abraham, general
business manager of said church; also, Elder Calvin S. Skinner, counsellor of the
said body; giving them full authority to act at all times as designated.
In the summer of 1908 William S. Crowdy died, leaving those here mentioned
to assume leadership in the order named.
Joseph W. Crowdy and William H. Plummer were ordained to the bishopric
by the presbytery, at the district annual assembly held at Washington, D. C., in
1909. The following year, James W. Brent and Thomas C. Person were elevated
to the bishopric of the Southern and Western districts, respectively. Joseph W.
Crowdy was a successful leader from August 1908 to January 1917, when death
claimed him.
His successor, Bishop William H. Plummer, being a business man, was successful
in the redemption of the church's lands at Belleville, Va. (This land was first
purchased by the founder as early as 1902.) Headquarters were moved to Belle-
ville in 1917. Bishop Plummer enjoyed a large following, with churches reaching
from coast to coast. He established churches in the West Indies Islands with
Evangelist H. L. Chase as their overseer, while the African churches were guided
by Evangelist Matashaka as their overseer.
Elder Calvin S. Skinner followed in the procession of leaders in December 1931
when Bishop William H. Plummer passed from this life at Belleville, Va. Elder
1 This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Bishop H. Z. Plummer, of the Church of God and Saints of Christ, and
approved by him in its present form.
CHURCH OF GOD AND SAINTS' OF CHRIST 439
Calvin S. Skinner held the coveted position but a very short time, being the last
one named by the founder. He appointed and acclaimed Elder Howard Z.
Plumper cardinal head and leader of the said church to fill all the offices and
granting him all authority given his predecessor, Bishop William H. Plummer,
by the founder, Prophet William S. Crowdy. Elder Calvin S. Skinner held the
leadership from December 1931 to February 1932, when he passed from this life.
Bishop H. Z. Plummer, the present head and leader, is active in all walks of life
to bring the ideals set forth by his predecessors and founder of the church to a
glorious success; he is ever alert, looking forward to the advancement of the work,
being guided by the divine hand. He has broadened the social status of the
body and has added two to the bishopric, namely, August M. Crowdy, the son of
the late founder, Prophet William S. Crowdy; and Howard L. Chase as bishop,
with the West Indies and South America as his diocese.
DOCTRINE
Preamble: We, the Church of God and Saints of Christ of the United States and
its jurisdiction, do declare all persons as members of the Church of God, after
having repented of their sins and being baptized by burial into the water upon
confession of faith in Christ Jesus, and having received the unleavened bread and
water for Christ's body and blood, their feet washed by the elder, as written in
St. John 13: 1-23, having agreed to keep the Ten Commandments and having
been breathed upon with a holy kiss, also being taught how to pray, as it is written
in Matt. 6: 9-13. We do try to perpetuate a union among the Saints of Christ
and maintain a correspondence with all other Churches of God and Saints of- Christ
throughout the United States and the whole world. We therefore purpose to
maintain and keep the Commandments of God and the sayings of Jesus, according
to the doctrine of the Bible.
Believing that the Negro race is descended from the 10 lost tribes of Israel,
the prophet taught that the Ten Commandments and a literal adherence to the
teachings of the Bible, including both the Old and the New Testaments, are
man's positive guides to salvation. In order, however, that the faithful may make
no mistake as to the commandments which they are to follow, a pamphlet has
been published by the church under the direction of the prophet, called the
"Seven Keys," which includes Bible references giving the authority for the
various customs and orders of the church. Among these customs are the observ-
ance of the Jewish calendar and feast days, especially the Jewish Sabbath, and
the use of the corresponding Hebrew names.
ORGANIZATION
The organization of the church centers in an executive board or council, called
a presbytery, consisting of 12 ordained elders and evangelists, whose duty it is
to look after the general business of the church. The prophet, who is presiding
officer both of the executive board and of the church, is not elected but holds his
position by virtue of a divine call. He is believed by his followers to be in direct
communication with the Deity, to utter prophecies by the will of God, and to
perform miracles. On his death the prophetic office lapses until a new vision
appears.
There are district annual and general assemblies, composed of the different
orders of the ministry, and including delegates from each local church or taber-
nacle. The ministerial order includes ministers not in full ordination, elders fully
ordained, evangelists (elders engaged in general missionary work), and bishops,
the last mentioned not exceeding four in number. The ministers hold office during
good behavior. The temporal affairs of the church are cared for by deacons under
general supervision of the assemblies. The Church of God and Saints of Christ is
the name of all local churches. They are designated in each State by tabernacle
numbers, the first one in the State, number one, the next number two and so on.
WORK
For the support of the ministry, including the prophet, tithes are collected
as well as freewill offerings, and the district assemblies are required to establish
storehouses for the tithes. From these storehouses groceries and other neces-
saries of life are sold to the members, the net receipts being used to supplement the
tithes contributed for the support of the ministers in the work.
The church is a strong advocate of temperance, refusing even to use wine in
the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. It allows marriage only within the circle
440 CEN'S'TT'S OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
of the faithful, except by special permit, and exercises a rigid censorship over all
printed matter, permitting only that to be used which receives the approval of
the publishing house, and referring the decision of all disputed points to the
Bible.
One of the main auxiliaries of the church is an organization known as the
Daughters of Jerusalem and Sisters of Mercy. It is the duty of this organization
to look out for straying members; to attend to the comforts and welfare of the
sick and needy and, as missionaries, to help forward the gospel; to devise plans
and assist in finding means to care for the orphans; and to attend to the comfort
and welfare of the members of sister churches of the organization, who may
chance to be visiting the place in which the tabernacle is located.
The church maintains a home at Belleville, Va., for aged widows and orphans
and the Belleville Industrial School (first time reporting in 1936), which are
supported and sponsored through contributions and freewill offerings. The
church, an advocate of humanitarian ism regardless of race or creed, encourages
endowments for the furtherance of the cause of humanity. The home was
first conceived in the mind of the founder, when a small tract of land was pur-
chased. Fitting so greatly, other tracts, which comprise nearly 850 acres, were pur-
chased by the late Bishop William H. Plummer in 1918, and the tract known as
Belleville came into prominence. Belleville is located in an agricultural region,
famous for its production of truck crops, and it is in close proximity to great
fields of cotton, peanuts, and other farm crops, as well as to the many and varied
industries centered in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Newport News, Va., and
other Hampton Roads communities.
Seeing the dire need of a school for the education of the orphan youth, Bishop
William H. Plummer shouldered the ardent task and incorporated the present
institution, known as the Belleville Industrial School. This institution is non-
sectarian, reaching forth to help those most in need of its graces. Its curriculum
at present reaches the junior high school. Plans have been drawn for its new
administrative, school, and dormitory buildings, with a class A high school as
its goal.
The Belleville Industrial School and Widows and Orphans Home, Incorporated,
is a private corporation, without capital stock, having been chartered and or-
ganized under the laws of the State of Virginia in 1921, with its principal office
located at Belleville, county of Nansemond, Va., and is managed by a board of
trustees consisting of 25 members.
The purpose of the corporation, as named in its certificate of incorporation,
is as follows:
1. To establish, own, conduct, and operate a school where students may ob-
tain, on such terms and in such manner as may be deemed advisable and per-
mitted by law, a general education and courses of instruction in agriculture,
business, trades, and professions.
2. To establish, own, conduct, and operate a widows and orphans home (or
homes) for the care, maintenance, and relief of indigent widows, orphans, and
other poor, needy, or homeless persons.
3. To acquire, take, hold, and own all such property, both real and personal,
including stocks and bonds of other corporations, as may be acquired by gift,
purchase, devise, or bequest, and use, operate, enjoy, and dispose of the same for
its benefit in such manner as may be deemed advisable and permitted by law.
4. To do any and all lawful acts and things whatsoever which may be incidental
to or necessary for the accomplishment of the purposes hereinbefore mentioned.
In conformity with our charter we are putting forth this special effort to raise
sufficient money to renovate our present buildings (18 in number) to pay off
pur indebtedness and to erect the new school building and four dormitories to
improve the condition of our institution. It is hoped that we will be sufficiently
successful to complete this program in 2 years, together with our regular budget.
This will enable us to extend the benefits offered by this institution to a greater
number of widows and orphans. Not only in the community where our institu-
tion is located, but in every State of the United States, we do propose to operate
a charitable agency in the interest of widows and orphans. A fund is to be
provided through the medium of solicitation, and a certain percentage of all
monies received in each State will be retained for widows and orphans of that
State wherein these collections are made.
Athletics are encouraged as in all noted institutions of learning for the develop-
ment of the youth. A seminary has been planned to follow in pursuit of uni-
versity degrees.
CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of God in Christ for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches'and the
data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of all persons who have pro-
fessed belief in the Gospel and have been accepted as members by the local
organizations.
TABLE 1. — SUMMAEY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN UEBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEKCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Church.es (local organizations), number _ -
772
31, 564
41
8,796
22, 504
264
39.1
2,710
25, 478
3,376
9.6
523
504
$1,453,128
$1, 188, 881
$264, 247
$2, 883
226
$288, 276
180
74
58
$63, 345
736
$392, 009
$153, 706
$15, 578
$35, 884
$55, 260
$69,084
$15, 488
$10, 116
$5, 320
$15, 890
$15, 683
$533
476
23,816
50
6,484
17, 068
264
38.0
1,996
19, 479
2,341
9.3
325
311
$1, 259, 649
$1, 023, 126
$236, 523
$4, 050
160
$258, 884
94
62
47
$57, 095
456
$327, 499
$124, 279
$12, 336
$28, 691
$50, 303
$60, 091
$13, 067
$8,965
$4, 566
$12, 157
$13,044
$718
296
7,748
26
2,312
5,436
61.7
75.5
38.3
24.5
Mftinhftrj?, nvimhft]* ,- - ,,,„, -,-,- ,-,.,„
A vftrftgfi Tn6Tnberp1"up per church
Membership by sex:
Male
73.7
75.8
100.0
26.3
24.2
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
42.5
714
5,999
1,035
10 6
198
193
$193, 479
$165, 755
$27, 724
$1,002
66
$29, 392
86
12
11
$6,250
280
$64, 510
$29, 427
$3,242
$7, 193
$4, 957
$8,993
$2,421
«$
$3,733
$2,639
$230
Membership by age:
Under 13 years -~
73.7
76.5
69.3
26 3
23.5
30.7
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years *
Church, edifices, number
62.1
61.7
86.7
86.1
89.5
37.9
38.3
13.3
13.9
10.5
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting .
71.2
89 8
52.2
8
90.1
62.0
83.5
80.9
79.2
80.0
91.0
87.0
84.4
88.6
85.8
76.5
83.2
28 8
10.2
47.8
n
9.0
38.0
16.5
19.1
20.8
20.0
9.0
13.0
15.6
11.4
14.2
23.5
16.8
Amount reported _-
Number reporting "no debt" - -
Parsonages, number - --»
Value — number reporting - - -
Amount reported
Expenditures:
Churches reporting number
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding inter-
est _ . - ._ _ _-
All other current expenses, including inter-
est
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc —
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution. .
All other purposes
Averaee expenditure per church
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
441
442
CEMU'S' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 1. —SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
Tn rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Sunday schools:
Churches reportin0" number
648
4,788
20, 770
18
68
321
98
518
2,258
402
3,292
15, Oil
9
35
206
62
356
1,573
246
1,496
5,759
9
33
115
36
162
685
62 0
68 8
72.3
(2)
(2)
64.2
0)
68 7
69.7
38 0
31 2
27.7
(2)
(2)
35.8
(2)
31, 3
30.3
Officers and teachers - .
Scholars .. . ... _
Summer vacation Bible schools:
Churches reporting, number --
Officers and teachers
Scholars _. -- -
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number - - - - -
Officers and. teachers
Scholars
* Percent not shown where base is less than^lOO.
Comparative data, 1936 and 1926. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for
comparison, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of God in Christ
for the census years 1938 and 1926.
TABLE 2. — COMPAKATIVE SUMMARY, 1936 AND 1926
ITEM
1936
1936
Clrurclies (local organizations), number
772
733
Increase over preceding census:
Number - _ - -
39
Percent
5.3
Members, number - , - -
31 564
30, 263
Increase over preceding census:
Number^ .. - •- .,- - -^ ™ ^,~ -- . » --- „ -„. ,
1,301
Percent
4 3
Average membership per church _ _ »
41
41
Church edifices, number -- - - -
523
531
Value — number reporting ._ . -... .
504
516
Amount reported
$1,453 128
$1 508,079
Average value per church _ __
$2, 883
$2, 923
Debt — number reporting - _ _ _ _.
226
234
Amount reported ..
$288, 276
$261, 611
Parsonages, number ,_ „- _ -
74
Value — number reporting
58
48
Amount reported
$63, 345
$85 000
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number .
736
624
Amount reported T _. _ ._
$392, 009
$516, Oil
Pastors' salaries
$153 706
All other salaries _
$15, 578
Repairs and improvements
$35 884=
I $394 773
Payment on churcli i debt, excluding interest _
$55, 260
All other current expenses, including interest
$69, 084
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc _
$15, 488
Home missions
$10 116
Foreign missions ..
$5,320
[ $90, 384
To general headquarters for distribution.
$15, 890
All other purposes
$15 683
j
Not classified
$30 854
Average expenditure per church
$533
$827
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number „. „ _,, „_ ___
648
585
Officers and teachers . .
4 788
3,216
Scholars —
20 770
19 282
CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST
443
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Church of
God in Christ by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools.
Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for
the census years 1936 and 1926, together with the membership for 1936 classified
as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the
value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for
1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing
the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5
and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND 8THTE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
3
o
e
a
c3
rQ
P
g
(§
296
73
o
&
d
03
fl
t-t
U>
*C3
1
42
a
%
o
*c3
S
22,504
2
i!
*ft
Males per 100
females >
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
"United States
772
476
4
8
30
19
26
4
15
32
23
1
4
31, 564
23,816
7,748
8,796
264
39.1
36 2
53 2
37.7
39.1
49.8
43.5
40.0
37.9
43.8
648
4,788
20,770
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
4
9
31
25
31
5
IS
36
26
1
4
143
3S6
1,411
1,167
1,961
244
599
2,046
1,449
55
76
362
955
1,220
65
386
206
662
93
582
91
367
1,414
388
1,211
615
2,916
879
1,259
1,318
,r>, 052
336
34
154
39
1,423
143
321
1,407
1,073
1,854
228
532
1,848
1,268
55
76
362
888
1,073
65
376
206
351
42
264
79
232
979
230
939
381
859
345
893
983
3,594
298
29
107
39
1,394
38
134
386
272
652
74
171
562
441
14
27
111
250
346
24
98
32
192
28
159
28
81
366
126
345
151
881
219
334
344
1,286
92
5
40
15
442
105
252
1,025
695
1,309
170
428
1,484
1,008
41
49
251
705
874
41
288
174
470
65
423
63
286
991
262
866
464
2,035
630
925
974
3,766
244
22
114
24
981
"266
3
9
27
24
26
5
15
29
20
1
3
2
11
31
1
4
2
14
5
15
3
9
40
12
17
16
71
31
28
37
104
11
2
2
2
16
27
70
188
180
222
42
137
262
17S
6
22
18
74
206
19
32
10
108
27
100
16
48
249
67
149
100
497
198
186
247
815
86
10
13
12
167
88
279
1,008
697
1,162
254
674
1,160
991
60
75
80
413
1,056
30
238
81
468
127
424
56
185
968
240
689
258
1,790
794
691
941
3,305
303
45
65
52
1,023
Connecticut
1
1
6
5
1
3
4
3
62
4
94
107
16
67
198
181
MIDDLE ATLANTIC*
New York ..
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL-
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
12
1&
32
1
5
2
16
5
17
4
13
41
14
21
19
90
31
31
45
128
14
3
3
2
17
12
13
23
1
4
2
8
2
8
3
8
23
7
10
9
22
11
21
27
65
10
2
1
2
16
....
9
"""I
._._
3
9
1
5
18
7
11
10
68
20
10
18
63
4
1
2
"""I
44.2
35.5
39.6
Missouri
67
147
-^
"""§11
51
318
12
135
435
158
272
234
2,057
534
366
335
1,458
38
5
47
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
34 0
18 4
40.9
District of Columbia-
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
•— -
37.6
Georgia
~~57
28 3
36 9
48 1
39 8
32 5
43 3
39.5
36.1
35 3
34 1
37.7
~~35~I
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
-
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
PACIFIC:
^Washinffton
California
29
45.1
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
444
CEN'SIUS1 OP RELIGIOUS BODIEIS, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1936 AND 1926, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936 or 1926]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER Oi1
CHURCHES
NUMBER OP
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1936
1936
1926
Under 13
years
13 years
and over
Age not
reported
Percent
under 13 1
"United States
772
733
2
4
6
14
11
7
12
38
17
1
4
35
4
22
31,564
30, 283
2,710
25
30
126
58
314
39
19
156
124
12
71
50
25, 478
-
118
336
1,081
779
1 591
205
518
1,784
1,044
58
291
613
3,376
9.6
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
4
9
31
25
31
5
18
36
2G
4
12
16
143
386
1,411
1,167
1,961
244
599
2,046
1,449
76
362
955
92
144
180
517
1,073
447
589
1,939
1,253
37
114
1,768
170
968
17.5
8.2
10 4
6 9
16.5
16 0
3.5
8 0
10.6
Connecticut
20
204
330
56
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey,—
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
62
106
281
6
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
19 6
7.5
Missouri
292
Nebraska
Kansas
32
5
16
5
17
4
13
41
14
21
19
90
31
31
45
128
14
3
3
17
26
1,220
386
662
93
582
91
367
1,414
388
1,211
615
2,916
879
1,259
1,318
5,052
336
34
154
1,423
365
122
76
48
11
67
14
15
108
37
101
15
306
43
105
129
282
36
2
5
131
33
1,027
310
501
82
463
55
318
1,055
329
1,025
451
2,436
719
1,154
990
4,274
279
25
42
1,232
293
71
10 6
19.7
8.7
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Virginia
14
1
8
677
15
213
113
West Virginia
North Carolina
52
22
34
251
22
85
149
174
117
12.6
South Carolina
Georgia
21
27
12
32
24
86
63
52
59
126
14
763
1,080
384
1,258
773
3,314
2,305
1,661
1,700
5,430
394
4.5
9.3
10 1
9.0
3.2
11 2
5.6
8.3
11.5
6.2
11.4
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
199
496
21
7
107
60
39
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado- _ .
New Mexico _
Arizona
3
10
4
102
724
179
PACIFIC:
California _ ..
9.6
10.1
Other States .
i Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
* Includes: Wisconsin, 1; Delaware, 1; District of Columbia, 2; and Washington, 2.
CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST
445
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OP CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Churches
report-
ing
Amount
Churches
report-
ing
Amount
Churches
report-
ing
Amount
United States
772
523
504
$1,453,128
226
$288, 276
58
$63, 345
MIDDLE ATLANTIC.
New York..
31
25
31
5
18
36
26
4
12
16
32
16
5
17
4
13
41
14
21
19
90
31
31
45
128
14
17
30
6
15
14
4
7
19
17
3
11
13
26
14
3
13
3
10
33
4
15
14
59
23
25
40
102
10
10
10
3
15
12
4
7
18
16
3
11
13
26
13
3
12
3
10
33
4
14
14
57
23
25
36
99
10
10
210
2,650
52, 300
260, 700
11, 000
24, 500
60, 614
126, 372
6,400
18, 600
125, 565
57, 861
57,725
30, 000
19, 350
3,100
6,152
58, 867
4,500
28,050
8,540
73, 055
16, 892
32, 889
44,689
179, 373
22, 550
62, 834
58,000
1
10
10
2
5
8
9
2
8
7
13
5
1
7
3
4
17
2
5
6
25
9
13
11
24
3
7
9
600
21, 566
84, 275
2,300
13, 390
9,815
27, 961
3,200
5,155
23, 026
11,280
12,683
60
2,094
1,300
405
4,172
1,000
1,271
2,138
7,296
1,530
4,809
2,890
9,432
7,515
11, 517
15, 596
1
0)
New Jersey
Pennsylvania..- ...
3
5,800
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana __ _
1
2
1
2
1
6
2
0)
C1)
0)
0)
0)
6,600
(0
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL-
Minnesota
Iowa,. - _ .
Missouri
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia. _ _
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
1
0)
Georgia
Florida
8
2
1
3,450
(i)
0)
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee „ ..
Alabama
Mississippi
2
1
1
7
14
1
1
(0
0)
0)
3,550
24,925
(0
0)
19, 020
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
C olorado
PACIFIC:
California
Other States
1 Amount included mfiguresfor "Other States," to avoid disci osingthestatistics of any individual church
2 Includes 2 churches in Connecticut; and 1 in each of the following States— Massachusetts, Wisconsin,
Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Arizona, and Washington, and the District of Columbia.
446 CEN'sfu'S' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITUKES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
report-
ing
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and
improve-
ments
United States.,
NEW ENGLAND:
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania.-
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
772
WEST NORTH CENTRAL-
Minnesota _ 4
Iowa 12
Missouri 16
Kansas 32
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland 5
Virginia _ _ 16
West Virginia 5
North Carolina 17
South Carolina 4
Georgia.. 13
Florida 41
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky 14
Tennessee 21
Alabama _ 19
Mississippi 90
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana — - 31
Oklahoma 45
Texas 128
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado 14
New Mexico 3
Arizona 3
PACIFIC:
California-
736
$153,706
$15, 578
Other States—
31
44
122
22, 867
23, 446
26, 354
5,858
9,935
22, 769
24, 667
2,274
4,935
11, 378
11,428
6,372
7,905
2,139
5,070
1,270
3,287
25,455
2,414
14,529
5,623
21,695
6,655
9,567
15,810
50,528
6,635
734
846
21, 886
8,741
8,799
9,483
5,452
2,516
3,919
8,894
8,744
644
2,089
1,042
5,217
1,781
3,062
1,219
2,402
720
1,579
11,295
1,467
3,523
3,060
11, 189
3,050
5,405
6,404
25, Oil
2,857
210
425
5,693
2,718
750
230
693
2,138
151
339
1,373
597
716
205
379
152
284
48
130
1,197
55
417
120
1,313
143
353
403
2,104
224
S35, 884
155
640
1,744
2,601
525
249
2,204
1,588
500
314
1,505
1,798
474
723
142
785
224
324
2,043
115
1, 665
475
2,281
655
540
2,473
3,845
485
35
560
200
4,275
502
i Includes. Massachusetts, 2, Wisconsin, 1; Delaware, 1; District of Columbia, 2; and Washington, 2,
CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST
447
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Pay-
ment on
church
debt,
exclud-
ing
interest
Other
current
expenses,
includ-
ing
interest
Local
relief
and
chanty
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To
general
head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
$55, 260
S69, 084
$15,488
810, 116
$5,320
108
86
382
500
ISO
153
354
297
42
103
126
84
$15, 890
$15, 683
NEW ENGLAND:
Connecticut
1,434
2,595
4,810
6,741
868
1,356
1,747
5,424
445
565
3,055
1,437
340
1,281
10
360
132
449
2,187
237
3,708
940
2,088
558
1,270
1,052
6,885
570
56
200
1,745
715
1,302
8,500
2,713
6,371
716
2,344
2,912
4,802
510
1,249
3,419
1,121
1,840
842
391
355
64
209
4,386
262
2,922
189
1,860
1,148
759
2,271
5,246
1,383
236
151
5,095
3,516
290
436
1,170
429
183
118
1,797
899
72
118
881
820
337
314
1,034
677
25
83
200
97
241
820
594
842
202
333
1,661
655
17
127
460
387
41
574
96
357
21
342
1,286
164
757
353
1,082
383
366
710
1,454
351
26
8
666
514
748
643
976
460
180
810
793
984
85
398
93
537
1,650
101
10
176
15
71
678
26
570
172
1,042
448
246
590
1,550
318
70
57
926
260
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York _
New Jersey
P ennsyl vania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana _._
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
7
762
452
41
723
43
14
Missouri
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland _ _____
Virginia _
104
61
225
24
45
569
28
147
95
254
106
139
919
1,738
273
35
116
15
112
22
55
573
28
46
39
214
48
67
217
703
90
17
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
83
1,241
32
774
180
372
116
422
771
1,992
84
49
5
1,928
75
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky—
Tennessee - -
Alabama - -~ -
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma --
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
PACIFIC:
California
614
82
384
159
Other States
448 GENIUS' OF KEILIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
HISTORY
The founder and organizer of the Church of God in Christ was Elder C. H.
Mason, a Negro who had received his early training in the Baptist Church. He
found his own beliefs at variance with the teachings of the Baptist faith, and with
Elder C. P. Jones and others sought to establish a church with stronger appeal
and greater encouragement for all Christian believers, one which would empha-
size the doctrine of entire sanctification through the outpourings of the Holy
Spirit. These brethren formed a body which was known as the Church of God.
In 1897 while seeking a Scriptural name which would distinguish this church
from others of similar title, the name "Church of God in Christ" was revealed
to Elder Mason.
This union continued until 1906, when a great revival was held in Los Angeles,
Calif. Elder Mason attended this revival and received the baptism of the Holy
Ghost with signs of speaking with other tongues.
He preached this as a New Testament doctrine, to which many of the brethren
were averse. As a result of this disagreement, in the general assembly which
convened at Jackson, Miss., in August 1907, Elder Jones and the assembly
withdrew.
Later in the same year Elder Mason called a meeting in Memphis, Tenn., of
all ministers who believed in receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost according
to the Scriptures and these brethren formed the first general assembly of the
Church of God in Christ. Elder Mason was called as general overseer and chief
apostle. Under his leadership the church has witnessed a great triumph and
growth.
DOCTRINE
The church is trinitarian in doctrine, acknowledging its belief in God in three
persons. It accepts the Bible as the Word of God and teaches repentance,
regeneration, justification, and sanctification. The church believes in the power
of speaking with new tongues and gifts of healing as evidences of the baptism of
the Holy Spirit.
Three ordinances are recognized — baptism of believers by immersion, the
Lord's Supper, and washing of the feet of the saints.
ORGANIZATION
The Church of God in Christ claims to be divinely instituted and to trace
authority for all its offices directly to the Scriptures.
The organization includes the following: The chief apostle (or general overseer),
apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, elders, overseers, teachers, deacons,
deaconesses, and missionaries.
Each local church has its overseer; the groups of churches are united, under a
State overseer ^who holds district or State convocations annually. Matters in
dispute are adjusted by the State overseers in consultation with two or more
elders, but only upon application of the local churches. This body also assigns
the pastors of churches.
A general convocation also meets annually and takes up questions referred to
it by the State overseers and elders of the State convocations.
The women's work is well organized under a body called "Mothers/7 general
and State. There are also Bible Bands, Sunshine Bands, and an organization
called the Young People's Willing Workers.
i This statement was prepared from information furnished by Bishop O. T. Jones, of the Church of God
m Christ, Philadelphia, Pa.
CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of the Nazarene for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
The membership of the Church of the Nazarene consists of those persons who
have been publicly received, after having declared their experience of salvation,
belief in the doctrines of the church, and willingness to submit to its government.
Baptism by sprinkling is generally accepted, though no special form is emphasized.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
2,197
136, 227
62
47,899
84, 027
4,301
57.0
8,472
120, 030
7,725
6.6
1,756
1,701
$8,987,961
$8,249,683
$738, 278
$5, 284
903
$1, 925, 965
506
806
766
$1, 475, 110
2,152
$3, 797, 224
$1,463,587
$130, 493
$320, 404
$359, 758
$797, 109
$48, 588
$120, 795
$90, 387
$181, 725
$284, 378
$1, 765
2,098
27, 121
226, 608
1,127
96,844
86
34, 412
59, 655
2,777
57.7
6,308
86, 365
4,171
6.8
907
884
$7, 126, 466
$6,559,834
$566, 632
$8,062
625
$1, 719, 434
169
419
392
$1, 041, 284
1,111
$2, 891, 257
$1,061,963
$102,959
$238, 790
$295,281
$634, 021
$38,002
$89,955
$68,003
$138,390
$223,393
$2, 602
1,097
16, 999
156, 530
1,070
39,383
37
13,487
24, 372
1,524
55.3
2,164
33,665
3,554
6.0
849
817
$1, 861, 495
$1, 689, 849
$171, 646
$2,278
278
$206, 531
337
387
374
$433,826
1,041
$905, 967
$401, 624
$27, 534
$81, 614
$64,477
$163, 088
$10,586
$30,840
$22,384
$42,835
$60,985
$870
1,001
10, 122
70,078
51.3
71.1
48.7
28.9
M^mlbers, number
Avftf^p-A m^mhArship per church
Membership by sex:
Male
71.8
71.0
64.6
28.2
29.0
35.4
TfeTiale
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
74.5
72.0
54.0
25.5
28.0
46.0
13 years and over ______
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 2 .
Church edifices, number
51.7
52 0
79.3
79.5
76.8
48.3
48 0
20.7
20.5
23.2
Value — miTnbfvr rftporttTig
Amount reported ,- - ,rr
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936_
Average value per chuTch.
Debt — number reporting
69.2
89.3
33.4
52.0
51.2
70.6
51.6
76.1
72.6
78.9
74.5
82.1
79.5
78 2
74.5
75.2
76.4
78.6
30.8
10.7
66.6
4*.0
48.8
29.4
48.4
23.9
27.4
21.1
25.5
17.9
20.5
21.8
25.5
24.8
23.6
21.4
Amount reported -
Number reporting "no debt"
PftTSQTlfl.g^S, ITllTn'hftr
Valu6— -miTriber r6port,mg „„ ,
A TTTQunt reported
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, niTmbBr
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries _ _ _
All other salaries
Kepairs and imprfWAmfvntg , J , _
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest _
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc__-
Home TnissioTis - - ^
"Foreign '"ifa.sio-np
To general headquarters for distribution __
All other purposes - -
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
52.3
62.7
69.1
47.7
37.3
30.9
Officers and teachers
Scholars _ - -
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
> Based on membership with age classification reported.
449
450
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 193 C
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEECENT OP
TOTAL !
Urban
Rural
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number - ---
156
1,466
11,240
29
194
1,337
15
130
858
108
1,067
8,632
22
152
925
9
93
612
48
399
2,608
7
42
412
6
37
246
69.2
72,8
76.8
30.8
27.2
23.2
Officers and teachers
Scholars ._
Weekday religious schools :
Officers and teachers - - -
78.4
69.2
21.6
30.8
Scholars -.-
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers - -
71.5
71.3
28.5
28.7
Scholars - .
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of the Nazarene for the
census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations) number „ -
2,197
1,444
866
100
Increase over preceding census:
Number
753
578
766
Percent
52.1
66.7
766.0
Members number -
136, 227
63, 558
32, 259
6,657
Increase over preceding census:
Number
72, 669
31, 299
25, 602
Percent
114.3
97.0
384 6
Average membership per church
62
44
37
67
Church edifices number
1,756
1 173
596
69
Value — number reporting
1,701
1 113
596
69
Arnnnrit rfipfirtfid
$8, 987, 961
$7, 323, 718
$1, 719, 822
$393, 990
Average value per church
$5, 284
$6, 580
$2, 886
$5, 710
Debt — number reporting -
903
584
266
40
Amount reported -
$1, 925, 965
$1, 611, 274
$308, 525
$97, 224
Parsonages, number
806
Value — number reporting
766
483
82
7
Amount reported- - -
$1, 457, 110
$1, 238 006
$107, 683
$22, 500
Expenditures:
Chuff-hes reporting, rmrphfir
2,152
1 340
712
Amount reported _ ..
$3, 797, 224
$3 124 444
$588 706
Pastors' salaries _ . .» __ _
All other salaries
$130, 493
Repairs and improvements - .- - _-.___ .
$320, 404
i$2 434 513
$350, 409
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest
Local relief and chanty, Red Cross, 6tc . _
$359, 758
-Wh
Home missions
$120, 795
Foreign missions
$90 387
$633 263
$154 345
To general headquarters for distribution _ _ „
$181, 725
All other purposes
$284, 378
Not classified .
$56, 668
$83 952
Average expenditure per church _
$1, 765
$2, 332
$827
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
2 098
1,233
727
80
Officers and teachers _ . _- _ -
27, 121
13, 015
6,029
824
Scholars _ .
226, 608
109, 237
40, 575
5,039
CHUECH OF THE NAZARENE
451
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Church of the
Nazarene by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and mem-
bership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural terri-
tory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives for
selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four census
years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13
years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of churches
and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936. Table 6
presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses,
improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial
statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in table 5 is limited to
those States in which three or more churches reported value of church edifices.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each district in the Church of
the Nazarene, the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by States in
the preceding tables, including number of churches, membership, value and debt
on church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC
DIVISION AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
1
e
1
1,127
rt
I
1
!
«
•1
a
J
ft
tJ
+» Qj
O-S
0 g
g^
02
tx 2?
S,2
a §
1"
Churches re-
porting
t3
ll
!*
Scholars
United States..
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
2,197
1,070
136, 227
98,844
39, 383
47, 899
84, 027
4,301
57.0
2,098
27, 121
226, 608
20
6
7
23
6
6
36
9
68
188
165
119
84
17
22
44
73
30
19
31
86
4
14
1
13
42
10
5
29
35
6
6
2
20
5
5
29
6
42
118
78
67
49
8
10
31
27
7
4
15
43
1
7
1
6
18
7
4
16
21
14
.....
3
1
1
7
3
26
70
87
52
35
9
12
13
46
23
15
16
43
3
7
..._.
24
3
1
13
14
923
193
186
2,167
313
482
1,948
425
4,840
14, 984
12, 277
6,706
5,560
733
949
2,568
4,108
1,072
462
1,319
5,433
182
1,003
210
806
2,483
467
213
1,246
1,509
472
193
77
1,950
272
318
1,695
286
3,621
12, 217
9,138
5,025
4,307
444
582
2,088
2,455
347
119
888
3,632
47
633
210
496
1,473
403
163
955
1,070
451
304
70
70
782
126
131
627
172
1,624
5,370
4,475
2,430
2,079
314
362
908
1,312
335
161
464
1,865
55
350
100
249
849
198
63
422
492
603
123
116
1,385
187
187
1,240
253
2,842
9,435
7,625
4,254
3,341
419
587
1,530
2,558
723
263
773
3,406
127
624
110
542
1,447
269
111
824
1,017
16
50.4
56.9
60 3
56.5
67.4
70.1
50.6
68.0
57.1
56 9
58.7
57 1
62 2
74 9
61.7
59.3
51 3
46.3
61.2
60.0
54.8
43.3
56.1
90.9
45.9
58.7
73.6
56.8
51.2
48.4
19
6
7
23
5
6
33
9
68
182
160
119
80
15
22
43
69
29
18
31
83
4
14
1
13
40
10
25
33
211
49
76
400
68
93
425
122
1,045
2,612
2,215
1,533
1,216
205
249
573
902
279
153
400
1,235
39
209
30
142
504
138
50
230
408
1,567
299
398
3,206
470
627
3,238
797
8,802
25, 143
23,145
13, 533
10,958
1,217
1,603
4,312
7,651
1,707
696
2,343
8,21f
367
1,643
230
1.057
4,712
1.041
456
1.836
3.125
New Hampshire
Vftrmnnt
109
217
41
164
253
139
1,219
2,767
3,139
1,681
1,253
289
367
480
1,653
725
343
431
1,801
135
370
"""§16
1,010
64
50
291
439
Massachusetts ..
Rhode Island...
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania...
E. N. CENTRAL:
Ohio
~~~164
81
"""§74
179
177
22
140
......
238
14
38
82
162
~~~~29
"~"l5
187
" §9
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
W. N. CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota __
South Dakota..
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
District of Co-
llirribia
Virginia
West Virginia..
North Carolina.
Sou th_ Carolina.
Georgia
Florida
275318—11-
452
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN UKBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936 —
Continued
GEOGRAPHIC
DIVISION AND STATE
NUMBER OP
CHURCHES
NUMBER OP
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
1
e*
d
as
fa
&
*3
1
1
o
EH
1
(§
CB
1
Female
2
*2
da
H
03
CQ
§
£J3
£S
1£
Churches re-
porting
13
§2
|S
Scholars
E. S CENTRAL:
Kentucky
64
74
54
16
69
23
161
155
11
33
8
54
26
15
1
1
47
48
125
25
37
19
9
27
10
60
73
5
13
2
26
9
6
1
1
22
27
96
39
37
35
7
42
13
101
82
6
20
6
28
17
9
25
21
29
3,412
5,416
2,366
418
3,931
1,127
10, 992
8,646
386
2,570
370
3,061
832
894
17
41
3,317
2,793
9,871
1,955
3,986
1,250
267
2,411
711
6,205
5,963
218
1,684
152
2,316
447
571
17
41
2,497
2,132
8,445
1,457
1,430
1,116
151
1,520
416
4,787
2,683
168
886
218
745
385
323
1,113
1,957
750
130
1,234
371
3,407
3,121
114
1,041
131
1,099
314
279
6
15
1,260
1,079
3,719
2,257
3,297
1,602
288
2,304
745
6,540
5,524
206
1,529
239
1,860
518
404
11
26
2,047
1,714
5,995
42
162
14
49 3
59.4
46 8
45 1
53 6
49.8
52.1
56 5
55 3
68.1
54.8
59.1
60 6
69.1
60
64
49
14
61
21
350
145
11
33
8
52
23
15
1
1
46
48
124
568
702
446
101
595
213
2,086
1,588
107
512
80
753
212
183
S
11
671
591
1,883
5,165
6,283
3,544
662
5,686
1,564
17, 175
12, 188
725
4,201
691
5,455
1,423
1,461
55
85
5,094
4,609
16,148
Tennessee
Alabama .. ._.
Mississippi
W. S. CENTRAL:
Arkansas
393
11
1,045
66
Louisiana..
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana^
Idaho. .
Wyoming, _
Colorado
102
""211
New Mexico
Arizona
Utah
Nevada
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon .
820
661
1,426
10
61 6
63.0
62.0
California
157
* Ratio not shown where numher of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NTJMBEE AND MEMBEESHIP OF CHTJKCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States
N"EW ENGLAND:
Maine
2,197
1,444
866
100
136, 227
63, 558
32,259
297
171
132
1,319
198
183
1,011
93
858
1,418
1,141
1,756
746
122
6,657
8,472
120,030
7,725
6.6
20
6
7
23
6
6
36
9
68
1?8
165
119
84
17
12
2
6
22
3
5
29
6
27
83
99
81
44
15
11
4
5
20
4
6
21
5
20
29
24
27
18
«
3
2
4
11
2
3
10
1
6
1
2
11
923
193
ise
2,167
313
482
1,948
425
4,840
14, 084
12,277
6,706
5,560
733
409
68
118
1,438
137
256
1,150
156
1,340
4,990
5,302
3,463
1,767
409
94
53
112
926
133
83
539
20
378
13
141
797
13
4~
79
5
9
54
14
215
961
708
291
183
21
837
121
182
2,088
308
309
1,814
341
4,114
13, 903
10, 972
6,140
5,036
712
73
72
1.5
"~2.~2
3.6
1.6
2.8
29
3.9
5.0
0.5
6.1
4.5
3.5
2.9
New Hampshire.
Vermont __ ,..
Massachusetts.—
Rhode Island—.
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
E. N. CENTRAL:
Ohio.. _. _.
164
80
70
511
120
597
275
341
Indiana
Illinois _. „_
Michigan . .
Wisconsin
i Based on membership with age classification reported.
CHURCH OF THE NAZAKBNE
453
TABLE 4. — NTJMBEB AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
W. N. CENTRAL:
Minnesota
22
44
73
30
19
3!
86
4
14
29
48
33
17
25
62
]
20
23
8
3
15
46
.....
"" 2"
949
2,568
4,108
1,072
462
1,319
5,433
182
1,003
806
2,483
467
213
1,246
1,509
3,412
5,416
2,366
418
3,931
1,127
10, 992
8,646
386
2,570
370
3,061
832
894
3,317
2,793
9,871
268
468
1,350
1,986
857
463
823
2,475
13
765
903
201
112
556
1,390
27
103
240
37
21
71
368
1
35
51
172
30
34
92
96
230
345
99
20
290
71
849
959
5
196
12
165
93
80
148
336
596
43
857
2,182
3, 550
1,005
394
1,156
4,757
125
968
740
1,864
312
140
1,069
1,411
2,971
4,704
2.212
398
3,489
805
8,806
7,496
366
2,374
358
2,160
739
814
3,169
2,399
S, 138
225
65
283
318
SO
47
92
308
56
3.1
4.5
6.3
3 6
5 1
5.8
7.2
.8
3.5
6.4
8.4
8.8
19.5
7.9
6.4
7.2
6.8
4.3
4.8
7.7
8.1
8.S
11.3
1.3
7.6
3.2
7.1
11.2
8.9
4.5
12.3
6.1
16.0
Iowa __
23
Missouri
North Dakota ..
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
119
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware.
Maryland
14
13
42
10
8
5
8
8
4
3
3
294
268
352
217
135
98
82
Virginia
15
447
125
39
85
2
211
367
55
West Virginia ..
North Carolina
South Carolina.
5
Georgia
29
35
64
74
54
16
69
23
161
155
11
33
8
19
8
36
44
47
10
60
12
128
134
9
22
12
4
18
48
22
15
53
7
100
129
4
12
442
324
1,405
2, 596
1,299
227
2,024
471
5,594
4,956
202
1,342
230
116
728
1,903
589
233
1,613
214
2,833
3,821
69
325
Florida.
E. S. CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi . «
W. S. CENTRAL:
Arkansas..
152
251
1,337
1Q1
15
Louisiana.
Oklahoma
Texas .
2
47
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
1
30
Wyoming
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
54
26
15
47
48
125
*3
39
23
7
42
36
76
11
11
3
1
26
20
46
4
1
1,728
450
399
1,742
1,507
6,135
396
370
69
93
976
773
3,380
91
50
285
135
2,433
166
736
7
3
23
1
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
58
137
California..
Other States
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
2 Includes: District of Columbia, 1; Utah, 1; and Nevada, 1.
454
GEN'STO OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total number of
churches
"§
•s»
f
fc
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PARSON-
AGES
If
O
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
"United States
2,197
20
6
7
23
6
6
36
9
68
188
165
119
84
17
22
44
73
30
19
31
86
4
14
13
42
10
5
29
35
64
74
54
16
69
23
161
155
11
33
8
54
26
15
47
48
125
3
1,756
17
4
5
17
4
6
31
8
50
124
127
87
69
11
16
35
58
20
13
25
74
4
12
10
30
7
5
25
25
50
62
46
12
56
19
135
130
11
30
6
47
22
13
42
44
109
3
1,701
$8, 987, 961
903
SI, 925, 965
768
4
1
3
10
1
3
12
2
18
29
59
25
33
7
8
19
19
12
7
15
40
1
5
3
9
1
81, 475, 110
15, 000
C)
3,000
51, 650
(')
16, 000
58,200
88, 400
86,160
132, 850
71, 650
78,000
15, 500
10, 050
37, 550
17,850
16, 500
9,475
26, 700
59,450
0)
17,000
5,500
13, 600
0)
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
16
4
4
17
4
6
28
7
49
122
125
83
67
11
14
35
56
18
13
25
73
4
11
I 10
| 30
7
4
24
25
50
59
45
11
54
19
132
127
11
27
6
43
21
12
41
43
105
'3
77, 950
22, 250
10, 600
263, 400
58,500
67, 500
342,434
49, 580
397, 500
866, 013
829, 107
539, 420
361, 258
52,700
68, 100
133, 775
309, 933
40, 500
28, 075
68, 050
295, 610
12,500
68, 450
46, 850
98, 528
28,200
8,500
78, 725
98, 150
131, 578
315, 245
109, 625
14,900
212, 946
77, 560
467, 475
472, 103
22, 227
80, 525
14, 500
229, 400
60,450
69, 525
190, 435
209, 455
950, 854
37, 000
11
4
3
11
2
5
23
4
27
85
79
42
41
1
10
23
25
7
5
7
35
4
8
7
14
6
2
12
13
25
17
11
6
16
11
63
52
7
10
5
22
7
3
22
29
78
3
16, 460
9,300
1,185
35, 794
3,850
27, 450
115,437
8,260
89, 805
245, 351
192,500
72, 466
98, 158
2,100
19, 571
27, 470
71,455
8,690
3,198
5,132
81, 478
4,885
19,200
13,568
16, 702
14, 572
1,200
16, 206
13, 057
33, 354
28,587
5,941
2,214
37, 435
7,140
76, 431
91, 774
3,123
8,111
3,800
32, 675
9,505
7,700
66, 756
56, 105
221,614
9,200
New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvsnia
EAST NORTH CENTEAL:
Ohio ..
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NOETH CENTRAL
Minnesota
Iowa_ _
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
4
11
14
13
16
7
18
5
96
69
6
22
3
20
12
9
25
23
46
1
7,700
16, 450
18,975
24,830
22,944
5,775
18,800
11, 100
130, 125
87,441
7,300
34, 500
3,400
33,100
11,300
16,900
40, 000
29, 225
97, 660
27,500
Florida „
EAST SOUTH CENTEAL:
Kentucky _
Tennessee . .
Alabama. .. _ -
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas .
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
Wyoming
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
PACIFIC:
Washington _,
Oregon _ _ __
California
Other States
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
* Includes: District of Columbia, 1; Utah, 1; and Nevada, 1.
CHURCH OF THE
TABLE 6. — CHUECH EXPENDITUBES BY STATES, 1936
455
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISON
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs and
improve-
ments
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
United States
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
3,197
20
6
7
23
6
6
36
9
68
188
165
119
84
17
22
44
73
30
19
31
86
4
14
1
13
42
10
5
29
35
64
74
54
16
69
23
161
155
11
33
8
54
26
15
1
1
47
48
125
2,152
$3,797,224
38,012
7,804
8,119
88, 372
14,614
19, 878
105, 195
21, 392
170, 040
416,210
376, 199
217, 769
185, 021
26,245
30,989
68, 640
95,314
28, 168
9,650
33, 930
119, 050
6,402
} i 51, 002
20, 750
60,309
16,420
4,434
29, 747
48,838
65,274
87,654
45, 539
8,327
57, 806
25, 653
251, 077
178,235
15,443
64, 637
10, 605
83,443
22, 643
1 i 33, 631
97, 986
81, 460
349,298
81,463,587
8130, 493
$320,404
2,916
521
396
7,643
955
762
8,573
1,004
16,206
31,172
32, 541
15, 626
15,295
1,928
1,018
3,625
4,688
1,002
90
1,308
11, 227
537
6,437
1,386
5,470
2,163
859
2,948
6,163
7,918
9,898
7,132
853
5,040
1,554
23,736
11,954
2,342
6,348
1,356
7,880
2,312
2,498
4,697
12,955
27,472
$359,758
. .... .
3,486
65
315
2,739
236
1,500
8,119
1,145
11, 165
45,381
39,955
24, 156
15,409
2,061
2,874
4,097
10, 355
757
945
820
7,730
431
6,100
2,603
5,457
3,420
329
2,562
2,447
7,767
4,451
6,304
302
5,581
3,770
24, 592
17, 307
1,221
3,955
948
7,783
2,059
5,386
19, 174
7,566
34,933
19
6
7
22
6
6
35
9
68
183
163
116
84
17
22
44
70
30
19
31
85
4
13
1
12
40
10
5
28
34
60
73
51
16
66
22
156
155
11
33
8
53
24
15
1
1
47
48
123
14, 758
3,024
4,156
29,388
6,668
8,371
35, 970
8,821
67,684
153, 420
127, 873
78, 105
68, 454
11, 917
13, 830
30, 238
40, 986
15, 135
4,342
17, 617
56, 042
3,153
14, 636
9,182
27, 457
4,945
1,616
11, 702
18, 799
27,885
34, 127
19, 540
4,594
22,387
9,880
105, 339
73,873
6,352
25, 086
4,198
31,957
9,850
1L803
34, 077
30,882
123,468
584
New Hampshire-
Vermont
75
3,175
251
332
2,742
200
2,983
15,242
9,886
10, 606
10, 221
280
733
2,381
3,827
541
131
723
3,498
181
1,643
811
1,385
650
52
292
1,105
1,905
1,953
1,244
373
2,506
2,445
10, 137
6,971
110
2,058
240
4,079
375
679
3,916
, 1,805
15,167
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
E. N CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
W. N. CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
Dist. of Columbia.
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina...
South Carolina...
Georgia
Florida
E. S. CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
W. S. CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho -
Wyoming _
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
Utah
Nevada
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
i Amount for District of Columbia combined with figures for Maryland, and amount for Utah and Ne-
vada combined with figures for Arizona, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
456 CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODTEB, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDJTTJKES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES— -continued
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local relief
and charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To general
headquar-
ters
All other
purposes
United States
S797, 109
$48, 588
$120,795
$90, 387
$181, 725
2,102
284
293
8,028
1,293
797
6,577
400
8,419
19,913
19,634
10, 186
9,400
1,635
1,321
3,703
2,942
1,708
406
1,467
7,162
161
2,555
832
2,305
603
166
1,705
1,584
2,959
3,460
1,280
182
1,773
697
8,785
6,705
709
4,575
516
3,362
885
1,240
6,686
4,130
16, 200
$284,378
1,963
76
455
8,489
988
374
3,183
262
10,419
32,815
41,911
17,283
10, 759
3,230
1,525
2,379
5,091
1,520
1,295
2,573
6,639
244
2,978
1,285
5,121
554
11
1,421
1,987
3,445
6,059
2,662
444
4,782
785
29, 842
14, 564
833
4,877
218
4,360
2, 392
818
7,234
3,480
30, 753
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine - -
9,843
3, 321
1,958
21, 845
3,585
5,004
32, 344
8,226
42, 803
92, 608
82,761
39, 655
43, 634
3,646
8,318
15, 639
17, 981
5,073
1,610
6,161
19, 026
1,247
} 12, 056
3,408
9,581
3,177
1,035
7,838
12, 471
11, 147
22, 759
3,995
1,033
11, 001
3,573
35, 733
35, 823
2,993
11, 526
2,157
16, 620
3,794
8, 040
15, 943
* 15,402
79, 716
266
115
68
1,791
74
295
1,902
54
1,545
4,573
2,409
2,237
2,326
110
21
764
826
98
32
35
1,265
8
570
80
764
85
83
384
1,750
522
2,354
958
162
1,939
1,222
3,951
2,575
86
1,376
104
479
130
1,509
1.164
904
4,623
909
253
218
2,927
455
1,391
2,329
521
4,437
10, 306
11, 927
10, 086
5,712
879
736
3,974
4,321
1,578
449
1,735
4,551
176
2,097
741
1,365
585
145
719
1,190
983
1,407
1,783
283
1,176
1,180
5,731
4,738
622
3,023
733
4,414
661
1,067
3,938
2,012
10,332
1,185
145
185
2,347
109
1,052
3,456
759
4,379
10,780
7,302
9,829
3,811
559
613
1,840
4,297
756
350
1,491
1.&10
264
1,930
422
1,404
238
138
176
1,342
743
1,186
641
101
1,621
547
3,231
3,725
175
1,813
135
2,509
185
591
1,157
2,324
6,634
New Hampshire. - -
Vermont --
Massachusetts -
Rhode Island
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTSAL:
Ohio
Indiana - ......
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin.
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota _. . _ —
Nebraska ..
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia.,
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia...
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana. .
Idaho
Wyoming .
Colorado _
New Mexico .. . .
Arizona -. ._
Utah
Nevada
PACIFIC-
Washington
Oregon _„ ~.
California.. _. _.
CHURCH OF THE NAZAEENE
457
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY DISTRICTS,
1936
DISTRICT
Total number of churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHUHCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
bC
d
1
8
1
O
Amount
bO
9
1
O
a
I
bo
1
1
XJ
O
Amount
Churches reporting
Scholars
Total
2,197
___
54
15
69
55
71
119
54
41
60
35
33
36
78
87
44
61
47
90
23
82
16
51
31
66
26
40
30
54
39
136
68
93
115
19
34
22
74
19
2
49
136, 227
1,701
$8, 987, 961
903
$1,925,965
2,152
S3, 797, 224
2,098
57
49
15
61
55
70
119
52
40
56
33
29
36
76
84
43
59
43
85
21
79
14
50
31
64
23
37
29
54
38
131
63
87
113
19
30
22
64
16
2
49
226, 608
__
3,544
1,461
5,686
5,850
10, 383
13, 533
5,455
2,299
4,994
3,125
2,172
4,338
11, 079
12, 066
4,312
5,653
4,379
7,791
1,564
10, 950
662
5,834
2,343
6,470
1,615
3,524
1,707
5,974
3,647
16,022
7,882
9,293
17, 366
1,416
2,176
2,042
6,283
1,225
31
5,667
Abilene
3,037
2,366
894
3,931
3,515
6,397
6,706
3,061
1,411
3,840
1,509
1,397
2,739
6,363
5,914
2,568
3,800
3,071
4,797
1,127
5,544
418
2,670
1,319
4,209
898
2,097
1,072
3,503
2,455
9,112
4,726
6,266
10,282
756
1,676
1,168
5,416
749
27
3,421
46
45
12
54
44
62
83
43
27
50
25
27
31
56
69
34
53
37
68
19
67
11
39
25
50
21
31
18
46
35
84
56
76
84
17
29
16
59
11
2
39
177,000
109, 625
69, 525
212,946
288, 293
666,061
539,420
229,400
96, 175
200, 640
98, 150
85,225
78, 903
452, 157
376, 950
115, 275
219, 760
226, 108
177, 778
77, 560
361, 258
14, 900
159, 675
68, 050
508, 200
68, 450
377, 934
40, 500
252, 137
152,875
436,863
178, 950
288, 525
710, 878
36,727
83,863
60, 250
315, 245
52,700
2,600
320,430
19
11
3
16
30
49
42
22
15
19
13
14
14
37
42
22
24
19
32
11
41
6
17
7
35
8
26
7
30
18
57
24
39
52
12
13
11
17
1
24, 373
5,941
7,700
37, 435
75, 268
147, 046
72, 466
32, 675
22, 769
46, 230
13, 057
17, 406
10, 836
124, 287
68, 213
21, 670
53, 528
73,425
38, 266
7,140
98, 158
2,214
25, 980
5,132
92, 089
12,905
116, 337
8,690
92, 003
29, 933
115, 911
23, 213
53,218
183, 617
6,923
17, 771
25, 192
28,587
2,100
59
51
15
66
54
70
116
53
41
60
34
32
36
77
86
43
61
43
84
22
82
16
51
31
65
25
39
30
54
39
131
65
91
115
19
34
21
73
19
1
48
57, 067
45, 539
30, 117
57, 806
119, 480
232, 122
217, 769
83,443
40, 639
79, 217
48, 838
31, 908
69, 235
213, 132
163, 067
59, 212
85, 061
67, 318
98, 100
25,653
184, 605
8,327
61,983
33, 930
183, 393
30, 028
114, 711
28, 168
102, 458
73, 602
244, 978
106, 563
144, 514
292, 601
26, 048
34,354
33, 857
87, 654
26, 661
212
153,854
Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California, Northern-
California, Southern.
Chicago, Central
Colorado
Central, Northwest. .
Dallas..
Florida
Georgia
Idaho-Oregon
Northern Indiana
Indianapolis
Iowa
Kansas -_
Kansas City
Kentucky- West Vir-
ginia _ _
Louisiana.- . _
Michigan _ __
Mississippi--
Missouri
Nebraska
New England
New Mexico
New York
North Dakota
North Pacific .- _
Northwest
Ohio - - -
Oklahoma, Eastern..
Oklahoma, Western-
Pittsburgh.
Rocky Mountain
San Antonio
Southeast Atlantic . _
Tennessee ..
Wisconsin-Upper
Michigan
S outh wes t
Washington-Phila-
delphia
28
86, 261
458 C'EHSiU'S' OP RELIGIOUS DOMES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION *
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
I. Near the close of the nineteenth century, a movement for the spread and
conservation of Scriptural holiness in organized church form developed almost
simultaneously in various parts of the United States. This movement was
similar to that of the previous century historically known as the Wesleyan re-
vival. There was manifested everywhere a spontaneous drawing in the unity of
the Spirit toward closer affiliation of those of like precious faith which finally
culminated in the organization of the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene.
The great impulse of this movement has been the emphasis placed by the
Scriptures upon the fact that, in the atonement, Jesus Christ has made provision
not only to save men from their sins, but also to perfect them in love.
II. On May 12, 1886, a number of the brethren in Providence, R. I., interested
in promoting the Wesleyan doctrine and experience of entire sanctification, or-
ganized and held weekly religious services, first in private homes, but, after a few
months, in a rented store on Oxford Street. On January 16, 1887, a Sunday
school was organized with 95 members. On July 21t 1887, the People's Evan-
gelical Church was organized with 51 members, Rev. F. A. Hillery acting as pastor.
On November 25, 1888, the Mission Church, Lynn, Mass., was organized with
Rev. C. Howard Davis as pastor. On March 13 and 14, 1890, representatives
from these churches and other evangelical holiness organizations in southern New
England, assembled at Rock, Mass., and organized the Central Evangelical
Holiness Association. Rev. W. C. Ryder, pastor of the Independent Congrega-
tional Church of that place, was elected president. Within the following year
the Mission Church, Maiden, Mass., the Emmanuel Mission Church, North Attle-
boro, Mass., and the Bethany Mission Church, Keene, N. H., were organized.
In January 1894 William Howard Hoople, a businessman in New York City,
founded a mission in Brooklyn, which, in the following May, was organized as
an independent church, with a membership of 32, and called Utica Avenue Pente-
costal Tabernacle. A church edifice was afterward erected, and Mr. Hoople
was called to the pastorate. The following February the Bedford Avenue Pente-
costal Church was organized, in an abandoned church building, and a little later,
the Emmanuel Pentecostal Tabernacle. In December 1895 delegates from these
three churches formed the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America,
adopting a constitution, a summary of doctrines, and bylaws. This association
was duly incorporated. Associated with Rev. William Howard Hoople in this
work were Rev. H. B. Hosley, Rev. John Norberry, Rev, Charles BeVier, and
Rev. H. F. Reynolds.
On November 12, 1896, a joint committee from these two associations met in
the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., to formulate some plan of union. For the benefit of
the counsel and cooperation, several brethren prominent in the work were invited
to act with the joint committee. Among this number were Rev. C. Howard
Davis, Rev. G. W. Wilson, Rev. John Norberry, Rev. H. F. Reynolds, Rev. H.
B. Hosley, and Rev. Charles H. BeVier. This meeting resulted in the union of
the two bodies. It was agreed that the work should be continued under the
name of the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America.
III. In October 1895 a number of persons, under the leadership of Rev. Phineas
F. Bresee, D. D., and Rev. J. P. Widney, LL. D., formed the First Church of the
Nazarene, at Los Angeles, Calif., with 135 charter members. They adopted
statements of belief, and agreed to such general rules as seemed proper and need-
ful for their immediate guidance, leaving to the future the making of such pro-
visions as the work and its conditions might necessitate. As a result of this
organization, a number of churches sprang into existence, reaching as far east as
Chicago.
IV. As these two bodies came to know more of each other, it was felt that they
should unite; and, after consultation by delegates from one body to the other, the
following basis of union was prepared and unanimously adopted by both bodies.
The first union assembly was held in Chicago, in October 1907.
Basis of Union. — It is agreed that the two churches are one in the doc-
trines considered essential to salvation, especially the doctrines of jus-
tification by faith and entire sanctification subsequent to justification,
also by faith, and, as a result, the precious experience of entire sanctifi-
cation as a normal condition of the churches. Both churches recognize
* This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Eeport on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Rev. E. J. Fleming, general church secretary, Church of the Nazarene,
Kansas City, Mo., and approved by him in its present form.
CHUKCH OF THE NAZARENE 459
that the right of church membership rests upon experience; and that
persons who have been born of the Spirit are entitled to its privileges.
We are agreed on the necessity of a superintendency, which shall
foster and care for churches already established, and whose duty it shall
be to organize and encourage the organizing of churches everywhere.
We are ^agreed that authority given to superintendents shall not
interfere with the independent action of a fully organized church, each
church enjoying the right of selecting its own pastor, subject to such
approval as the general assembly shall find wise to institute; the elec-
tion of delegates to the various assemblies; the management of their
own finances; and of all other things pertaining to their local life and
work.
It is agreed that any church of the Association of Pentecostal Churches
of America going into this organization which may feel it Imperative
with them to continue to hold their property in like manner as at present>
shall be at liberty to do so.
It was agreed that the name of the united body should be, "The
Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene."
V. In 1894 the first organization of the New Testament Church of Christ was
effected by Rev. R. L. Harris, at Milan, Tenn., with 14 members. This church
was deemed necessary to conserve the work of holiness, and soon spread through-
out western Texas and Arkansas. Prominent among the leaders was Mrs. Mary
Lee Harris (now Mrs. Cagle), the wife of Rev. R. L. Harris, who took up the
work after the death of her husband.
In 1898 the first holiness churches were organized in Texas by Rev. Thomas
Rogers and Rev. Dennis Rogers, who came from California.
In 1900 the first Independent Holiness Church was organized by Rev. C. B.
Jernigan, at Van Alstyne, Tex., and the denomination grew and prospered until,
in 1903, there were 20 church organizations.
The legal representatives 'of the Independent Holiness Church and the New
Testament Church of Christ met at Rising Star, Tex., in November 1904, where
a joint committee framed a manual and statement of doctrine and basis of union.
The union was fully consummated at Pilot Point, Tex., in November 1905, and
the united body adopted the name Holiness Church of Christ.
VI. At the general assembly of the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene, at
Chicago, in 1907, in response to an invitation, several persons were present from
the Holiness Church of Christ. Some of these were appointed to attend; but
were not authorized - to take any action with reference to organic union. The
assembly invited them into counsel, and provisional arrangements were made
for incorporating this church into the general body, upon proper action on their
part. Upon the invitation of the Holiness Church of Christ, the second general
assembly convened at Pilot Point, Tex., at 2 o'clock, Thursday afternoon, October
8, 1908. On the following Tuesday morning, R. B. Mitchum moved: "That the
union of the two churches be now consummated," and the motion was seconded
by Rev. C. W. Ruth. Rev. John N. Short, J. B. Creighton, C. B. Jernigan,
H. B. Hosley, P. F. Bresee, and others spoke favorably to the motion. The
motion was adopted by a unanimous rising vote, amid great enthusiasm, at 10:40
a. m., Tuesday, October 13, 1908.
VII. In the year 1898 Rev. J. 0. McClurkan and a few of God's children
called a meeting of the holiness people of Tennessee and adjacent States to be
held in Nashville. At this convention an association was formed known as the
Pentecostal Alliance, which name was afterward changed to the Pentecostal
Mission. From the beginning these people were evangelistic in spirit, having
a burning desire to disseminate the doctrine and experience of sanctification;
hence there came together in different sections of the Southland groups of holi-
ness people, known as bands of the Pentecostal Mission. They were decidedly
missionary in spirit, and soon were sending their representatives to "the regions
beyond." Throughout their career they have been characterized by this mis-
sionary zeal.
At different times the question of the union of the Pentecostal Mission with the
Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene had been discussed, and on February 13,
1915, this union was effected at Nashville, Tenn., thus uniting both the home and
the foreign work of the Pentecostal Mission and the Pentecostal Church of the
Nazarene.
VIII. In November 1901 the first stage in the present holiness church move-
ment in the British Isles began, when Rev. George Sharpe, who had been for
over 13 years a preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church, accepted a call to
460 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
the Congregational Church at Ardrossan, Scotland. In September 1905 he was
accepted as the minister of Parkhead Congregational Church, Glasgow, Scotland,
where, after a strenuous, successful, and glorious ministry of 13 months, he was
evicted for preaching Bible holiness.
On September 30, 1906, the first services of the first distinctively holiness church
were held in the Great Eastern Roads Hall, Glasgow. The charter members
numbered 80. Other churches were organized and became the Pentecostal Church
of Scotland. Visits of Dr. E. F. Walker and Dr. H. F. Reynolds to Scotland, and
a visit of Rev. George Sharpe and Mrs. Sharpe to the fourth general assembly, at
Kansas City, Mo., led the way to union with the Church of the Nazarene, which
was consummated in November 1915.
IX. The general assembly of 1919, in response to memorials from 35 district
assemblies, changed the name of the organization to "Church of the Nazarene."
X. For many years a holiness movement had been developing in Minnesota,
the Dakotas, and Montana. It was originated by a group of Methodist laymen,
and formally organized at Jamestown, N. Dak., in 1907, as The Laymen's Holiness
Association. Rev. J. G. Morrison was its first president and leading evangelist.
With him were associated Rev. Ira E. Hammer, Rev. S. C. Taylor, Rev. W. G.
Bennett, and over 20 other evangelists and workers engaged in a widespread
program of holiness evangelism and camp-meeting promotion. In 1922 more
than 1,000 people who were identified with The Laymen's Holiness Association,
under the leadership of these ministers, united with the Church of the Nazarene.
DOCTRINE
In doctrine the Church of the Nazarene is essentially in accord with historic
Methodism. It stands for apostolic purity of doctrine, primitive simplicity of
worship, and pentecostal power in experience, it being generally regarded that the
primary dispensational truth is that Jesus Christ baptizes believers with the Holy
Spirit, cleansing them from all sin and empowering .them to witness the grace of
God to men. This church stands particularly for this truth and experience, which
the general assembly has expressed in the following terms:
We believe that entire sanctification is that act of God, subsequent to
regeneration, by which believers are made free from original sin, or
depravity, and brought into a state of entire devotement to God, and the
holy obedience of love made perfect.
It is wrought by the baptism with the Holy Spirit, and comprehends
in one experience the cleansing of the heart from sin and the abiding, in-
dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, empowering the believer for life and
service.
Entire sanctification is provided by the blood of Jesus, is wrought
instantaneously by faith, preceded by entire consecration; and to this
work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness.
This experience is also known by various terms representing its dif-
ferent phases, such as "Christian perfection," "perfect love," "heart
purity," "the baptism with the Holy Spirit," "the fullness of the blessing,"
and "Christian holiness."
The Church of the Nazarene recognizes that the right and privilege of men to
church membership rests upon their being regenerate, and would require only such
statements of belief as are essential to Christian experience and the maintenance
of that condition. Whatever is not essential to life in Jesus Christ mav be left
to individual liberty of Christian thought. That which is essential to Christian
life lies at the very basis of their associated life and fellowship in the church, and
there can be no failure to believe this without forfeiting Christian life itself, and
thus the right of all church affiliation.
While emphasizing the baptism with the Holy Spirit as a definite experience
of divine grace, the Church of the Nazarene never has taught, nor does it now
teach, or countenance teaching, that speaking in tongues is a manifestation
attendant upon, or an evidence of, the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
While standing especially for the great dispensational truth that Jesus Christ
baptizes believers with the Holy Spirit, cleansing them from all sin, the Church
of the Nazarene also emphasizes the great cardinal doctrines of Christianity.
Briefly stated, the Church of the Nazarene believes:
CHURCH OE THE ISTAZAREKE 461
(1) In one God — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; (2) in the plenary
inspiration of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, and that they
contain all truth necessary to faith and Christian living; (3) that man
is born with a fallen nature, and is, therefore, inclined to evil, and that
continually; (4) that the finally impenitent are hopelessly and eternally
lost; (5) that the atonement through Jesus Christ is for the whole human
race; and that whosoever repents and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ
is justified and regenerated and saved from the dominion of sin; (6) that
believers are to be sanctified wholly, subsequent to regeneration, through
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; (7) that the Holy Spirit bears witness
to the new birth, and also to the entire sanctification of believers; (8) in
the return of our Lord, in the resurrection of the dead, and in the final
judgment.
Applicants for membership in the church are received on the confession of
their faith in Christ and of their acceptance of the doctrines which the church
holds essential to salvation, and their agreement to observe the rules and regula-
tions that mark the conscience of the church.
The Church of the Nazarene believes in the Bible doctrine of divine healing,
and urges its people to offer the prayer of faith for the healing of the sick. Provi-
dential means and agencies when necessary are not to be refused.
Its position upon temperance and prohibition is stated in the following terms:
The Holy Scriptures and human experience alike condemn the use of
intoxicating drinks as a beverage. The manufacture and sale of intoxi-
cating liquors for s\ich purposes is a sin against God and the human race.
Total abstinence from all intoxicants is the Christian rule for the indi-
vidual, and total prohibition of the traffic in intoxicants is the duty of
civil government.
ORGANIZATION
The ecclesiastical organization is representative, thus avoiding the extremes of
episcopacy on the one hand and the unlimited Congregationalism on the other.
Each local church is governed through a church board elected by the congrega-
tion. The churches are associated for such general purposes as belong to all alike,
particularly for a world-wide missionary program. The churches in a particulai
area are united to form an assembly district, each local church being entitled to
representation in the district assembly. There are 45 such districts which hold
annual assemblies and elect district superintendents and district boards, license
and ordain ministers, commission evangelists, and conduct such other work as
may be connected with their area. The 45 districts elect both ministerial and
lay delegates to the general assembly, which meets once in 4 years. The general
assembly elects general superintendents and. other general officers and boards to
have oversight of general denominational activities.
Persons are licensed to the gospel ministry after having been examined by a
district assembly regarding their spiritual, intellectual, and other fitness for such
work. Further, ordination is by a council of the pastors and delegates, upon the
completion of a 4-year course of study, or its equivalent in college work. Minis-
ters from other denominations may be received on the vote of the district assembly
to which the application has been referred.
WORK
The general work in which the 45 districts unite with the churches composing
them is carried on under the head of home missions and evangelism, ^ foreign
missions, publication, ministerial relief, education, young people's societies, and
Sunday schools.
The total amount of contributions for all purposes in 1936 is estimated at
$4,428,102, distributed as follows: Local interests, $3,777,210; district interests,
$322,721; general interests, $328,171.
The work conducted by the department of foreign missions includes missions
in southern Africa, India, Palestine, Syria, China, Japan, Argentina and Peru,
Central America, Mexico, Cape Verde Islands, and British West Indies. The
report for -1936 shows 30 stations occupied by 90 American missionaries and 462
native workers; 152 organized churches with 9,737 members; 273 Sunday schools
with an enrollment of 11,504 with 5,678 in average attendance; 85 schools with
1,823 pupils; 9 Bible training schools with. 135 pupils enrolled; and 2 hospitals
and 9 dispensaries, treating during the year about 36,738 patients. The value of
property in the foreign field is estimated at $431,789.
The educational work is combined under five colleges and two junior colleges
in the United States. The schools have property valued at $1,240,858.
CHURCHES OF CHRIST
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with, urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Churches of Christ for the year 1936 is presented
in table 1, which shows also the distribution of "these figures between urban and
rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to
the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate
to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of all persons received into its
local churches on the basis of faith in the divinity of Christ, repentance of past
sins, and baptism by immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
3,815
309, 551
81
124, 099
178, 194
7,258
69.6
748
23, 693
285, 110
3.1
3,029
2,932
$10, 717, 977
510, 195, 640
$522, 337
$3, 656
547
$1, 222, 621
2,004
173
155
$320, 125
3,533
$2,274,432
$1,046,483
$166, 058
$215, 132
$31, 001
$475, 221
$168, 455
$117, 878
$43, 545
$60
$10, 599
$644
2,935
18,465
191, 150
8
67
654
931
132, 549
142
51, 586
76,470
4,493
67.5
464
14,725
117,360
3,1
757
738
$6, 459, 568
$6, 182, 192
$277, 376
$8, 753
330
$1, 034, 860
354
81
70
$175, 050
893
$1,386,761
$644, 572
$90,335
$109, 739
$27,946
$329, 669
$82, 214
$66, 781
$28, 768
$38
$6, 699
$1, 553
797
6,552
82, 652
5
54
S07
2,884
177, 002
61
72, 513
101, 724
2,765
71 3
284
8,968
167, 750
3.1
2,272
2,194
$4, 258, 409
$4, 013, 448
$244, 961
$1, 941
217
$187, 761
1,650
92
85 .
$145, 075
2,640
$887, 671
$401, 911
$75, 723
$105, 393
$3, 055
$145, 552
$86, 241
$51, 097
$14, 777
$22
$3, 900
$336
2,138
11,913
108, 498
3
13
X7
24 4
42.8
75.6
57.2
Members, number ... >
Average membership per church ...
Membership by sex:
Male--
41.6
42 9
61.9
58.4
57.1
38.1
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females ...
Membership by age*
Under 13 years. . .
62 0
62 1
41.2
38.0
37.9
58 8
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years l
Church, edifices, number
25.0
25.2
60.3
60.6
53.1
75 0
74 8
39.7
39 4
46.9
Value— number reporting .
Amount reported. ,. -
Constructed prior to 1936.. ... .
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936
Average value per church
Debt— number reporting _
60.3
84.6
17.7
46.8
45 2
54 7
25.3
61.0
61 6
54.4
51.0
90 1
69.4
48 8
56.7
66 1
(2)
63.2
39.7
15 4
82.3
53.2
54 8
45.3
74 7
39.0
384
45 6
49.0
9.9
306
51.2
43 3
33.9
C2)
36.8
Amount reported _ ,
Number reporting "no debt".
Parsonages, number
Value— number reporting
Amount reported
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number. _ .
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries...
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest _
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions..
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number..
27.2
35 5
43 2
(2)
»<
72.8
64.5
56.8
(2)
(2)
a 7
Officers and teachers.. .
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
1 Based on membership with age classification reported
462
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
CHURCHES' OF CHRIST
463
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Weekday religious schools:
Churches reporting, number
38
148
1,627
2
18
64
23
95
1,080
15
53
547
2
18
64
(2)
64.2
66.4
%.s
33.6
(2)
(2)
(')
Officers and teachers
Scholars . _ .
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers _
Scholars _.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of the Churches of Christ for the census
years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churches (Innq.l orgfl.rillfl.tinTiF), mimbAr
3,815
-2, 411
—38.7
309, 551
-124,163
-28.6
81
3,029
2,932
$10, 717, 977
$3, 656
547
$1, 222, 621
173
155
$320, 125
3,533
$2,274,432
$1,046,483
$166, 058
$215, 132
$31, 001
$475, 221
$168, 455
$117, 878
$43, 545
$60
$10, 599
6,226
656
11.8
433, 714
115, 777
36 4
70
5,127
5,089
$16, 402, 158
$3, 223
586
$1, 511, 547
5,570
2,921
110.3
317, 937
158, 279
99 1
57
4,342
4,342
$5, 644, 096
$1, 300
276
$136, 003
2,649
Increase 1 over preceding census.
TSfrTmbpi"
Percent
Memhers, Ti'Tmbftr „, u . __
159, 658
Increase * over preceding census.
Number
Percent
Average membership per church _ , _
60
1,974
1,962
$2, 555, 372
$1,302
193
$76, 208
Church edifices, number
Value — number reporting _
A m onn f, reported
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting __ _ .„ „
Amount reported _ __
PftrsQTiftgss, TTmnbpr
Value — number reporting
136
$453, 050
5,975
$3, 961, 310
1$3, 223, 000
I $596,343
$141, 967
$663
4,403
20, 595
274, 571
22
$28, 900
2,168
$679, 191
$434, 596
$106, 449
$138, 146
$313
3,408
15, 213
167, 809
21
$22, 900
Amount; r^portpd T ,
Expenditures :
f}hnrn.hp,s mpnrting nnmhfir
Amount reported **'
Pastors' salaries..
All other salaries _ . _ _
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest. _„
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
"FTmriQ -mission??
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution _
All other purposes
Not classified
Average expenditure per church
$644
2,935
18, 465
191, 150
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
1,225
5,112
56, 086
Officers and teachers
Scholars
* A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Churches of
Christ by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and member-
ship of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural terri-
tory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives
for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four census
years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under
13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of
churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936.
Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current
464
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the
financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and
6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value and
expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVI-
SION AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMPER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
1
&
5
P?
I
a
03
J3
P
I
•3
1
Female
*«
^
Males per 100
females J
Churches re-
porting
Is
JQ4"
o
Scholars
United States.
NEW ENGLAND.
MJJine
3,815
931
2,884
309, 551
84
132, 549
22
31
51
104
51
476
4,194
3,794
177, 002
124, 099
178, 194
7,258
69.6
2,935
18, 465
191, 150
3
62
33
16
19
83
31
523
4,125
5,303
1,757
1,235
20
4
459
3,965
189
1,922
19
106
194
3,324
360
177
2,001
2,561
8,592
19, 149
8,050
2,762
6,811
1,066
10, 136
33, 748
65
133
18
335
1,184
193
3
3
244
477
2,699
51
15
32
1
1
4
1
17
66
62
34
24
c
]
21
47
367
350
169
169
e
24
20
30
84
20
478
3,583
3,805
1,599
2,217
53
Massachusetts-
Connecticut.--
MIDDLE ATLANTIC-
New York
New Xersey
]
31
3(
116
135
75
27
51
206
80
1,222
9,479
12,852
4,438
2,831
852
11
1,028
10, 078
12
32
31
28
19
1
27
1
t
23
/
t
102
29
746
5,285
9,058
2,592
237
809
123
49
699
5,354
7,051
2,586
1,596
32
569
6,036
7
249
2,777
29
190
311
4,933
425
276
2,975
3,626
11,532
27, 385
11,353
3,499
9,736
1,482
15, 745
49, 793
92
166
19
474
1,893
248
2
3
389
594
3,791
67.5
Pennsylvania..
E. N. CENTRAL-
Obio
18
84
102
47
8
"12
149
"498
95
"800
748
77 0
75.2
67 9
77 4
Indiana
Illinois
1,846
2,594
43
11
322
2,833
12
Michigan
Wisconsin
W. N. CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa -_
19
176
706
7,245
"~~77
80.7
65.7
9
124
1
7
46
2
2
9
81
9
6
34
70
175
491
216
80
219
30
226
739
4
3
2
10
35
5
31
652
7
46
301
9
15
50
414
61
29
269
436
1,038
3,340
1,325
429
1,337
143
1,462
5,098
13
18
49
173
22
333
6,596
8
181
2,864
46
165
398
5,004
531
393
2,678
3,895
9,512
32,828
14, 324
4,051
12,755
1,261
17, 505
55, 263
102
190
29
403
2,163
335
Missouri
South Dakota
Nebraska
13
71
11
48
438
4,720
48
296
505
8,499
785
453
4,976
6,187
20, 333
49, 379
20,358
6,261
16,557
2,548
25,996
84, 672
157
299
37
809
3,077
516
5
6
633
1,206
6,540
18
2,268
26
296
130
2,400
103
338
3,850
4,686
5,452
20, 238
8,201
1,457
4,768
1,068
11,713
39, 683
53
191
420
2.452
22
"~21
75 9
69.2
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Dist. of Colum-
bia
55 8
62 4
67.4
84.7
64 1
67.3
70.6
74 5
69.9
70.9
78 9
70 0
71.9
64 4
67 8
Virginia
11
133
11
38
76
215
564
249
87
270
52
301
921
6
6
2
20
43
8
1
17
3
6
21
39
35
96
57
17
37
19
64
222
2
4
8
116
8
1
17
37
180
468
192
70
233
33
237
699
4
2
2
12
30
3
1
375
6,099
682
115
1,126
1,501
14,881
29,141
12, 157
4,804
11, 789
1,480
14,283
44,989
104
108
37
285
1,318
84
5
West Virginia-
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
242
209
2,845
955
10
"~115
1,131
Florida
E. S. CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
W. S. CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas -
MOUNTAIN*
Montana
Idaho ... .
80 1
Wyoming
Colorado
8
13
5
524
1,759
432
~"~75
70 7
62 5
77.8
New Mexico.. -
Arizona
Utah.
Nevada
1
16
19
72
1
10
8
48
6
408
673
5,424
PACIFIC:
Washington...
Oregon. „
6
11
24
225
533
1,116
"135
50
62.7
80.3
71.2
13
11
62
52
69
430
473
438
4,513
California
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
CHURCHES OP CHRIST
465
TABLE 4L. — -NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
CO
*""«
II
PI
P
£&
esj >
0> 0
>*g
CO c3
Is
si
-i"
Percent
under 13 1
United States
3,815
6,226
5,570
2,649
309, 551
433, 714
317, 937
159, 658
748
23, 693
285, 110
3.1
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
3
7
3
30
116
133
75
27
4
19
176
1
13
71
3
4
4
2
45
161
236
146
21
3
53
272
5
20
143
6
1
7
2
84
206
80
1,222
9,479
12, 852
4,438
2,831
852
1,028
10, 078
12
438
4,720
48
505
8,499
785
453
4,976
6,187
20, 333
49, 379
20, 358
6,261
16, 557
2,548
25,996
84, 672
157
299
809
3,077
516
633
1,206
6,540
437
117
182
47
2,135
11, 257
21,419
10, 017
2,156
73
4,302
19, 260
164
1,269
8,983
153
16
137
44
84
136
48
1,103
8, 603
11, 564
4,438
1,598
852
1,003
8,934
12
438
4,720
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
8
62
32
118
808
1,278
New Jersey
Pennsylvania _
32
139
210
103
17
30
279
3
31
110
13
70
112
58
8
1
23
121
1,295
9,004
16, 512
6,726
1,398
729
4,954
10, 259
3,552
838
8
1,477
7,087
1
8
10
.8
1.0
.8
EAST NORTH CENTRAL-
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
3
1,230
.2
Wisconsin _ _
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
1,534
15, 160
39
1,252
5,573
25
1,129
Missouri
15
1.3
South Dakota
Nebraska
11
66
492
3,216
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC-
Maryland
48
357
6,601
772
453
4,573
6,039
18, 715
44, 275
19, 963
5,455
16,280
2,311
23,703
79, 755
157
299
809
1,824
503
537
1,206
6,445
437
Virginia
11
133
11
7
38
76
215
564
249
87
270
52
301
921
6
6
20
43
8
16
19
72
29
19
208
21
5
64
112
367
978
460
125
626
45
559
1,286
8
11
26
44
21
28
22
68
o
13
182
21
4
50
7
700
13, 660
1,013
325
4,039
6,159
29, 539
72,015
30, 115
6,968
39, 678
2,240
34, 645
Q8, 909
154
411
1,477
2,032
816
1,069
1,102
4,438
829
841
10, 342
951
120
2,594
295
1
64
147
1,834
13
.7
3.4
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia. _ _
58
74
330
995
361
122
514
38
481
1,240
3
9
11
51
7
34
23
35
7
22
28
151
631
157
47
190
10
166
627
2
4
5
4
17
11
23
1
2,671
2,865
24, 216
63, 521
20, 943
5,994
26,239
1,268
21,700
71, 542
41
364
588
1,333
239
1,194
1,133
1,149
141
1,046
1,060
12,451
41,411
9,214
3,155
11,006
421
8,074
34,006
19
384
148
1,563
4,949
391
798
274
232
2,250
4,612
4.7
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Kentucky ,
55
155
4
8
3
5
43
305
3.4
3.0
LO
1.0
1.1
2.1
1.9
6.2
Tennessee _
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma ._
Texas. _
MOUNTAIN:
Miontana
Idaho
46
114
129
52
488
408
761
14
Colorado
"""§." I
New Mexico
39
2
1,214
13
94
Arizona
PACIFIC-
Washington
Oregon
California
95
Other States
» Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Includes 2 churches each in Wyoming and the District of Columbia; and 1 in each of the following
States— Massachusetts, Connecticut, Minnesota, Utah, and Nevada.
466
C'ENSKJ'S' OF RELIGIOUS BODIEIS, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total number of
churches
1
l|
"ojfl
jj-8
|
3,029
3
23
97
121
59
19
18
136
10
67
10
109
9
6
34
62
194
454
208
64
190
34
221
755
6
8
24
4
10
13
51
10
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
3,815
2,932
$10, 717, 977
547
$1, 222, 621
155
$320, 125
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
7
30
116
133
75
27
19
176
13
71
11
133
11
7
38
76
215
564
249
87
270
52
301
921
6
20
43
8
16
19
72
29
3
23
94
118
58
19
16
131
10
65
9
103
8
6
33
58
183
444
200
61
184
34
216
734
6
8
23
4
10
13
50
28
17, 500
79,056
388, 735
298, 075
138, 730
173, 550
30, 000
303, 250
20, 000
171, 501
16, 420
289, 348
31, 800
24, 460
166, 650
225, 000
524, 502
1, 678, 475
602, 995
150, 500
335, 950
68, 650
847, 429
3, 386, 051
10, 700
21, 300
107, 850
15, 800
23, 450
33, 250
438, 400
98, 600
1
6
16
10
7
9
2
19
800
9,856
43, 870
6,555
7,194
49, 170
900
33,235
Pennsylvania .. _ __ _.
3
1
6
10, 300
(0
14, 000
EAST NOKTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana . _ -_.._-
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
Missouri „ ... ._..
3
1
3
3,^000
2/500
Nebraska . .. . _
Kansas
11
2
12
12, 710
2,030
32, 640
SOUTH ATLANTIC.
Virginia
West Virginia
3
2
1
2
9
13, 000
f1)
0)
0)
18, 100
North Carolina
South Carolina
3
13
14
19
63
29
11
23
6
46
174
4
3
7
2
1
7
25
2
3,895
40, 974
43, 312
23, 375
159, 766
70, 710
23,997
22, 567
10, 150
90, 782
403, 609
1,896
4,120
14, 824
1,025
1,000
3,472
96, 637
7, 550
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
13
6
1
6
2
20
65
1
40, 100
26, 000
0)
10, 000
0)
34, 525
118, 800
0)
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas .
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
Colorado _
New Mexico _
2
C)
Arizona
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
2
3
0)
2,500
27, 300
California .
Other States . . , „ .
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
2 Includes 2 churches each in Maine and the District of Columbia; and 1 in each of the following States-
Connecticut, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Montana.
CHURCHES1 OF CHRIST
467
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITUKES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited, to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
Tnfal
E
SPENDITUR
ES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
number
of
churches
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Kepairs
and
improve-
ments
United States _ .
3,815
3 533
$2 274,432
$1 046 483
$166, 058
$215, 132
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
7
6
2 458
1 442
111
New Jersey
3
3
1 865
1*200
76
Pennsylvania _
30
27
12 840
4 041
849
1,941
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
116
112
57 363
21 066
4 622
5,129
Indiana
133
125
56 535
26 604
5 756
6 793
Illinois
75
67
28 025
13' 265
2,522
2,486
Michigan.. __ _
27
27
48, 325
17 643
2,509
5,269
Wisconsin _ _. . .
4
3
515
155
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
19
17
5 804
2 095
461
981
Missouri- _
176
165
58, 195
23^ 535
5,388
7,625
Nebraska
13
11
2 214
1 889
174
107
Kansas
71
66
42 306
22 348
3 557
2,177
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
11
11
2,918
631
328
902
West Virginia _
133
122
54, 468
1 22, 679
4,560
6,114
North Carolina _ _ .
11
11
5 131
3, 050
240
850
South Carolina
7
6
3,135
1, 736
146
501
Georgia
38
33
45 958
! 24, 800
2 094
2,890
Florida
76
70
58 773
1 30 234
2,546
4,805
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky ._
215
203
99, 593
i 52, 020
8,255
9,340
Tennessee - _ _ __ __
564
521
293, 372
119, 246
27, 351
29, 194
Alabama - -
249
231
126 940
55, 549
6,778
13, 750
Mississippi
87
82
34, 467
16, 578
2,196
3,152
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
270
246
78, 984
32, 887
7,115
8,079
Louisiana
52
47
8, 958
874
2,728
Oklahoma-
301
273
207' 994
98, 703
15, 336
21, 194
Texas - .
921
864
741, 380
363, 817
51, 195
61, 032
MOUNTAIN:
jytontans
6
4
1 072
Idaho
6
5
2,549
1,227
118
671
Colorado
20
16
8,248
4,238
461
389
New Mexico
43
38
33, 910
17, 555
2,087
2,492
Arizona----
8
6
5,691
2,580
590
PACIFIC:
Washington . _
16
16
8,508
4,599
314
876
Oregon -- --
19
18
7,385
2,995
670
976
California
72
70
108, 056
44,895
6,646
11,838
Other States
16
ill
10, 161
3,378
320
509
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Maine and Maryland, and the District of Columbia ;
and 1 in each of the following— Massachusetts, Connecticut, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
275318 — 41-
-31
468
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
$31, 001
$475, 221
$168,455
$117, 878
$43, 545
$60
$10, 599
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
775
270
4,577
19, 527
7,358
6,116
10, 985
100
1,019
12, 293
508
7,280
580
11, 300
491
421
9,973
12, 196
12, 213
65,230
32, 975
7,518
13, 121
2,653
38, 214
152, 700
479
483
1,295
5,306
1,881
1,445
1,939
28, 181
3,819
120
169
865
3,629
4,733
1,974
2,156
10
New Jersey
90
522
2,114
2,813
1,143
1,973
260
612
4,006
380
2,755
62
3,481
85
45
2,784
3,320
4,778
14, 701
6,437
1,568
7,584
1,335
7,974
36, 764
370
30
959
1,883
368
704
326
4,887
765
60
45
876
1,792
519
778
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
350
150
50
536
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
5,885
1,127
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
240
626
171
3,834
93
3,471
90
4,680
335
261
1,950
3,397
7,773
26, 143
9,621
2,388
7,848
912
15, 470
55, 396
100
20
753
1,868
247
265
266
6,710
747
105
658
63
718
120
230
Missouri
Nebraska - -
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia _- -
250
710
75
263
West Virginia
664
80
25
828
2,275
4,797
6,055
1,550
425
1,505
381
4,405
8,311
113
17
North Carolina.- _.-
South Carolina ,-_
Georgia
108
531
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
205
3,582
7
205
1,870
280
165
570
203
1,325
2,749
10
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
456
275
1,250
5,373
9,401
21
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana^ . _ .
Oklahoma
Texas
15
MOUNTAIN
Montana
Idaho - -
Colorado
153
424
25
180
213
4,899
623
New Mexico
2,140
155
Arizona
PACIFIC:
Washington.. _
125
Oregon _
California
Other States
CHURCHES' OF CHRIST 469
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION '
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
In their early history the churches which gathered under the leadership of
Thomas and Alexander Campbell, Walter Scott, and Barton W. Stone emphasized
the distinctively apostolic character of the individual church, not merely as a
worshiping congregation and a working force, but as an autonomous ecclesiastical
body. As set forth in the Declaration and Address, by Thomas Campbell, they
deplored human creeds and systems and protested against considering anything
as a matter of faith and duty for which there could not be produced a "Thus saith
the Lord," either in expressed terms, approved example, or necessary inference.
They^also held that they should follow "after the example of the primitive church
exhibited in the New Testament without any additions whatever of human
opinions or inventions of men." With this basis of action they adopted as the
keynote of their movement, "Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the
Scriptures are silent, we are silent."
As the churches increased in membership and wealth, however, there arose
what seemed to some to be a desire for popularity and for such "human inven-
tions" as had been deplored in the beginning of the movement. Chief among
these "inventions" were a general organization of the churches into a missionary
society, with a "money basis" of membership, and the use of mechanical instru-
mental music in the worship of the church. The agitation for the organization of
a missionary society began soon after 1840 and continued until the American
Christian Missionary Society was formed in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1849. Although
this movement received Alexander Campbell's approval, yet the literature of
that period abundantly shows that he was not the real leader behind the effort
nor the same man mentally who had previously opposed such inventions of men.
Many of his brethren were dissatisfied with this departure from the original ground
and held firmly to the earlier position, quoting his own language in speaking of
the apostolic Christians :
Their churches were not fractured into missionary societies, Bible societies,
and educational societies; nor did they dream of organizing such. * * *
They knew nothing of the hobbies of modern times. In their church capacity
alone they moved. * * * They viewed the Church of Jesus Christ as the
scheme of salvation to ameliorate the world. As members of it they consid-
ered themselves bound to do all they could for the glory of God and the good
of men. They dared not transfer to a missionary society a cent or a prayer,
lest in so doing they should rob the Church of its glory and exalt the inven-
tions of men above the wisdom of God.
A society with a "money basis" and a delegated membership, it was urged,
was the beginning of apostasy from New Testament Christianity. The article
in the constitution of the missionary society which gave more offense than any
other, because, in the view of some, it established a "money basis" and created
a "moneyed aristocracy," read as follows: "The society shall be composed of
annual delegates, life members, and life directors. Any church may appoint a
delegate for an annual contribution of $10; and $20 paid at one time shall be
requisite to constitute a member for life." Various and earnest efforts were
made at different times to dissuade them from this "departure from New Testa-
ment Christianity," but without avail.
The question as to the use of instrumental music in the services of the church
became an issue as early as 1859, when a melodeon was placed in the church at
Midway, Ky. Much opposition was aroused, and the claim was made that
instrumental music in the church services "ministered to pride and worldliness,
was without the sanction of New Testament precept and example, and was conse-
quently unscriptural and sinful."
Other matters in regard to which there was controversy were the introduction
of the "modern pastor" and the adoption of "unscriptural means of raising
money."
It was inevitable that such divergencies of opinion should result in the forma-
tion of opposing parties, and these parties were variously called "Conservatives"
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Keport on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Leslie G. Thomas, Churches of Christ, Dickson, Tenn., and approved by
him in its present form.
470 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
and " Progress! ves," or "Antis" and "Digressives." Actual division, however,
came slowly. Many who sympathized with the Progressives continued to wor-
ship and work with the Conservatives because they had no other church facilities;
and on the other hand, many Conservatives associated with the Progressives for
a similar reason.
In the census report for 1890 both parties were reported together under the
title, "Disciples of Christ." In the report for 1906 the Conservatives were re-
ported separately as " Churches of Christ," but the results were not altogether
satisfactory, as it was difficult to draw the line between them and the Disciples
of Christ. There is now a clear distinction between the two groups, and the
statistics for 1936 are far more complete.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
In doctrine and polity the Churches of Christ are, in some respects, in accord
with the Disciples of Christ. They reject all human creeds and confessions,
consider the Scriptures a sufficient rule of faith and practice, emphasize the
"divine Sonship of Jesus" and the "divine personality of the Holy Spirit," and
regard the Lord's Supper as a memorial service rather than as a sacrament, to
be observed each Lord's Day. The church, with such officers as belonged to it
in apostolic times, is considered a divine institution. Each local church is inde-
pendent; it elects its own officers, calls its own ministers, and conducts its own
affairs. Membership is on the general basis of faith in Christ, repentance, and
baptism (immersion). The ministerial office is not emphasized, and there are no
ministerial associations. Each minister is a member of the church which he
serves, and is subject to its discipline. In general, the doctrine of nonresist-
ance is advocated.
WORK
The opposition to missionary societies on the part of the Churches of Christ
does not imply any lack of interest in missionary work, which has been fully
developed since the division. They are rapidly establishing new churches in
different parts of the United States, and are carrying on missionary work in
Japan, China, Korea, Persia, Brazil, Hawaii, Philippine Islands, India, Africa,
Mexico, and other parts of the world.
The educational institutions of the Churches of Christ include 7 Bible, or
Christian, colleges, with 184 teachers, 2,206 students, and property valued at
$2,610,974. There are also several academies and professional schools; 7 orphan-
ages, with 833 children, and property valued at $496,001; and 2 homes for the
aged (1 takes children, too, and is not included in the orphanages), with 50
inmates and property valued at $500,000. These institutions are located in
Tennessee, Texas, Kentucky, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Georgia, and California.
They publish eight monthly, two semimonthly, and three weekly journals
devoted exclusively to religious instruction.
CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN CHRISTIAN UNION OF OHIO
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Churches of Christ in Christian Union of Ohio
for the year 1936 is presented in the following table, which shows the distribution
of these figures between urban and rural territory. The data given for 1936 repre-
sent 86 active organizations, all reported from the State of Ohio. These statistics
were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk
of the individual churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of persons who have been
approved by the church officials.
The Churches of Christ in Christian Union of Ohio were not reported prior to
1936, hence no comparative data are available.
A GENERAL SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL I
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations)! number
86
3,568
41
1,424
2,106
38
67.6
164
3,160
244
4.9
70
67
$160, 716
$152, 886
$7, 830
$2, 399
14
$21,471
39
3
2
$8,000
85
$69, 643
$27, 971
$3, 632
$7,460
$5, 105
$8,951
$563
$890
$5, 483
$3, 960
$5, 628
$819
79
796
5,710
19
1,846
28
753
1,093
67
1,722
91
671
1,013
38
66 2
63
1,552
107
3 9
53
51
$64, 870
$57, 840
$7, 030
$1, 272
7
$6, 762
32
Members, number .
51 7
48.3
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
52 9
51.9
47.1
48.1
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
68.9
101
1,608
137
5.9
17
16
$95, 846
$95, 046
$800
$5, 990
7
$14, 709
7
3
2
$8, 000
19
$41, 164
$16, 613
$2,302
$4,487
$3, 775
$5, 044
$437
$557
$3, 475
$2, 273
$2, 201
$2, 167
18
304
3,084
Membership by age:
Under 13 years __ . _-
61 6
50.9
56 1
38.4
49.1
43.9
13 years and over
Age not reported _
Percent under 13 years ^
Church edifices, number
Value— num ber reportin g
Amount reported
59 6
62.2
10.2
40.4
37.8
89.8
Constructed prior to 1936 .
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Dgbt — number reporting
Amount reported
68.5
31.5
Number reporting *'no debt"
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
66
$28, 479
$11,358
$1, 330
$2, 973
$1, 330
$3, 907
$126
$333
$2, 008
$1, 687
$3, 427
$432
61
492
2,626
100.0
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported - -
59.1
59.4
63.4
60.1
73.9
56.4
77.6
62.6
63.4
57.4
39.1
40.9
40.6
36.6
39.9
26.1
43.6
22.4
37.4
36.6
42.6
60.9
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries --
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest -
All other current expenses, including in-
terest --
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc
TToTpA rnissTons
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes - - - -
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers -- - -
38 2
54 0
61.8
46.0
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Based on membership with age classification reported.
471
472 CENSUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The Churches of Christ In Christian Union of Ohio trace their origin as an
independent ecclesiastical body to the year 1909 at the Council of the Christian
Union Churches which was held at Marshall, Ohio. A prominent breach was
present among the churches of this district. The point of controversy was over
holiness as a second definite work of grace subsequent to regeneration. The non-
holiness believers, being in the controlling power, enacted certain legislation to
put to death this true holiness group. But instead of dying this group, headed
by Rev. J. H. McKibban, withdrew by compulsion and took the present name,
Churches of Christ in Christian Union of Ohio.
On October 27, 1909, a convention was held by this group at the Christian
Union Publishing House at Washington Courthouse, Ohio, over which Rev. E. S.
Cartright presided. At this convention a charter of the Churches of Christ in
Christian Union of Ohio was read and endorsed by the ministry and members
present. There was also a Declaration of Rights written and presented.
This group of Churches of Christ in Christian Union, no longer being members
of the Council of Christian Union Churches, were obliged to establish their own
council. The first council of the Churches of Christ in Christian Union of Ohio
was held at Jeffersonville, Ohio, October 28 to 31, 1909. Rev. E. S. Cartright was
the moderator of this council. Annual councils have been held from that date
DOCTRINE
The Churches of Christ in Christian Union of Ohio are fundamental in doctrine.
Regeneration; entire sanctification as a second definite work of grace, subsequent
to regeneration; divine healing; and the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ
are the fundamental doctrines of the church.
ORGANIZATION
The polity of the Churches of Christ in Christian Union of Ohio is based upon
the principle that each local church governs itself. The principle is very similar
to congregational form of government. The spiritual affairs of the church are
headed by the pastor, and first, second, and third elders. The business affairs
are headed by a board of trustees. Admission to church membership is by direct
application to the church through proper officials, "good fruits being the only
condition of fellowship/' i. e., a personal experience of the new birth. Each local
church is a member of the General Council, which council in turn is controlled
by delegated power. All local churches, therefore, are subject to the General
Council. Ordination to the ministry is by the examining board of the General
Council.
WORK
The work of this body consists in the fulfillment of an inspired ambition to get
back to Christ and the autonomy, doctrines, and polity of the churches of Christ
of the first century. Its work embraces the salvation of the lost; the establishing
of new local assemblies of believers in Christ; home mission work; homes for the
orphans; foreign mission work, with active stations iu India, Africa, and Mexico;
youth movements; fundamental religious training; and publishing interests.
A general conference and camp meeting ground has been established at Circle-
ville, Ohio.
There are at present a total of 86 churches with a combined membership of
several thousand, and property valuation of approximately a quarter of a million
dollars.
1 This statement was furnished by Rev. B1. E. Terry, Churches of Christ in Christian Union of Ohio,
Lancaster, Ohio.
CHURCHES OF GOD, HOLINESS
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification, — A general
summary of the statistics for the Churches of God, Holiness, for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. No parsonages were reported by this body. These
statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor
or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of persons who are baptized
by immersion on profession of belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ and of adher-
ence to New Testament teachings.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL,
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Cliurclies (local organizations), number
35
5,872
168
2,252
3,370
250
66.8
1,495
4,377
25.5
17
17
$116, 900
$110, 900
$6,000
$6, 876
$39, 500
5
34
$27, 413
$11, 341
$236
$2,440
$2,875
$5, 582
$1, 373
$923
$680
$1, 796
$167
$806
32
205
2,312
9
55
525
23
5,162
224
1,989
2,923
250
68.0
1,222
3,940
23.7
12
12
$108, 500
$102, 500
$6,000
$Q,042
5
$39, 500
3
22
$24, 579
$10, 076
$150
$2,225
$2, 875
$5,467
$1, 036
$725
$525
$1, 415
$85
$1, 117
20
132
1,729
9
55
525
12
710
59
263
447
Members, number _ . _
87.9
12.1
Average membership per church
Membership by sex.
Male
88.3
86.7
100.0
11.7
13.3
Female _ ___
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
58.8
273
437
38.5
5
$8,400
$8,400
Membership by age-
Under 13 years
81.7
90.0
18.3
10.0
13 years and over
Percent under 13 years
Church, edifices, number
Value—- number reporting
Amount reported "
92.8
92.4
100.0
7.2
7.6
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
$1, 680
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
NTnrnlhpr reporting "no debt"
2
12
$2, 834
$1, 265
$86
$215
Expenditures :
Churches reporting number
Amount reported
89.7
88.8
63.6
91.2
100.0
10.3
11.2
36.4
8.8
Pastors' salaries _ - --
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
$115
$337
$198
$155
$381
$82
$236
12
73
583
97.9
75.5
78.5
77.2
78.8
50.9
2.1
24.5
21.5
22.8
21.2
49.1
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc__-
Home missions --
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution. _
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
64.4
74.8
35.6
25.2
Scholars - ------- _____
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting number
Scholars __-_ ___ _
100.0
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
473
474
CWN-SUS OF 'BELIGIOIJiS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1936 and 1926, — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for
comparison, a summary of the available statistics of the Churches of God, Holi-
ness, for the census years 1936 and 1926.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1936 AND 1926
ITEM
1936
1936
ITEM
1936
1936
Clrurch.es (local organizations),
miniber
35
6
29
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number-
Amount reported.-
34
$27, 413
$11,341
$236
$2, 440
$2, 875
$5, 582
$1, 373
$923
$680
$1,796
$167
$806
32
205
2,312
26
$35, 878
p7,878
» $8, 000
$1, 380
27
174
1,246
Increase over preceding cen-
sus.
Number
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Percent 1
Repairs and improve-
ments - -- -
Members, number
5,872
3,594
157.8
2,278
Payment on church debt,
excluding interest __
Increase over preceding cen-
sus:
Number
All other current expenses,
including interest
Percent
Local relief and charity,
Red Cross, etc
Average membership per
church
168
17
17
$116,900
$6, 876
5
$39, 500
79
16
16
$159, 700
$9, 981
7
$71, 375
Home missions .
Church edifices, number
Foreign missions „
To general headquarters
for distribution,
Value— number reporting
Amount reported
All other purposes
Average value per church.
Debt — number reporting
Average expenditure per
church
Amount reported—
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number..
Officers and teachers
Parsonages, number
Value — mimbei reporting
2
$16, 700
Amount reported
Scholars . _
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Churches of
God, Holiness, by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools.
Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches
for the census years 1936 and 1926, together with the membership for 1936
classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5
shows the value of church edifices and the amount of debt on such property for
1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing
the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5
and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
OHU'KOHES O'F GOD, HOLINESS
475
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
"cS
O
fr
e
c3
rCi
£
1
3
o
EH
&
(§
o
1
.2
I
£
T3
•g-u
a o
a
S
03
Males per 100
females l
Churches re-
porting
Onicers and
teachers
Scholars
United States
35
23
12
5,872
5,162
710
2,252
3,370
250
66 8
32
205
2,312
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
3
1
2
2
2
1
1
3
1
1
2
1
1
950
100
178
157
192
45
24
20
300
415
19
63
1,415
1, 773
121
100
950
100
163
157
165
45
270
30
90
75
92
15
12
7
100
153
7
15
568
731
47
40
430
70
88
82
100
30
12
13
200
262
12
48
847
1,042
74
60
250
62 8
2
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
8
6
2
1
IS
5
4
5
11
5
6
5
9
15
7
3
57
38
11
6
183
25
20
25
60
25
25
15
125
185
67
20
891
531
55
60
New Jersey
"I"
"IJf
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Illinois
1
27
92 0
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
1
1
"I"
1
"if
i
24
20
~~15~
19
"540"
50
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
1
District of Columbia. ...
Virginia
1
2
1
1
1
300
400
50 0
58 4
West Virginia
North Carolina
1
8
6
2
1
1
3
5
2
1
63
875
1,723
121
100
South Carolina
67 1
70 2
Georgia. _
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee -
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Louisiana
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1936 AND 1926, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936 or 1926]
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1936
1936
1936
Under 13
years
13 years
and over
Percent
under 13
United States
35
29
5,872
2,278
1,495
4,377
25.5
New York
3
1
8
6
217
950
63
1, 415
1,773
1,671
151
6
544
388
406
799
57
871
1,385
1,265
15.9
W38,
21.9
24 3
North Carolina
4
7
3
15
135
631
749
763
South Carolina
Georgia
Other States _
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Includes 2 churches in each of tho following States— Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Virginia, and Tennessee;
and 1 in each of the following — New Jersey, Michigan, Missouri, Maryland, West Virginia, and Louisiana,
and the District of Columbia.
476
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BOD'IEIS, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT BY
STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States _ _
35
17
17
$116, 900
5
$39, 500
South Carolina
8
6
21
5
4
8
5
4
18
8,900
49, 500
58, 500
Georgia _ _ _ - _ _ _ _
1
4
20, 000
19, 500
Other States
i Includes 1 church in each of the following States—New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Virginia,
West Virginia, Tennessee, and Louisiana.
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
STATE
Total number of churches
EXPENDITURES
w Churches reporting
Total amount
1
1
1
£
8 All other salaries
Repairs and im-
provements
f3 bo
I11
S2, 875
450
150
1,400
875
"fl'o
£.S
O
$5, 582
1
£|
1
3
Home missions
a
o
1
a
d
1
$680
o
"o
$167
~~25
142
United States
35
$27,413
5,239
2,930
8,625
10, 619
$11,341
$2, 440
$1, 373
$923
278
$1, 796
New York
3
8
6
18
3
8
6
i 17
2,075
1,115
3,225
4,926
....
200
550
1,000
690
1,624
185
295
550
343
110
130
215
335
470
320
671
South Carolina - ,.
Georgia
75
161
1,640
2,318
Other States
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States—Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, and Tennessee;
and 1 in each of the following — New Jersey, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Maryland, West Virginia, North
Carolina, and Louisiana, and the District of Columbia.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION *
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The organization known as Churches of God, Holiness, dates back to the year
1914, when Rev. K. H. Burruss began preaching the gospel of entire sanctifica-
tion to a little group of eight people at Atlanta, Ga. It was not until July 1916,
however, that the denomination was organized at Atlanta, by Reverend ^Burruss,
at which time large churches were established both at Atlanta and at Norfolk, Va.,
as the result of great revivals held in those cities. The denomination continued
to prosper until, by the year 1922, 35 churches had been established. These
churches were located in 11 States and in Cuba, the Canal Zone, and British
West Indies. In the year 1922 the churches were brought into a national organi-
zation, which is now known as the National Convention of the Churches of God,
Holiness.
The headquarters of this denomination are at Atlanta, Ga.
i No revision of history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this body for 1936, hence this statement
is the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious Bodies, 1926.
CHURCHES OF GOD, HOLINESS 477
DOCTRINE
This denomination believes not only in the inspiration of the Scriptures but
that the New Testament is the standard by which all doctrine must be tested,
and that all rules of government for the churches are to be found therein. Fur-
thermore, it holds that the New Testament "gives safe and clearly applied
instructions on all methods of labor, sacred and secular, and all conduct of life
even to the innermost thoughts of the heart and impulses of the soul." It
acknowledges belief in the Trinity, in justification, sanctification, and regenera-
tion, and it holds that the gift of the Holy Ghost is an act subsequent to con-
version. It teaches both present and ultimate perfection. A belief in the
possibility of divine healing is a necessary qualification for membership. How-
ever, it is clearly stated in the discipline of the denomination that physicians
and medicines are not denounced in the Bible, but are approved for those who
desire them.
The ordinances of the church are baptism and the Lord's Supper. The form
of baptism is "burial in water and rising again." Although the washing of feet
is a practice which this denomination approves, "as obeying the Lord," it is not
a regularly observed ordinance of the church.
ORGANIZATION
The highest ecclesiastical body of this denomination, called the National Con-
vention, is a delegated bodv whose province it is to elect the national president.
The State convention is next in rank and is held annually. A State overseer,
whose duty it is "to see that all churches under his jurisdiction shall be disci-
plined according to the New Testament Scriptures," is appointed by the national
president or bishop, who also assigns all pastors to the local churches. The
deacons are assistants to the pastor and hold office as long as their conduct
justifies it. There are five auxiliaries to the National Convention, the Christian
Women's Willing Workers, the Young People's Union, the Sunday school, the
Purity Club, and the Gospel Spreading Committee.
The official church paper is the Bethlehem Star.
GENERAL ELDERSHIP OF THE CHURCHES OF GOD
IN NORTH AMERICA
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the General Eldership of the Churches of God in
North America for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the
distribution of these figures between urban and rural territory. These statistics
were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of
the individual churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have
been admitted to the local churches (by action of the official boards) upon reason-
able evidence that they are Christians. Baptism is by immersion only.
TABLE 1.-
-SUMMARY OP STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
352
30, 820
88
10, 433
16, 404
4,983
67 7
1,661
29, 093
66
5 4
334
326
$2, 884, 213
$2, 823, 381
$60, 832
$8, 847
55
$275, 731
173
146
137
$489, 215
344
$378, 175
$149,936
$23, 188
$51, 621
$24, 846
$69, 804
$5, 464
$4, 964
$6, 167
$24, 795
$17, 390
$1, 099
68
12, 395
182
4,291
6,626
1,478
64 8
750
11, 645
284
18, 425
64
6,142
8,778
3,505
70.0
911
17, 448
66
5.0
270
263
$1, 110, 663
$1, 080, 381
$30, 282
$4, 223
25
$62, 750
154
96
87
$210, 350
277
$187, 703
$84, 962
$7, 727
$24, 694
$9, 054
$31, 729
$2, 785
$2, 348
$2, 632
$11,132
$10, 640
$678
19.3
40.2
80.7
59.8
Members, number.
Average membership per church-
Membership by sex:
Male
41.1
43 0
29.7
58 9
57 0
70 3
Female « -- _ _ _
Sex not reported _ - _
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
45 2
40.0
54 8
60.0
13 years and over
Age not reported _ _ _. ...
Percent under 13 years 2
6.1
64
63
SI, 773, 550
$1, 743, 000
$30, 550
$28, 152
30
$212, 981
19
50
50
$278, 865
67
$190, 472
$64, 974
$15, 461
$26, 927
$15, 792
$38, 075
$2, 679
$2, 616
$3, 535
$13, 663
$6, 750
$2, 843
Clmrcli edifices, number
19.2
19 3
61.5
61.7
50.2
80.8
80.7
38 5
38.3
49.8
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Debt— number reporting _
Amount reported - - -
77 2
11 0
34.2
36 5
57.0
19 5
50 4
43 3
66.7
52 2
63 6
54 5
49 0
52 7
57.3
55.1
38.8
22 8
89 0
65.8
63 5
43.0
80.5
49 6
56.7
33 3
47.8
36.4
45 5
51.0
47.3
42.7
44.9
61.2
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting.. _
Amount reported
Expenditures:
C hurches rep orting, number
Amount reported -
Pastors' salaries ._
All other salaries.
Repairs and improvements -
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Eed Cross, etc...
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution. .
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100, * Based on membership with age classification reported,
478
CHUECHES OF GOD IN NOKTH AMEEICA
479
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
331
5,300
39, 495
20
168
1,181
72
1,791
15, 331
10
87
608
259
3,509
24, 164
10
81
573
21 8
33 8
38.8
78 2
66.2
61.2
Officers and teachers.
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
51.8
51.5
48.2
48.5
Scholars _. .. .
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the General Eldership of the
Churches of God in North America for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and
1906.
TABLE 2, — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number. ....„_,
352
428
440
511
Increase *• over preceding census:
Number -- — .......
—76
—12
—71
Percent
—17 8
-2.7
—13 9
Members, number . ._ .
30, 820
31 596
28, 376
24, 356
Increase * over preceding census:
Number
—776
3 220
4,020
1,845
Percent
—2 5
11 3
16.5
Average membership per church
88
74
64
Church edifices, number . . ...
334
393
391
417
Value — number reporting _,
326
384
390
417
Amount reported-
$2, 884, 213
$3,211,328
$1, 418, 787
$1, 050, 706
Average value per church
$8 847
$8 363
$3, 638
$2 520
Debt — number reporting
55
44
50
26
Amount reported
$275, 731
$312 424
$90, 958
$44, 350
146
Valup — TUTm'hfir reporting
137
122
112
79
A F) ov? n t reported
$489 215
$506 550
$194, 600
$130, 051
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number
344
385
402
A m OTI ~n t reported
$378 175
$549 002
$266, 338
Pastors' salaries
$149, 936
All other salaries
$23, 188
Repairs and improvements
$51, 621
[ $451,971
$211, 770
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest-..
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$24, 846
$69,804
$5, 464
TTnTjie. Tnipsinns
$4,964
Foreign Tflispions
$6, 167
[ $88, 259
$54, 568
To general headouarters for distribution
$24, 795
All other purposes
$17, 390
Not classified
$8, 772
Average expenditure per church
$1 099
$1, 426
$663
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting numfbor
331
372
388
398
Officers and teachers -- -
5,300
4,640
4,706
4,253
Scholars
39, 495
40, 559
39, 259
29, 487
i A minus sign (—) denotes decrease.
480
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BOD'IEIS, 1936
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the General Elder-
ship of the Churches of God in North America by States. Table 3 gives for each
State for 1936 the number and membership of the churches classified according to
their location in urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and
data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives by States the number and membership
of the churches for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the mem-
bership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and
over.*' Table 5 shows the value of churches and parsonages and the amount of
debt on church edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expendi-
tures, showing separately the amounts expended for current expenses, improve-
ments, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of
any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those
States in which three or more churches reported value and expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each eldership of the General
Eldership of the Churches of God in North America, the more important statistical
data for 1936 shown by States in the preceding tables, including number of
churches, membership, value and debt on church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday
schools.
TABLE 3. — NTJMBEE AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITOKT, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
I
M
P
I
3
o
1
P
1
tf
4«
'cs
£
fc
•d
n
i
Males per 100
females 1
Churches re-
porting
OfQcers and
teachers
CQ
United States
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
852
159
46
27
30
7
68
284
30, 820
16, 738
3,279
1,899
2,414
170
455
674
23
509
2,666
887
260
644
72
130
12, 395
18,425
10, 433
15, 404
4,983
67.r
65.5
68.2
77.0
75.6
70.9
72.8
331
152
45
22
30
7
8
12
1
5
24
9
5
9
1
1
5,300
3,001
724
334
359
71
65
84
4
69
335
120
29
66
12
27
39, 495
39
8
4
4
120
38
23
26
7
10
12
I
4
21
7
6
8
8,581
1,077
416
417
""§47
891
399
8
46
72
8,157
2,202
1,483
1,997
170
455
533
23
162
1,775
488
252
598
'"iw
5,700
990
598
806
55
129
279
10
184
1,009
225
105
258
31
54
8,702
1,451
777
1,066
95
182
383
13
325
1,478
274
155
386
41
76
2,336
838
524
542
20
144
12
24,407
3,949
2,062
2,040
405
622
564
34
467
3,203
910
227
435
50
120
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois "
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
10
Missouri
15
1
3
Nebraska
Kansas
5
25
9
7
9
1
1
1
4
2
1
1
1
179
388
56.6
68.3
82.1
67.7
66.8
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
West Virginia
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Oklahoma
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
Colorado.
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
CHURCHES OF GOD IN NORTH AMERICA
481
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re
portec
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States
352
428
440
511
30, 820
16, 738
3,279
1,899
2,414
170
31, 596
28, 376
14, 370
3,374
2,064
1,516
282
24, 356
1,661
817
169
121
186
29, 093
15,855
3,110
1,778
2,228
170
66
66
5.4
4.9
5.2
6.4
7.7
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
P ennsyl vania
159
46
27
30
164
58
37
27
10
177
63
29
26
10
177
70
35
32
12
1
15, 671
3,883
2,590
2,133
216
11, 157
2,980
1,999
1,555
320
21
EAST NOKTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
10
15
1
5
25
9
7
9
1
1
13
23
4
9
29
14
15
20
1
2
1
20
27
11
27
25
14
5
1
3
24
37
12
12
25
24
23
20
3
4
455
674
23
509
2,666
887
260
644
72
130
758
1,351
180
445
1,998
588
607
904
96
105
19
907
986
93
935
1,797
1,056
564
209
86
137
913
1, 053
329
613
1,204
781
737
602
50
42
25
35
430
639
23
5.5
5.2
Missouri
Nebraska
"R"fVns?if?
9
260
15
22
2
500
2,406
872
260
644
50
128
1.8
9.8
1.7
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
West Virginia
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Oklahoma
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
Colorado _
1.5
PACIFIC:
Washington
California
1
52
1 Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OP CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
num-
ber of
church-
es
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
352
159
46
27
30
7
10
15
5
25
9
7
9
3
334
326
$2, 884, 213
55
$275. 731
137
$489,215
MIDDLE ATLANTIC;
Pennsylvania
159
45
26
28
7
10
10
5
25
8
3
5
3
155
45
24
27
7
10
9
5
25
8
3
5
»3
2.118,450
224, 200
136, 306
106, 050
14, 700
41,500
12,466
42,700
110,825
53, 616
2,400
9,500
11, 500
31
8
1
3
244, 709
12, 095
1,500
1,201
82
18
6
13
1
1
2
3
8
1
348, 665
29,000
16, 100
38.350
0)
0)
«
7,400
37,000
0)
EAST NORTH CENTKAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
Missouri
1
1
6
3
1,200
3,327
9,123
1,176
Kansas ...
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland --, ..
West Virginia
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Other States
1
1,400
2
12,700
* Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
2 Includes: Nebraska, 1; Idaho, 1; and Colorado, 1.
482 OEiNSTJIS' OF RELIGIOUS BOD'IEiS, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
United States...
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania —
352
844
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
Missouri _
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
West Virginia.,
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Other States..
159
$378, 175
251, 891
41, 272
18, 335
19, 572
3,009
3,604
4,087
4,051
21, 792
6,612
261
1,455
2,234
$149,936
$23, 188
$51, 621
19, 702
10, 346
9,557
1,821
2,337
2,226
1,715
7,879
3,456
165
783
1,125
17, 759
1,426
472
1,158
180
125
126
408
1,200
264
50
7,181
1,879
1,961
150
393
272
15
5
250
EXPENDITURES— continued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Pay-
ment on
church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
includ-
ing in-
terest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
mis-
sions
Foreign
mis-
sions
To
general
head-
quarters
All
other
Pur-
poses
United States...
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania...
$5,464
$4,964
$8, 167
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
3,001
600
556
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
Missouri
25
1,067
700
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
West Virginia-,
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Other States .
4,749
1,860
3,353
522
157
82
797
4,726
1,250
275
3,388
524
422
287
20
580
64
2,943
521
178
202
10
14
125
40
789
36
35
4,591
367
197
139
121
554
30
2,295
832
1,395
40
142
9
3
561
65
1,506
1,549
964
145
390
.....
645
74
95
' Includes: Nebraska, l; Idaho, 1; and Colorado, l .
CHURCHES OF GOD IN NORTH AMERICA
483
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ELDERSHIPS,
1936
ELDERSHIP
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDI-
FICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH EDI-
FICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
1
1
Churches
reporting
Scholars
Total
352
80, 820
252
78
12, 757
2,414
1,808
621
639
3,005
170
599
23
3,279
574
72
4,139
390
326
3
1
105
27
23
13
6
28
7
7
1
45
4
1
51
4
$2,884,213
55
$275, 731
344
$378, 175
240
0)
217, 554
19, 572
17, 460
4,779
5,371
23, 012
3,009
3,787
0)
41, 272
1,329
00
36, 554
3,175
1,061
331
4
3
101
30
21
12
6
27
7
9
1
45
7
1
52
5
39, 495
215
52
19, 022
2,040
1,976
763
587
3,469
405
509
34
3,949
395
50
5,619
410
Arkansas
6
3
107
30
26
14
6
28
7
12
1
46
7
1
53
5
2,400
0)
1,842,200
106, 050
135, 306
44, 800
45, 700
116, 325
14, 700
10, 166
(')
224, 200
9,000
312, 750
11, 616
9,000
5
3
107
30
25
12
6
28
7
9
1
45
7
1
53
5
Arkansas and Oklahoma..
East Pennsylvania .
26
3
1
1
1
7
238, 479
1,201
1,500
1,200
3,327
9,383
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas .
Maryland and Virginia
Michigan
Missouri
Nebraska
Ohio ..
8
12, 095
Oklahoma
Washington and Oregon.. -
West Pennsylvania
1
6
1
1,400
6,830
316
West Virginia
Combinations
1 Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
275318—41-
-32
484 C'EKS'U'S' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The revival movement which spread through the United States during the
early part of the nineteenth century was not felt as much in the Reformed as
in the Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian churches. In one case, however, it
made itself apparent, and its fruits are seen in the denomination known as the
"General Eldership of the Churches of God in North America."
John Winebrenner was born in the Glade Valley, Woodsborough district,
Frederick County, Md., Marcfr 25, 1797, his parents being of German descent.
Baptized and confirmed in the German Reformed Church (now the Evangeli-
cal and Reformed Church), he early showed an inclination to the ministry,
and after completing a course at the district school, an academy at Frederick,
and Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa., he went to Philadelphia to study theology
under Dr. Samuel Helfenstein. While here, on April 6, 1817, he passed through
a peculiar religious experience which he interpreted as sound conversion, and
from that moment the work of the ministry, which he had hitherto regarded with
more or less indifference, became "the uppermost desire of his heart."
On September 24, 1820, he was ordained in Hagerstown, Md. He then ac-
cepted a call to Harrisburg, Pa., with charge of three other churches, commencing
his work there October 22, 1820. He was earnest and energetic in his pulpit
ministrations, preached experimental religion, sought to raise the standard of true
piety, and organized Sunday schools and other church agencies. So searching
and impressive was his preaching that many of his hearers became seriously
alarmed about their spiritual condition. Revivals of religion were new experi-
ences in the churches of that region, so that his ministry early awakened strong
opposition. Some of the members of his charge became much dissatisfied, and
the matter was brought to the attention of the Synod of the Reformed Church,
which met at Harrisburg, September 29, 1822. The case was not finally disposed
of until some time in 1828, when Mr. Winebrenner's connection with the German
Reformed Church was finally severed.
After his separation from the Reformed Church his labors extended to sur-
rounding districts and towns and were attended by extensive revivals of religion.
Gradually his views changed on a number of doctrinal points and on the ordi-
nances or sacraments, and about 1825 he organized an independent church, calling
it simply the "Church of God." Others followed, both in and around Harris-
burg, each assuming the name of "Church of God at ." These churches',
in which all members had equal rights, elected and licensed men to preach, but
there was as yet no common bond, general organization, or directing authority.
Finally, for the purpose of adopting a regular system of cooperation, a meeting
was held at Harrisburg in October 1830, which was attended by six of the licensed
ministers. At this meeting an "eldership," to consist of an equal number of
teaching and ruling elders, was organized, which, to distinguish it from the local
church eldership, was called the "General Eldership of the Church of God."
The work continued to grow and spread to adjoining counties, to the State of
Maryland, and to western Pennsylvania and Ohio, where elderships were organ-
ized. On May 26, 1845, delegates from these three elderships met at Pittsburgh,
Pa., and organized the "General Eldership of the Church of God in North
America," which name was changed in 1896 to the "General Eldership of the
Churches of God in North America." The eldership in eastern Pennsylvania
dropped the word "General" and became the "East Pennsylvania Eldership of
the Church of God."
Missionaries were sent into the western States, and churches were organized
in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri,
Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma (including what was then Indian Territory),
Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. In nearly all these States annual elderships
have been organized, in cooperation with the General Eldership.
DOCTBINE
In doctrine the Churches of God are evangelical and orthodox, and Arminian
rather than Calvinistic. They hold, as distinctive views, that sectarianism is
anti-Scriptural; that each local church is a church of God and should be so called;
that in general, Bible things, as church offices and customs, should be known by
i This statement, which is the same as that published in vol. II of Eeligious Bodies, 1926, has been
approved in its present form by Rev. J. 0. Weigle, Mechanicsburg, Pa., statistical secretary of this "body.
CHURCHES OF GOD IN NORTH AMERICA 485
Bible names, and a Bible name should not be applied to anything not mentioned
in the Bible; and that there are not two, but three, ordinances that are per-
petually obligatory, namely, baptism, the Lord's Supper, and the religious wash-
ing of the saints' feet. The last two they regard as companion ordinances, which
are always to be observed together and in the evening. The only form of baptism
recognized is the immersion of believers. They have no written creed but accept
the Word of God as their only rule of faith and practice. They insist strongly
on the doctrines of the Trinity, human depravity, atonement through the sacrifice
of Christ, the office and work of the Holy Spirit, man's moral agency, justification
by faith, repentance and regeneration, practicaljoiety, the observance of the
Lord's Day, the resurrection of the dead, the of the soul, and future
and eternal rewards and punishments.
ORGANIZATION
The organization of the churches is Presbyterian. Each local church votes
for a pastor, but the annual elderships make the appointments within their own
boundaries. The church elects its own elders and deacons, who with the pastor
constitute the church council and are the governing power, having charge of the
admission of members and the general care of the church work. The ministers
within a certain territory and an equal number of laymen elected by the various
churches (or charges) constitute annual elderships, corresponding to presbyteries,
which have the exclusive right to ordain ministers. Laymen, on recommenda-
tion of churches, may be licensed as exhorters. The different annual elderships
combine to form the General Eldership, which meets once in 4 years and is
composed of an equal number of ministerial and lay representatives elected
by the annual elderships.
WORK
The missionary activities of the Churches of God are under the control of the
Board of Missions of the General Eldership, composed of persons elected quadren-
nially. This board has charge of both the home and foreign mission work, the
former being principally in the Southwest.
The foreign mission work dates from October 1896, when the first missionary
sailed for India. The missionaries are stationed in Bogra and Ulubaria districts,
and the converts secured, the mission schools established, and the mission
buildings erected show a good degree of progress.
The educational work of the Churches of God, in its permanent form, began
in 1881, when Findlay College, Findlay, Ohio, was incorporated. This institu-
tion has been constantly growing and now has a strong faculty, a large student
body, and over $300,000 endowment.
There is a publishing house at Harrisburg, Pa., worth over $100,000, with
$118,000 endowment, where the Church Advocate and other journals are
published.
The denomination celebrated its centennial in Harrisburg in 1925.
CHURCHES OF THE LIVING GOD
GENERAL STATEMENT
Under this head are included in 1936 two bodies of Negro churches, similar
in general type though differing in many details: The Church of the Living God,
Christian Workers for Fellowship, and the Church of the Living God, "The
Pillar and Ground of Truth."
The Church of the Living God, Christian Workers for Fellowship, was reported
in 1906 as Christian Worke^A)r Friendship, having been organized at Wrights-
ville, Ark., in 1889, by RlKFWilliam Christian. The name was changed to
Christian Workers for Fellowship in 1915. The Church of Christ in God, re-
ported in 1906, was afterwards consolidated with the Christian Workers for Fel-
lowship, from which it had seceded.
Other divisions from this church followed, which were consolidated in an or-
ganization perfected September 25, 1925, and known as the Church of the Living
God, "The Pillar and Ground of Truth." It was joined January 26, 1926, by
the Church of the Living God and the Church of the Living God, General Assem-
bly, which had previously united, December 1924, at Athens, Tex. These two
churches were reported separately in 1916; the Church of the Living God, General
Assembly, was returned as the Apostolic Church in 1906.
The denominations grouped under the name "Churches of the Living God" in
1936, in 1926, in 1916, and in 1906 are listed below, with the principal statistics
as reported for the four periods. Certain changes in names and organization,
as mentioned above, will be noted in more detail.
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR THE CHURCHES OF THE LIVING GOD, 1936, 1926,
1916, AND 1906
DENOMINATION AND CENSUS YEAE
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDI-
TURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Scholars
1936
Total for the group
215
9,363
152
$245, 526
213
$86, 090
192
5,758
Church of the Living God, Christian Workers
for Fellowship
96
119
230
4,525
4,838
17, 402
66
86
220
130, 100
115,426
539, 482
96
117
225
44,028
42,062
115, 070
50, 515
64, 555
28, 715
6, 199~
18, 812
3,704
95
97
166
2,945
2,801
4,933
3,465
1,468
2,987
Church of the Living God, "The Pillar and
Ground of Truth".
1936
Total for the group
Church of the Living God, Christian Workers
for Fellowship
149
81
192
11, 558
5,844
11, 635
139
81
93
368, 935
170, 547
115, 530
144
81
98
27
62
9
140
26
138
27
99
10
61
43
13
5
Church of the Living God, "The Pillar and
Ground of Truth"
1916
Total for the group
Church of the Living God __
28
154
10
67
1,743
9,626
266
4,276
27
60
6
45
23, 875
78, 955
12, 700
58, 575
491
2,328
168
1,760
886
585
289
Church of the Living God, Christian Workers
for Fellowship _ _.
Church of the Living God, General Assembly. _„
1906
Total for the group . _
Church of the Living God, Christian Workers
for Friendship _ _
•""• '
============
44
14
9
2,676
752
848
27
12
6
23, 175
25, 700
9,700
Church of the Living God (Apostolic Church). ..
Church of Christ m God
486
CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD, CHRISTIAN WORKERS
FOR FELLOWSHIP
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with, urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of the Living God, Christian Workers
for Fellowship, for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the
distribution of these figures between urban and rural territory. These statistics
were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk
of the individual churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of all baptized persons on the
rolls of the church. Baptism is by immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMAKY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Eural
Churches (local organizations), number
£6
4,525
47
1,538
2,987
51.5
61
3,243
53
1,091
2,152
50.7
35
1,282
37
447
835
53.5
Mp.Tnhp.rs, rmmhftr
71.7
28.3
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male - -
70.9
72.0
29.1
28.0
Female
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over
4,525
66
66
$130, 100
$129, 600
$500
$1, 971
3
$4, 000
59
2
2
$1, 800
96
$44, 028
$28,302
$139
$275
$900
$13, 117
$551
$744
$459
95
541
2,945
3,243
42
42
$111, 850
$111,350
$500
$2,663
3
$4, 000
35
2
2
$1, 800
61
$32, 313
$19, 980
$40
$225
$900
$10, 144
$373
$651
$530
60
352
2,018
1,282
24
24
$18, 250
$18, 250
71.7
28.3
Church, edifices, number __ _ _
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
86.0
85.9
100.0
14.0
14.1
Constructed prior to 1936 _
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936
Average value per church
$760
Debt~~~~number reporting
ATnnnrit; rp.port.fid
100.0
Number reporting "no debt" -
24
Parsonages number
Value — number reporting _
Amount reported --
100.0
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number _ _ _ _.
35
$11, 715
$8,322
$99
$50
Amount reported - - - -
73.4
70.6
28.8
81.8
100.0
26.6
29.4
71.2
18.2
Pastors' salaries - _ _ _ _ _
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest. __
To general headquarters for distribution
$2, 973
$178
$93
$335
35
189
927
77.3
67.7
87.5
22.7
32.3
12.5
All other purposes ,-
Average expenditure per church _
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers -
65.1
68.5
34.9
31.5
Scholars ---
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
487
488
OF RELIGIOUS, BODEE1S, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, In convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of the Living God,
Christian Workers for Fellowship, for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
Statistics for the Church of Christ in God, which united with this body between
1906 and 1916, have been added to the 1906 data. The decreases since 1926 are
probably due to organization disturbances.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
If /*" 1*
ITEM M. i 'yLr
1936
1936
1916
19061
drurch.es (local organizations) number . «..
96
149
154
53
Increase a over preceding census:
Number » - -
—53
101
Percent _ - - .
—35.6
-3.2
(3)
Members, number - _ _ _
4,525
11, 558
9,626
3 524
Increase a over preceding census:
Number _ „ .
—7, 033
1,932
6,102
Percent _ -
—60.8
20.1
173.2
Average membership per church
47
78
63
66
Church edifices, number - ~ ~ -
66
141
60
33
Value — number reporting
66
139
60
33
Amount reported
$130, 100
$368, 935
$78, 955
$32 875
Average value per church
$1, 971
$2, 654
$1 316
$996
I)ebt— "nunnber reporting -
E
27
14
g
Amount reported ..
$4, 000
$26, 460
$7, 380
$1, 810
Parsonages, number - .........
2
4
Value — number reporting
2
4
Amount reported
$1, 800
$6, 300
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number _ __ -
96
144
62
Amount reported - - ...
$44, 028
$50, 515
$18, 812
Pastors' salaries
$28, 302
All other salaries _ _ _ _ - ,_ »_ -
$139
Repairs and improvements - -
$275
$45, 989
$14, 502
Payment on church debt, excluding interest—
$900
All other current expenses , including interest ._ .._
$13, 117
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions - .
Foreign missions _ _ - _ __ . .
$4, 526
$4, 310
To general headquarters for distribution
$551
All other purposes - - _ _ _ __ _ _
$744
Average expenditure per church .
$459
$351
$303
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
95
140
99
48
Officers and teachers
541
444
296
143
Scholars
2,945
3,465
2,328
1,175
1 Statistics for 1906 include those of the Church of Christ in God, united with this denomination between
1906 and 1916.
* A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
CHRISTIAN WOBKEBS FOE FELLOWSHIP
489
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Christian Work-
ers for Fellowship by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table
4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the
four census years 1906 to 1936. Table 5 shows the value of church edifices and the
amount of debt on such property for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church
expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences,
etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church,
separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or
more churches reported value and expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEM-
BERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
a
o
p
1
3
o
EH
5
*s
3
•3
r2
Males per 100
females *
Churches re-
porting
•o
§ £3
ll
O
i
1
CO
United States
96
61
35
4,525
3,243
1,282
1,538
2,987
51.5
95
541
2,945
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
1
5
3
6
2
6
2
3
1
1
5
3
6
2
5
2
3
1
1
24
240
161
255
50
234
125
204
10
205
343
288
40
477
642
1,149
22
56
24
240
161
255
50
212
125
204
10
193
260
81
21
222
515
592
22
56
9
88
55
79
17
85
35
73
4
76
116
90
11
169
202
401
8
20
15
152
106
176
33
149
90
131
6
129
227
198
29
308
440
748
14
36
1
5
3
5
2
6
2
3
1
4
8
7
2
12
13
19
1
1
5
28
19
30
10
29
12
29
4
20
46
38
9
63
72
118
4
5
20
166
130
147
45
156
65
180
14
109
231
200
23
325
358
728
18
30
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
57.9
51.9
44.9
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri _ _
22
57.0
Nebraska
Kansas
12
83
207
19
255
127
557
55.7
58.9
51.1
45.5
54.9
45.9
53.6
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
4
8
7
2
12
13
19
1
1
3
5
2
1
5
8
7
1
1
1
3
5
1
7
5
12
Tennessee -
Alabama
Mississippi -
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas _ _ _
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Arizona « .
PACIFIC:
California
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
490
OF RELIGIOUS BODUEB, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBEE AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
1936
1936
1916
19061
1936
1936
1916
19061
United States.,,
96
149
154
53
4,525
11,558
659
183
644
293
193
369
134
192
868
1,044
535
145
1,683
1,396
3,107
28
85
9,626
3,524
15
120
55
EAST NORTH CENTRAL: ,
Ohio
5
3
6
2
6
2
3
1
4
8
7
2
12
13
19
1
22
4
4
8
4
3
4
3
4
5
9
8
5
23
20
38
4
3
6
4
9
1
6
1
2
2
240
161
255
50
234
125
204
10
205
343
288
40
477
642
1,149
56
46
304
316
318
10
298
Indiana j
Illinois
Michigan - .
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
3
695
Nebraska
Kansas
4
5
7
10
9
11
34
19
27
3
110
280
1,046
805
792
282
1,857
661
2,486
135
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky _
5
10
2
5
12
4
4
174
776
37
253
780
79
405
Tennessee
Alabama.
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas .- _ . _ .
Oklahoma _._
Texas
PACIFIC:
California
Other States . -
2
61
1 Statistics for 1906 include those of the Church of Christ in God, united with this denomination between
1906 and 1916.
2 Includes: Pennsylvania, 1, and Arizona, 1.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total
number of
churches
Number of
church
edifices
VALUE OP CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
96
66
66
8130, 100
3
$4, 000
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio. ..
5
3
6
4
8
7
12
13
19
19
4
3
3
3
8
7
10
8
13
7
4
3
3
3
8
7
10
8
13
'7
15, 500
7,500
12,800
12,600
15, 100
6,600
10, 750
9,450
22,200
17, 600
Indiana -_ -_
2
1
3,000
1,000
Illinois
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky.. _
Tennessee .
Alabama-
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Texas
Other States
1 Includes: Missouri, 1; Nebraska, 2; Kansas, 2; and Mississippi, 2.
CHRISTIAN WORKEOBS FOR FELLOWSHIP
491
TABLE 0. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation Is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
I
£>
EXPJ
SNDITU
RES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total number of chur
9
!
I
O
Total amount
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improve-
ments
Payment on church
debt, excluding in-
terest
B
ll
i!i
0
To general headquar-
ters
All other purposes
United States .
96
96
$44, 028
$28 302
$139
$275
$900
$13, 117
$551
$744
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
5
5
3 360
2 248
1,030
43
39
Indiana
3
3
2,665
1,300
150
700
345
45
125
Illinois
6
6
2 988
1 603
200
1,095
23
67
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
6
6
3,119
1,912
1,091
41
75
Kansas
3
3
2,164
1,360
25
710
25
44
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
4
4
2,040
1,292
688
20
40
Tennessee
8
g
3,218
2,095
75
1,005
20
23
Alabama
7
7
2,723
2,000
75
548
50
50
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
12
12
4 387
3,109
12
50
1,124
62
30
Oklahoma
13
13
5,582
3 787
1,660
63
72
Texas
19
19
8,643
5,712
27
2,649
111
144
Other States
10
1 10
3,139
1,884
1,172
48
35
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Michigan, Nebraska, and Mississippi; and 1 in
each of the following — Pennsylvania, Florida, Arizona, and California.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The Church of the Living God, Christian Workers for Friendship, was organized
at Wrightsville, Ark., in 1889 by Elder William Christian. In 1915 the name
Friendship was changed to Fellowship. Elder Christian was known as chief of
the organization. The ruling of Chief Christian was the law and power of the
chartered body. He and his wife, Ethel L. Christian, were known as the executive
heads of the church and nothing could be done without their approval. Chief
William Christian departed this life April 11, 1928, and the work of the Church
of the Living God, Christian Workers for Fellowship, automatically fell into the
hands of his wife, Ethel L. Christian, who has since officiated.
DOCTRINE
The distinctive characteristics of the church are — belief in baptism by immersion,
washing of the saints' feet, the use of water and unleavened bread for the Lord's
Supper, and many other fraternal points of doctrine known only to members of
the organization. The local organizations are known as temples, and are subject
to the authority of a general assembly. The presiding officer is styled the chief
or chiefess, or whoever may be appointed by the executive head to act during the
meeting.
1 This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Keport on Eeligious
Bodies, 1926, was revised by Ethel L. Christian, chiefess, Church of the Living God, Christian Workers
for Fellowship, and approved by her in its present form.
492 CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS DODOES, 1936
ORGANIZATION AND WORK
The ministry includes ambassadors, evangelists, pastors, and missionaries.
The seven ambassadors are assistants to the acting head, and they, with the
evangelists, are used for the work of church extension.
Bible schools occupy an important place in the life of the church. There an*
auxiliaries engaged in works of mercy, particularly along the lines followed by
fraternal societies, rendering assistance in the care of the sick and the burying of
the dead.
One institution, located at Memphis, Tenn., is in operation and is known as the
House of Refuge.
There is also a home for widows past 65. This home stands, but is not operating
until the proper funds are raised to support the institution. It, also, is located at
Memphis, Tenn.
CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD, "THE PILLAR AND
GROUND OF TRUTH"
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of the Living God, "The Pillar and
Ground of Truth/7 for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also
the distribution of these figures between urban and rural territory. These statis-
tics were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or
clerk of the individual churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of all baptized persons on the
rolls of the church. Baptism is by immersion.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OP STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
(ThUTrt1hfiS (lOCfll OrgWC?ftti^TiS)i TTiiTnVifiT
119
4,838
41
1,667
3,128
43
53.3
378
4,460
7.8
86
86
$115, 426
$115, 426
$1, 342
5
$4, 230
60
11
11
$15,000
117
$42,062
$11, 125
$1,047
$1, 870
$1, 270
$13,455
$135
$135
$35
$1, 258
$11, 732
$360
97
548
2,801
1
5
75
1
10
75
62
2,922
47
1,024
1,873
25
54.7
241
2,681
8.2
44
44
$73, 776
$73, 776
$1, 677
4
$4,100
25
9
9
$12, 500
61
$28, 729
$5, 840
$744
$750
$970
$10, 566
$124
$130
$35
$716
$8,854
$471
57
328
1,772
1
5
75
1
10
75
57
1,916
34
643
1,255
18
51.2
137
1,779
7.2
42
42
$41, 650
$41, 650
$992
1
$130
35
2
2
$2,500
56
$13,333
$5,285
$303
$1,120
$300
$2,889
$11
$5
52.1
60.4
47.9
39.6
Members, number _ _. _
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
61.4
59.9
38.6
40.1
Female _ _ . _ _
Sex not reported - .. _
TVT^lp-S p^i* Iflfl fftTnq.lCP
Membership by age:
Under 13 years ___ _.
63.8
60.1
36.2
39.9
13 years and over ._
Percent under 13 years
Church edifices, number . -
Value — number reporting __
Arnnrmt. rftpnrtfifl
63.9
63.9
36.1
36.1
Constructed prior to 1936
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported _ - _
96.9
3.1
Number reporting **no debt"
Parsonages, number --
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
83.3
52.1
68.3
52.5
71.1
40 1
76.4
78.5
91.9
96.3
16.7
47.9
31.7
47.5
28.9
59.9
23.6
21.5
8.1
3.7
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number .
Amount reported - . _.
Pastors' salaries - --
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest. . _
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution
$542
$2,878
$238
40
220
1,029
56.9
75.5
43.1
24.5
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers ---.
59.9
63.3
40.1
36.7
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools;
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
Weekday religious schools:
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
Scholars -
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
493
494
CENSUS! OP RELIGIOUS BOOTES, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of the Living God,
"The Pillar and Ground of Truth/' for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and
1906. The statistics given for the years prior to 1926 represent, so far as they
were separately reported, the statistics of those bodies which combined in 1925
under the new designation.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916^
19063
Church.es (local organizations) number
119
81
38
14
Increase over preceding census:
Number
38
43
24
Percent 3
Members, number. _
4,838
5,844
2,009
752
Increase 4 over preceding census
Number
—1 006
3,835
1,257
Percent - ._ ._ _- _ .
-17.2
190 9
167 2
Average membership per church
41
72
53
54
Church, edifices, number
86
84
33
12
Value — number reporting ._ . . _
86
81
33
12
Amount reported
$115, 426
$170, 547
$36, 575
$25, 700
Average value per church .
$1, 342
$2, 106
$1, 108
$2, 142
Debt — number reporting- _ . _ „,_,_ _-, __ _„_
5
45
9
2
Amount reported
$4, 230
$29, 277
$8, 133
$1, 600
Parsonages, number
11
Value — number reporting
11
14
1
2
Amount reported
$15, 000
$25, 100
$250
$1 500
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number .. ._ — .
117
81
36
Amount reported _
$42, 062
$64, 555
$9, 903
Pastors' salaries
$11, 125
All other salaries
$1. 047
Repairs and improvements
$1, 870
[ $51, 284
$9, 031
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
$1, 270
All other current expenses, including interest
$13, 455
Local relief and chanty, Red Cross, etc
$135
Home missions _. ._ -.__-.
$135
Foreign missions
$35
[• $13, 271
$872
To general headquarters for distribution
$1 258
All other purposes _ __.
$11, 732
Average expenditure per church
$360
$797
$275
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number __
97
26
36
13
Officers and teachers. . _ .
548
169
164
67
Scholars .__
2 801
1,468
659
585
1 Statistics for 1916 represent the combined data for the Church of the Living God and the Church of the
Living God, General Assembly.
2 Statistics given for 1906 are those of the Church of the Living God, Apostolic Church.
3 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* A minns sign (— ) denotes decrease.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Church of the
Living God, "The Pillar and Ground of Truth," by States. Table 3 gives for each
State for 1936 the number and membership of the churches classified according to
their location in urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data
for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives for selected States the number and member-
ship of the churches for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the
membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age
and over." Table 5 shows the value of churches and parsonages and the amount
of debt on church edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church ex-
penditures, showing separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences,
etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church,
separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or
more churches reported value and expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions, — Table 7 presents, for each diocese in "The Pillar and
Ground of Truth/' the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by States
in the preceding tables, including number of churches, membership, value and
debt on church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
THE PILLAR AND GROUND OF TRUTH
495
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN" AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
ANP STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
1
1
P
1
1
fl
I
"f
1
Sex not reported
g
r- (
o
1
Churches reporting
i
3
o
1
"United States
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
District of Columbia.
North Carolina
EAST SOUTH CENTBAL:
Kentucky
119
1
3
1
62
1
2
1
57
4,838
2,922
1,916
1,667
3,128
43
53.3
97
548
2,801
.._„
13
69
18
888
3,670
5
175
13
51
18
708
1,952
5
175
4
10
6
356
1,219
2
70
9
16
12
532
2,451
3
105
1
1
4
4
9
26
18
43
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
23
86
1
4
17
36
1
4
6
50
180
1,718
66 9
49.7
21
70
96
425
603
2,013
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Arizona
PACIFIC:
California
66.7
4
19
150
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4.- — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
1936
1936
1926
19161
1906 «
1936
1926
19161
19062
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Per-
cent
under
13
United States
119
81
3~
38
14
4,838
5,844
475~
2,009
752
378
4,460
7.8
Indiana
North Carolina
3
69
5
64
(3)
Arkansas
1
18
54
1
2
31
8
1
2
42
1,100
3,203
10
46
1,848
338
35
173
Oklahoma ._
23
86
4
888
3,670
175
36
92
264
15
2
796
3,406
160
34
10 4
7.2
8.6
(3)
Texas
C alif ornia
Other States -
<3
5
4
3
1,024
105
206
1 Combined figures for the Church of the Living God ,'and the Church of the Living God, General
Assembly.
2 Statistics given for 1906 are those of the Church of the Living God, Apostolic Church.
s Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
^ Includes. District of Columbia, 1; Kentucky, 1; and Arizona, 1.
496
CENSUS1 0? RTCL1GIOUS BODICES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PARSON-
AGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States __
North Carolina
119
88
86
$115,426
5
$4,230
11
$15,000
3
23
86
4
3
3
14
66
3
3
14
66
3
376
16, 950
94, 100
4,000
Oklahoma
3
8
2,500
12, 500
Texas
5
4,230
California
Other States
TABLE 6. — CHUECH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
1
EXPENDITURES
1
fcJD
Fi
8
5
Ic
$a
H
tn
'C?
S
STATE
"o
1
H
a
Si
K3
4-5
1
I
03
1
ii
tonchu
exclud]
t
si
o o
s s
C3
'o cs
00
2
mission
A OT
"§•£
a
D
3
C
0
O
s
03
B
1
sS
S^|
M^|
-•s
0
0?
a
§1
O)
£
O
1
1
c3
IP,
frls
lal
s
o
S
0
o
o
O
O
EH
<!
«
^
o
w
<J
United States-.
119
117
$42, 062
$11, 125
81, 047
81,870
$1, 270
$13,455
S135
$135
$35
SI, 258
811, 732
North Carolina > ,
3
3
253
175
15
20
15
?f>
3
Oklahoma _.. ...
23
12, 716
210
60
6,720
8
5,718
Texas . .
86
86
26, 186
10, 520
1,032
1,790
1,270
5,166
135
85
35
1 200
4,953
California - - -
4
4
2,260
1,260
1,000
Other States.
3
12
647
220
294
25
....
47
61
i Includes: District of Columbia, 1, and Kentucky, 1.
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY DIOCESES, 1936
DIOCESE
Total number of
churches J
Number of members j
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDI-
FICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH EDI-
FICES
EXPENDI-
TURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
Total
119
4,838
86
$115,426
5
$4,230
117
$42,062
97
2,801
Eastern
4
81
34
82
3,351
If405
3
64
19
376
87,650
27,400
4
81
32
753
19, 699
21, 610
2
64
31
35
1,801
965
Southeastern.,, _
5
4,230
Northwestern
THE PILLAR AND GROUND OF TRUTH 497
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
This church, though shown under a new designation in 1926, is an outgrowth
of the body organized at Wrights ville, Ark., in 1889, by Rev. William Christian,
as the Church of the Living God, Christian Workers for Fellowship.
There had been a previous division, in 1902, of a group which called themselves
the Church of the Living God, Apostolic Church" these churches were organized
in 1908 by Rev. C. W. Harris, under the name Church of the Living God, Gen-
eral Assembly. In 1925 a number of other churches withdrew from the original
body and were united by Rev. E. J. Cam under the name Church of the Living
God, "The Pillar and Ground of Truth"; and the following year two bodies
joined them, one of them being the General Assembly and the other a group of
churches organized in 1908 in the State of Texas, the Church of the Living God,
these two having previously united at Athens, Tex., in 1924.
ORGANIZATION
The denomination is episcopal in form of government, having at the present
time three bishops, each in charge of a diocese holding annual assemblies. Every
2 years there is a meeting called the general assembly, presided over by the
bishops in order of their age. Bishops are elected at these meetings by a two-
thirds vote of the accredited delegates.
WORK
The church maintains a nome for aged Negroes, called the Booker T. Wash-
ington Home, at Oklahoma City, Okla., and a secondary school and orphans'
home, the Edmondson Institute and Orphanage, at Athens, Tex. The official
organ, the Western News Review, is published weekly at Oklahoma City, Okla.,
at which place the headquarters of the denomination are located.
1 No revision of the history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this body for 1936, hence this state-
ment is the same as that published in Religious Bodies, vol. II, 1926.
CHURCHES OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
GENERAL STATEMENT
The Churclies of the New Jerusalem, popularly called Swedenborgian, are two
in number. The early history of both of these churches is given in the statement
for the General Convention of the New Jerusalem, the older body, while the move-
ment which resulted in the organization of the second body and the points on
which it differed from the General Convention are set forth in the statement of
the General Church of the New Jerusalem.
These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by
the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate to these
churches only.
The principal statistics of the two bodies as reported for 1936, 1926, 1916, and
1906 are given in the following table:
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB THE CHURCHES OF THE NEW JERUSALEM, 1936,
1926, 1916, AND 1906
DENOMINATION AND
CENSUS YEAR
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
mem-
bers
VALUE OF CHUKCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
1936
Total for the group..
General Convention of the
New Jerusalem m the
United States of Amer-
ica ,.
97
5,964
5,099
865
6,438
59
$2,422,021
85
$245,497
55
2,120
82
15
98
53
6
62
2, 135, 691
286,330
3,266,100
75
10
90
210, 900
34,597
317,221
52
3
65
58
7
80
2,078
42
2,682
2,621
61
3,050
General Church of the
New Jerusalem
1936
Total for tie group..
General Convention of the
New Jerusalem m the
United States of Amer-
ica .
85
13
128
5,442
996
7,085
57
5
78
72
6
92
3, 196, 100
70, 000
1,766,122
1, 711, 090
55,032
1, 791, 041
77
13
101
260,373
56,848
189, 129
General Church of the
New Jerusalem .
1916
Total for the group..
General Convention of the
New Jerusalem in the
United States of Amer-
ica
108
15
133
6,352
733
7,247
87
14
172,463
16, 666
67
13
84
::: : : -;
77
7
2,732
318
3,544
: """, ;"=
3,434
110
General Church of the
New Jerusalem _ _.
1906
Total for the group..
General Convention of the
New Jerusalem in the
United States of Amer-
ica-
119
14
6,612
635
87
5
1, 760, 691
30, 350
General Church of the
New Jerusalem
498
GENERAL CONVENTION OF THE NEW JERUSALEM IN
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
STATISTICS
Summary for th.e United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the General Convention of the New Jerusalem
in the United States of America for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which
shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and rural territory.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have been
enrolled as communicants upon profession of faith.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OP STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
terri-
tory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations) number
82
5,099
62
1,869
2,928
302
63.8
107
4,373
619
2.4
57
53
$2, 135, 691
$2, 118, 691
$17, 000
$40, 296
11
$32, 800
37
14
12
$72,000
75
$210,900
$98, 205
$35, 155
$14, 669
$2,489
$46, 805
$8, 644
$929
$137
$2,264
$1, 603
$2, 812
52
384
2,078
64
4,442
69
1,609
2, 531
302
63.6
81
3,829
532
2.1
42
39
$1,910,991
$1,893,991
$17, 000
$49, 000
10
$32, 625
26
9
7
$57, 000
57
1 $187, 065
$83, 902
$32, 533
$12, 693
$2,314
$43, 242
$8, 258
$595
$126
$2, 104
$1,298
$3, 282
43
311
1,657
18
657
37
260
397
65.~5~
26
544
87
4 6
15
14
$224, 700
$224, 700
Members, number
87.1
12.9
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male _
86 1
86.4
100.0
13 9
13.6
Female
Sex not reported .
Males per 100 females
Membership by age.
Under 13 years
75 7
87.6
85.9
24.3
12 4
14 1
13 years and over_r __
Age not reported __
Percent under 13 years 2
Church edifices, number .-_•_.
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
89 5
89.4
100 0
10 5
10.6
Constructed Drior to 1936 ., . -
Constructed, wholly or m part, in 1936..
Average value per church
$16, 050
1
$175
11
5
5
$15, 000
18
$23, 835
$14, 303
$2, 622
$1, 976
$175
$3, 563
$386
$334
$11
$160
$305
$1, 324
9
73
421
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
99 5
.5
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number _ -
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
79.2
20.8
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
88 7
85.4
92.5
86 5
93.0
92.4
95.5
64.0
92.0
92.9
81.0
11.3
14.6
7.5
13.5
7.0
7.6
4.5
36.0
8.0
7.1
19 0
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest-
All other current expenses, including
interest
Local relief _and charity, Bed Cross, etc
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers - -
81.0
79.7
19.0
20.3
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
275318—41 33
499
500
! 03? RELIGIOUS BODOEB, 1936
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
terri-
tory
PERCENT Off
TOTAL1
Urban
Rural
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting number
3
15
78
1
1
9
1
7
44
2
4
18
1
1
9
1
7
44
1
11
60
Scholars _ _ _
Weekday religions schools:
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
Scholars _ -.
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of this denomination for the census
years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
82
85
108
119
Increase l over preceding census:
Number
—3
—23
—11
Percent2
—21.3
-9.2
IVTftTnhfir?:, nuTn'hflr
5,099
5 442
6 352
6 612
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number _
-343
—910
—260
Percent
—6.3
—14 3
—3 9
Avp.f3,gA Tpf»rnJ>f>rship par chiirnh
62
64
59
56
Church edifices, number - _____ _-
57
63
72
89
Value — number reporting _
53
57
72
87
Amount reported _.._
$2, 135, 691
$3. 196, 100
$1,711 090
$1 760 691
Average value per church
$40 296
$56 072
$23 765
$20 238
Debt — number reporting __ _
11
12
9
17
Amount reported
$32, 800
$75 500
$30 466
$49 625
Parsonages, number
14
Value — number reporting
12
16
12
17
Amount reported
$72 000
$190 500
$68 000
$64 400
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
75
77
87
Amount reported
$210, 900
$260, 373
$172, 463
Pastors' salaries
$98, 205
1*
All other salaries _ .
$35, 155
Repairs and improvements
$14, 669
V $235 826
$138 411
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest
Local relief an d charity, Red Cross, etc
$2. 489
$46,805
$8 644
Home missions _
$929
Foreign missions
$137
\ $19 070
$16 317
To general headquarters for distribution _
$2, 264
All other purposes
$1, 603
Not classified
$5, 477
$17, 735
Average expenditure per church
$2, 812
$3, 381
$1 982
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
52
58
67
77
Officers and teachers
384
391
398
510
Scholars
2,078
2,621
2,732
3 434
1 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
GENERAL CONVENTION OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
501
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the General Con-
vention of the New Jerusalem by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936
the number and membership of the churches classified according to their location
in urban or rural territory, the membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the
churches for the four census years from 1906 to 1936, together with the member-
ship for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over."
Table 5 shows the value of churches and parsonages and amount of church debt
for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. Separate presentation in
tables 5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported
value and expenditures, in order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of
any individual church.
TABLE 3. — NUMBEE AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHUECHES
NUMBER OF MEM-
BERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
*<3
1
§
-Q
e
«
S
£
5
•a
I
•3
a
.2
{£
8
•§3
*a
X
o
CQ
8
&S
si
|3
Churches
reporting
Officers and
teachers
'o
€
OQ
United States
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
82
64
2
1
9
1
18
5,099
4,442
657
1,869
2,928
302
63.8
52
384
2,078
3
2
12
1
1
1
1
3
"I"
"I"
1
99
112
1,054
101
14
440
130
713
330
78
270
145
64
75
184
274
59
238
188
3
15
4
18
10
79
39
49
314
49
71
919
101
50
41
135
31
36
362
30
4
93
57
253
119
34
119
67
19
34
83
137
20
94
82
1
68
76
692
71
10
147
73
373
211
44
151
78
45
41
101
137
39
144
106
2
2
2
9
1
17
11
85
7
140
40
440
25
New T-Ta'TripsJiir6
Massachusetts _
52 3
Rhode Island
Connecticut
14
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
4
3
6
5
2
3
3
1
9
4
3
5
4
2
3
2
1
440
130
687
316
78
270
131
64
"m
98
59
211
188
3
15
4
18
10
14
39
49
314
200
63.3
4
2
6
4
2
3
2
1
26
12
47
29
11
20
14
13
110
37
290
154
99
71
99
44
Now Jersey
Pennsylvania • .
26
14
~"il~
......
20
176
87
67,8
56.4
EAST NOETH CENTEAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
78.8
Michigan
1
....
1
3
....
....
WEST NOETH CENTEAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri — --
4
6
1
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
4
3
3
1
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
.1.1.
82.2
100.0
1
3
1
2
1
3
23
5
23
9
7
119
33
130
46
Kansas ....
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
27
65.3
77.4
District of Columbia.
Florida
15
EAST Sown CENTRAL:
Kxvntxi cky
..._._
2
7
4
22
19
16
124
2
11
6
57
20
33
190
1
2
2
IVtississiDDi
WEST SOUTH CENTBAL:
Texas
PACIFIC:
W ashincton
1
3
12
1
5
1
5
California
65.3
4
24
180
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
502
CEN'SiU'S OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBEESHIP OF CHUECHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
85
1916
1906
1936
1996
1916
1906
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States
82
108
119
5,099
5,442
6,352
6,612
107
4,373
619
2 4
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
3
12
4
3
6
5
2
3
3
4
6
5
3
13
4
3
5
6
2
6
2
3
2
5
2
2
1
1
5
20
3
15
7
3
6
7
2
11
3
3
2
5
4
4
1
3
5
24
3
17
7
3
9
7
3
15
3
5
3
5
5
1
3
3
5
22
99
1,054
440
130
713
330
78
270
145
184
274
238
107
1,176
372
143
697
516
75
326
151
162
174
295
27
15
16
92
303
795
143
1,378
531
140
760
668
72
472
192
316
141
220
59
115
26
106
239
774
135
1,535
558
133
704
593
131
613
161
375
144
219
73
10
78
50
294
806
99
667
393
127
613
316
78
270
145
163
214
203
Massachusetts
387
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
47
3
13
10 7
2 3
2 1
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
87
14
EAST NORTH CENTEAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NOETH CENTRAL:
Missouri
10
11
60
35
5.8
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Texas
2
4
1
5
M4
79
39
49
314
663
1
78
29
49
304
625
PACIFIC.
Washington
10
Oregon
California
10
23
3.2
3.5
Other States
15
1 Based on membership with age classification reported, not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Includes 2 churches each in New Hampshire and Iowa; and 1 in each of the following States — Rhode
Inland, Connecticut, Minnesota, Delaware, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana, and the
District of Columbia.
TABLE 5, — VALUE OF CHUECHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OP CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine .
82
57
53
$2,135,691
11
$32, 800
12
872. 000
3
12
6
5
3
5
5
43
3
11
5
5
3
3
5
22
3
11
3
4
3
3
5
221
22, 000
783,291
226, 000
133, 000
116,000
42,000
88,000
725, 400
I
3
1
(0
16,000
0)
Massachusetts
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsy 1 v ania
3
1
4,775
1,400
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Illinois
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland _
PACIFIC:
California
2
5
5,300
21, 325
Other States
7
56,000
* Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
» Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— New Hampshire, New York, Indiana, Michigan,
Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas; and 1 in each of the following— Rhode Island, New Jersey, Minnesota,
Delaware, Georgia, Oregon, and the District of Columbia.
GENERAL CONVENTION OF THE NEW JBEUSALEM
TABLE 6. — CHTTRCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
503
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
provements
United States
82
12
4
6
5
3
3
4
6
5
4
5
25
75
$210, 900
$98, 205
$35, 155
$14,669
•- ' ' - """'-
6,499
1,150
1,220
2,024
500
250
52
740
84
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts .
12
4
6
5
3
3
4
3
5
3
5
122
64, 834
24, 732
24, 516
17,666
5,961
5,087
4,612
3,708
4,098
2,248
12, 721
40,717
18, 285
9,400
10, 483
9,480
3,200
2,550
4,101
2,460
2,817
2,084
8,025
25,320
12, 041
3,702
7,055
3,323
1,400
1,240
100
168
432
25 ,
1,317
4,352
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
PACIFIC:
Washington
California .
912
1,238
Other States
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
EXPENDiTURES—continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To
general
head-
quarters
All
other
purposes
United States- _
$2,469
1,000
709
150
325
846,805
18,034
9,350
4,793
1,564
761
770
232
215
60
96
2,225
8,705
$8,644
7,818
300
$929
379
$187
$2,264
$1,603
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts ._ . . __
127
649
81
811
40
50
102
17
25
200
8
51
230
2
40
4
385
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York - - „ -
Pennsylvania „--- ,-
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio - —
225
50
300
Illinois
Michigan
175
55
75
447
25
22
373
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
50
25
5
Kansas
SOOTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
58
10
1
176
PACIFIC:
Washington
California
130
175
28
148
10
Other States
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Indiana, and
Iowa; and 1 in each of the following— Rhode Island, Connecticut, Minnesota, Florida, Delaware, Georgia,
Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oregon, and the District of Columbia.
504
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The Church of the New Jerusalem, known also as the "New Church," was
first organized in London in 1787. It was based upon the writings of Emanuel
Swedenborg, who was born in Sweden in 1688, studied at Uppsala, traveled exten-
sively in Europe, and was prominent in national affairs in his own country, where
he was appointed to the Bureau of Mines in 1716 by Charles XII, and served on
it with distinction for 30 years. His favorite subject at first was mathematics,
but cosmology, physics, human anatomy, and physiology all interested Mm,
especially in their relation to spiritual matters. As he said, "I have gone through
anatomy with the single object of investigating the soul." In 1747 he resigned
his assessorship on a pension and thenceforth devoted his life to the revelations
which he claims were given him. His first theological publication was the Arcana
Coelestia, an exposition of Genesis and Exodus, considered in their symbolical
sense, the first part appearing in 1749 and the final part in 1756. Later years saw
the publication of a number of works along the same line, including the Apoc-
alypse Revealed and the True Christian Religion. Swedenborg's death occurred
in London in 1772.
In common with the general scientific literature of the day, the writings of
Swedenborg were originally in Latin. His earlier theological works were published
anonymously. In 1750 and succeeding years some were translated into English,
but they did not attract much attention until, in 1783, Robert Hindmarsh, a
printer in London, became interested in them, and gathered together a few men
of like mind to consider them. Four years later the first organization, consisting
of 16 persons, was effected. The following year public services were held, and in
1789 a general conference met. In 1821 there was incorporated the "General
Conference of the Ministers and other Members of the New Church signified by
the New Jerusalem in the Apocalypse or Revelation of John." In 1936 it con-
sisted of 69 societies with an aggregate membership of 6,573, besides two so-
cieties and a number of individuals not members of the General Conference,
so that the total number of members of the church in Great Britain in that year
was probably about 7,000. The first New Church society in America was founded
at Baltimore in 1792, and in 1817 the General Convention of the New Jerusalem
in the United States of America was organized. In 1890 a considerable number
withdrew and later organized the General Church of the New Jerusalem.
Swedenborg is regarded, on every hand, by members of this church as a "di-
vinely illuminated seer and revelator" and as having been given the key to Bible
interpretation — the science of correspondences — in order that he might thereby
open the internal sense of the Word, and announce the Lord Jesus Christ in His
second coming, which is "His coming as the Word newly revealed/' He was
thus "divinely chosen to live consciously in the natural and in the spiritual world
at the same time, so that he might describe to men those things which he saw,
especially those things relating to the Holy City, the divine system of doctrine
revealed out of the internal sense of the Word for the establishment of a New
Church.'1 It is the revelation of this interior truth of the Word, and not a personal
appearing, that, in their view, constitutes the Lord's second coming, the "clouds"
in which He comes being the literal sense, the "power and great glory" the spiritual
sense.
DOCTRINE
Tie general doctrines of the New Church teach that there is one God, even
the Lord God, the Savior, Jesus Christ; that there is in Him a Trinity, not of
persons, but of essence, called in the Word, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that
the Father is the inmost Divine Essence, or Love, from which all things are;
that the Son is the Divine Wisdom and Word, by which the Divine Love is mani-
fested and acts; and the Holy Spirit is the Divine Proceeding and Operation;
and that these three are related to each other in God as are soul, body, and
operation in man. Thus they teach that the Lord Jesus Christ, as the one
Divine Person in whom is the Father, and from whom is the Holy Spirit, is, in
His glorified humanity, the one God of heaven and of earth, and the supreme
and sole object of worship for angels and men.
i TMs statement is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926. That statement had the approval of Rev. William L. Worcester, the president of the Gen-
eral Convention of the New Jerusalem at that time. It has been revised by Rev. B. A. Whittemore, record-
ing secretary, General Convention, and approved by him in its present form.
GENERAL CONVENTION OF THE NEW JERUSALEM 505
With regard to revelation, they teach that the Word of God contained in the
Bible was not written like any other book, and cannot be subjected to the same
methods of criticism; that it was plenarily dictated by the Lord Himself, and
inspired ^as to every word and letter, and, like Nature itself, is a divine symbol;
that besides the literal sense adapted to men, it contains a spiritual sense adapted
to angels; that these senses are connected with each other by the great law of
correspondence, in accordance with which the universe itself was created in the
beginning; and that in letter and spirit it contains the rule of life for angels and
men.
With regard to redemption, they teach that the one God, Jehovah, the Creator
of the universe, came down upon earth in the assumption, by birth from a virgin,
of a human nature in order that He might live a human life, and, by purging it,
redeem it; that in doing so He met and overcame in His temptations all the
enemies of the human race and reduced them to eternal subjection; and that He
continues to hold them in subjection in the mind and heart of every man who
will cooperate with Him by faith and obedience; and that the application of this
redeeming work in those who believe in Him and keep His commandments is
salvation.
^ With regard to death _and the spiritual world, they teach that when a man
dies he is ^ raised up in his spiritual body in the spiritual world, and there lives
forever, either in heaven or in hell, his state being determined by the spiritual
character that he has acquired by his life in this world; the judgment begins imme-
diately after death, in the world of spirits, which is intermediate between heaven
and hell, and it consists in a man's coming to know himself in the light of the
eternal realities of the Word of God.
Besides these cardinal points the doctrines of the New Church have much to
say about the laws of divine order and of divine providence; about faith and
charity; about free will and imputation, repentance, and regeneration; about
marriage; about mental development in childhood and age; about the successive
churches or divine dispensations that have existed on this earth, and the judg-
ments terminating each; all of which teachings, based on the Word of the Lord,
the believers hold to be in complete harmony with each other, and with the
deductions of sound reason and the analogies of nature.
Baptism is administered in the scriptural formula, "in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," to children as well as to adults who
come on confession of their faith. Infant baptism is followed by the act of con-
firmation or ratification in maturer years, which is usually identified with the
first communion, and this profession of faith in the essential doctrines of the
church is regarded as the appropriate gate of admission to the sacrament of the
Lord's Table.
ORGANIZATION
The polity of the church is a modified episcopacy, but the societies and asso-
ciated bodies are left the utmost freedom in the administration of their local
affairs. Each local society of the New Church elects its pastor and other officers,
including usually a president, treasurer, secretary, and church committee. In
some cases certain privileges are allowed to parishioners or pew holders who are
not communicant members. The different societies of a section are gathered
into an association at the meetings of which they are represented by their minis-
ters and by lay members elected by the societies as delegates.
The General Convention is held annually, and every church member has a
right to be present, take part in the deliberations, be appointed on committees,
and be elected to office, but the right to vote is limited to delegates of associations
and to ministers whose official acts are reported to the convention. Women
frequently serve as delegates and as members of committees.
The convention is an ecclesiastical, a legislative, and a judicial body— eccle-
siastical, in maintaining the orders of the ministry and of worship and in ^ pro-
viding for missions and for the education of ministers; legislative, in maintaining
its own organization and enacting measures for the carrying on of its various
activities; and judicial, in admitting ministers to its roll or dismissing them there-
from and in promoting pastors to the general pastorate. The various boards
of the church are elected by the General Convention and are absolutely respon-
sible to it.
A council of ministers, which consists of all the ministers belonging to the con-
vention, has charge of matters pertaining to the ministry. For the superin-
tendence of the business of the convention and the exercise of its powers in the
interval between meetings, there is a general council, consisting of the president,
506 CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
vice president, and treasurer of the convention, together with four ministers and
eight laymen, chosen by ballot by the convention.
The ministry includes ministers, pastors, and general pastors. Ministers are
those who are ordained to the ministry without identification with any particular
pastorate, having the power to teach, preach, and baptize, and officiate at mar-
riages and the Holy Supper. Pastors are those ministers who are called to the
pastorate of societies and installed over them, generally to serve without fixed
term of office. When the candidate is called by a society at the time of his
ordination, the ordination and installation offices are often combined. A general
pastor is one who, after a suitable term in the pastoral office, is, by request of an
association and with the sanction of the General Convention, invested with power
to authorize candidates, ordain ministers, preside over a general body of the
church, and act as presiding minister of an association or of the General Conven-
tion. An association may, with the sanction of the General Convention, tem-
porarily invest the powers of general pastor in its presiding minister or superin-
tendent during his continuance in office.
The worship of the church is generally liturgical, chants being extensively
used, but great latitude is observed in different societies and localities. A very
complete Book of Worship was adopted by the General Convention in 1912 and
is extensively used by the societies of the New Church.
WORK
The missionary enterprises of the New Church are conducted by the General
Convention through its board of home and foreign missions, supplemented by
an augmentation fund committee and by local boards of the various constituent
bodies. In 1936 this board and some of the State associations employed 19 mis-
sionaries among the adherents in 17 States and aided 23 churches in connection
with their running expenses, etc. The work has extended into Austria, China,
Czecho-Slovakia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Sweden, Switzer-
land, British and Dutch Guiana, Burma, Japan, and the Philippine Islands.
Expenditures for the work amounted in 1936 to $12,500 for the home work and
$10,500 for the foreign work. The property belonging to the denomination in the
foreign field is valued at about $75,000.
The educational preparation for the ministry of the church is carried on prin-
cipally at the New Church Theological School in Cambridge, Mass., which has
property valued at $450,000 and during 1936 had 7 instructors and 4 students.
Two other institutions, in Massachusetts and Ohio, under New Church manage-
ment and partly supported by the church, reported 26 teachers and 101 students,
and property valued at $750,000. The total value of property devoted to educa-
tional purposes was given as $1,200,000.
The New Church has a pension fund for needy ministers and an orphan fund.
It has also a league of 37 young people's societies, with 504 members.
The Swedenborg Foundation, Inc., of New York, together with the Amer-
ican New Church Tract and Publication Society, and the Jungerich Trustees, of
Philadelphia, have made free distribution to theological students and clergymen
of over 173,500 copies of Swedenborg's writings, including the True Christian
Religion, Apocalypse Revealed, Heaven and Hell, and Divine Love and Wisdom,
and also The Life of Swedenborg. There are a number of other boards which
make the press an important factor in the missionary work of the church. The
church has two weeklies, a young people's monthly, and a quarterly. It is esti-
mated that $750,000 is invested in publicatiom enterprises.
GENERAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the General Church of the New Jerusalem for the
year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these
data between urban and rural territory.
The membership of the General Church of the New Jerusalem includes only
baptized adults who, upon individual application, have been duly registered and
certified.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Ch.urch.es (local organizations), number
15
865
58
350
498
17
70.3
12
393
33
168
208
17
80.8
3
472
157
182
290
Mf'TnT^T!.!, TUiTnhfir
45.4
54.6
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
48.0
41.8
52.0
58.2
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
62.8
Membership by age:
Under 13 years _ -
13 years and over
865
6
6
$286, 330
$286,330
$47,722
1
$28, 000
3
1
1
$10,000
10
$34, 597
$7, 195
$13,086
$1, 102
$210
$12,970
$34
$3,460
3
3
42
393
3
3
$158,447
$158,447
$52,816
$28,000
1
472
3
3
$127,883
$127, 883
$42, 628
45.4
54.6
Church edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
55.3
55.3
44.7
44.7
Constructed prior to 1936
Average value per church
J~)ft]ht — rmmbfir reporting
Amount reported - - -
2"
1
1
$10,000
3
$27, 245
$4, 540
$11,436
$1,084
100.0
Number reporting "no debt"
PRrsona.ges number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Expenditures:
Ohtircli^s rcporti'Tig1 TniTnber
7
$7, 352
$2,655
$1,650
$18
$210
$2,785
$34
$1,050
3
3
42
Amount reported
21.3
36.9
12.6
1.6
100.0
21.5
78.7
63.1
87.4
98.4
Pastors' salaries - -
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest -
$10, 185
78.5
All other purposes
$9, 082
Sunday schools :
Officers and teachers
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
507
508
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of this denomination for the census
years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMABY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Ch.urch.es (local organizations) number
15
13
15
14
Increase l over preceding census
Number « _- . _
2
—2
1
Percent2 -- -- -. -
IVT^TO'bprs miTn"b6T
865
996
733
635
Increase l over preceding census
Number --
-131
263
98
Percent- - -- -~ -
-13 2
35 9
15.4
A V^ragfi TTiPiTnhfvrship pf»r nhnrch
58
77
49
45
Church, edifices number
6
7
8
5
Value — number reporting ._ .__. _ .
6
5
6
5
Amount reported _ _- _ _
$286, 330
$70, 000
$55, 032
$30 350
Average value per church _
$47, 722
$14, 000
$9 172
$6, 070
Debt — number reporting __ --
1
1
5
3
Amount reported
$28, 000
$13, 000
$11, 000
$7, 250
Parsonages number
1
Value — number reporting
1
4
1
1
Amount reported -
$10, 000
$35, 500
$5, 000
$3, 000
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
10
13
14
Amount reported
$34, 597
$56, 848
$16, 666
Pastors' salaries
$7, 195
All other salaries
$13, 086
Repairs and impiovements
$1, 102
!• $52, 360
$16, 656
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest...
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc,.-
$210
$12, 970
Home missions
Foreign missions
[ $4, 488
$10
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes.- _
$34
Average expenditure per church
$3, 460
$4, 373
$1, 190
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number _
3
7
13
7
Officers and teachers
3
15
40
20
Scholars
42
61
318
110
1 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for the General Church
of the New Jerusalem by States, Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the
number and membership of these churches classified according to their location
in urban or rural territory, the membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 4 shows for selected States the number and membership of the
churches for the four census years 1906 to 1936. Table 5 presents the church
expenditures for 1936, showing separately current expenses, improvements, etc.
In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, sepa-
rate presentation in table 5 is limited to the State of Pennsylvania, the only
State in which three or more churches reported expenditures. There are no sep-
arate data shown for value of church edifices or debt on this property as no
State reports as many as three churches for these items.
GENERAL OHtlEOH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM
509
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
*
s_
2
1
STATE
*»•§
sj§
*8
o
d/cs
^3+3
3
$
"3
S
0
£
CD
'S
Un
gS
•§•2
0 **
ss
§ o
1
S
5
&
o
*
tf
CD
P=<
02
£
.rj
0
O
t
oa
United States
15
12
3
865
393
472
350
498
17
70.3
3
3
42
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
1
1
8
8
8
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York.
1
1
32
32
14
18
New Jersey
2
4
2
3
....
45
483
45
156
"327"
25
187
20
296
Pennsylvania
63 2
2
2
34
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
?
7,
15
15
3
3
9
1
1
8
Illinois
?
I
1
223
87
136
92
131
70 2
Michigan
1
1
31
31
15
16
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
1
1
9
9
6
3
District of Columbia
1
1
19
19
8
11
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
1936
1936
1916
1906
1936
1936
1916
1906
United States
15
_.
2
19
13
_
2
8
15
5
3
7
14
5~
2
7
865
483
223
159
996
525
213
258
733
344
192
197
635
314
99
222
Pennsylvania .. -
Illinois
Other States - .
1 Includes: Massachusetts, 1; New York, 1; New Jersey, 2; Ohio. 2; Michigan, 1; Maryland, I; and
District of Columbia, l.
TABLE 5. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
EXPENDI1]
CURES
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Churches
report-
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All
other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
Pay-
ment on
church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
All
other
pur-
poses
United States
15
10
$34, 597
87, 195
$13, 086
SI, 102
$210
812,970
$34
Pennsylvania
Other States
4
11
3
i 7
25, 778
8 819
4,580
2 615
10, 317
2,769
851
251
210
9,816
3,154
4
30
i Includes : New Jersey, 2; Ohio, 1; Illinois, 1; Michigan, 1; Maryland, 1; and District of Columbia, 1.
510 CENSUS1 OF BELIGJOTJS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The General Church of the New Jerusalem traces its origin as an independent
ecclesiastical body to the development, at the very beginning of the New Church
in England and America, of a movement "toward a strict adherence to the
doctrines and principles revealed in the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg,
and toward distinctiveness of teaching, worship, and life, in the Church of the
New Jerusalem,'* Under the influence of two prominent theologians, Rev.
Richard de Charms and Rev. W. H, Benade, both of Philadelphia, this
movement gradually assumed more definite form, and in 1876 the institution
known as "The Academy of the New Church" was founded as the organic
exponent of its principles, which were subsequently adopted by the Pennsylvania
Association, connected with the General Convention of the New Jerusalem.
That association in 1883 adopted an episcopal form of government, elected
Rev. W. H. Benade bishop, and changed its name to "The General Church of
Pennsylvania." In 1890 it severed its connection with the General Convention,
and in 1892 adopted as its name "The General Church of the Advent of the
Lord." In 1897 a complete reorganization was effected, under Rt. Rev. William
F. Pendleton, and the name "The General Church of the New Jerusalem"
was adopted.
DOCTRINE
The General Church of the New Jerusalem accepts the theological writings
of Emanuel Swedenborg as doctrine inspired and revealed by the Lord Jesus
Christ in His second advent, and acknowledges that from this doctrine, which is
the essential Word and as one with the spiritual sense of the Old and New Testa-
ments, the Lord speaks authoritatively to the church.
ORGANIZATION
The General Church of the New Jerusalem has no fixed constitution. 1st
polity is based upon the principle of "practical unanimity," to be secured through
deliberation and free cooperation in "council and assembly." The spiritual
affairs of the church are under the care of the priesthood, within which three
distinct degrees are recognized — namely, ministers, pastors, and bishops.
Ordination into any of these priestly degrees can be performed only by a bishop.
Pastors may solemnize marriages, administer the Holy Supper, and preside over
local societies. At present only one of the bishops holds an executive position.
In the office of this presiding bishop, the administrative functions of church
government are vested. He is chosen by a general assembly of the church. He is
assisted by the counsels of a priestly consistory selected by himself, and by the
cooperation of an executive committee consisting of representative laymen
elected by the church members through their legal corporation which is entrusted
with the fiscal affairs of the church.
Baptism into the New Church is administered in infancy, or if not, in later life.
But membership in the General Church of the New Jerusalem is confined to adults
and is obtained only by direct application to the presiding bishop.
WORK
Under the head of general uses, the General Church includes all the activities
supported by the general fund, namely: The support of the bishop's office and of
the visiting pastor; the pension fund; the extension fund; special funds; the
publication of the New Church Life, its monthly organ; and of New Church
Sermons, a pamphlet issued monthly from October to June. In 1936 expendi-
tures from contributions and endowments were as follows: Prom the general
fund, $9,603; from the extension fund, $11,599; and from the pension fund,
$4,656.
An orphanage fund reporting, in 1936, an income of $2,468 and expenditures of
$1,670, exists primarily to assist orphaned children of the church.
* This statement, which is in part the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Rev. Hugo Lj. Odhner, secretary of the General Church of the New Jeru-
salem, and approved by him in its present form.
GENE-HAL CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM 511
Membership in the General Church is direct and individual, and in the United
States there is a total of 1,308 individual members, all adults, only a portion of
whom are members of the local churches herein reported.
The General Church has a world-wide membership of 2,271, with 4 bishops and
38 pastors. There are 29 organized churches ministered to by local or visiting
pastors, and maintaining regular public worship. Of these churches, 16 are in
the United States and 13 in foreign countries — namely, Canada, Brazil, England,
France, Holland, Sweden, South Africa, and Australia. Seven of the societies
carry out educational work, in 7 day schools, with a total of 372 pupils. These
parochial schools are open to those who have been baptized into the New Church
and are under the direct supervision of the pastors of the local churches. The
energies of the General Church have been concentrated largely upon the religious,
moral, and social development of the children, and on the cooperation of church,
school, and home, to this end. In the United States there are 3 of these schools,
with 281 pupils.
The higher education of the church is entrusted to the Academy of the New
Church, which conducts a theological school, a college for young men and women,
an academy for boys, and a seminary for girls. The Academy of the New Church
was incorporated in Philadelphia, but the schools were removed to Bryn Athyn,
Pa., in 1896 In 1899 a sustentation fund of $400,000 was received. In 1936
the endowment stood at $2,052,819 and the property was valued at $446,146,
while 116 pupils attended the schools.
The headquarters of the General Church are located at Bryn Athyn, Pa., where
the presiding bishop resides and a cathedral church has been erected.
The General Church maintains a mission in South Africa, with headquarters at
Alpha, Orange Free State. It reported, in 1936, 17 ministers and authorized
leaders, and a membership of 1,005 baptized adult natives.
CONGREGATIONAL AND CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Congregational and Christian Churches for the
year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures
between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules
sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and
the data relate to these churches only.
This body represents the merging of two separate bodies, namely, the Con-
gregational Churches and the Christian Church (General Convention of the
Christian Church). Each retains full self-government but are united to further
a common Christian work.
The membership of the Congregational Churches comprises those persons who
have been received into the local churches by vote of the members, while that of
the Christian Church (General Convention) consists of those persons who have
been received into fellowship in the local churches upon their voluntary pledge to
live a Christian life.
As these two denominations were reported separately prior to 1936, no compara-
tive data are available.
The data given for 1936 are exclusive of 298 federated churches, each con-
sisting of a Congregational and Christian unit combined more or less closely
with a unit of some other denomination. These federated churches reported a
total membership of 54,666, of whom 17,008 belonged to the Congregational and
Christian denomination.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOE CHUECHES IN UEBAN AND RTJEAL
TEBEITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Bural
Churches (local organizations), number
Members, number
5,300
976, 388
184
375, 028
581 , 233
20, 127
64.5
19, 657
737, 665
219, 066
2.6
5,121
4,984
$149, 755, 041
$147, 423, 884
$2, 331, 157
$30, 047
1,290
$10, 906, 080
2,316
3,001
2,582
$12. 016. 499
1,863
633, 746
340
242, 760
377, 477
13, 509
64.3
12, 224
476, 978
144, 544
2.5
1,799
1,772
$116, 956, 780
$114, 998, 349
$1, 958, 431
$66,003
535
$10, 021, 612
615
1,082
645
$6. 567. 044
3,437
342, 642
100
132, 268
203, 756
6,618
64.9
7,433
260, 687
74, 522
2.8
3,322
3,212
$32, 798, 261
$32, 425, 535
$372, 726
$10, 211
755
$884, 468
1,701
1,919
1,637
$5. 449. 455
35.2
64.9
64.8
35.1
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
64.7
64.9
67.1
35 3
35 1
32.9
Female . - - _
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females -
Membership by age-
Under 13 years - - - -
62.2
64.7
66 0
37 8
35.3
34.0
13 years and over
Age not reported .
Percent under 13 years !
Clmrcli edifices, number
35 1
35.6
78.1
78.0
84.0
64.9
64.4
21.9
22.0
16.0
Value — number reporting
Amount reported ._ __ _
Constructed prior to 1936. >
Constructed, wholly or in part,
in 1936
Average value per church
D eb t — nu mb er rep orting
41.5
91 9
26.6
36.1
36.6
54.7
58.5
8.1
73.4
63.9
63.4
45. a
Amount reported _ _..
Number reporting "no debt" _
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
^Based on membership with age classification reported.
512
CONGREGATIONAL AND CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
513
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OP
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
5,031
$16, 110, 465
$5, 429, 942
$2, 198, 688
$1, 185, 728
$844, 363
$4, 367, 000
$322, 390
$249, 023
$202, 687
$888, 738
$421, 906
$3, 202
4,815
70, 345
526, 907
791
5,898
46, 827
184
882
9,798
27
400
3,805
1,817
$11,658,947
$3, 364, 451
$1, 863, 840
$743, 850
$719, 926
$3, 372, 155
$250, 848
$195, 520
$156, 716
$681, 178
$310, 463
$6,417
1,776
36, 625
302, 969
246
2,229
20, 809
93
522
5,836
19
338
3,294
3,214
$4, 451, 518
$2, 065, 491
$334, 848
$441, 878
$124, 437
$994, 845
$71, 542
$53, 503
$45, 971
$207, 560
$311,443
$1, 385
3,039
33, 720
223, 938
545
3,669
26, 018
91
360
3,962
8
62
511
36.1
72.4
62.0
84.8
62.7
85.3
77.2
77.8
78.5
77.3
76.6
73.6
63.9
27.6
38.0
15.2
37.3
14.7
22.8
22.2
21.5
22.7
23 4
26.4
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest
All other current expenses, including
interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross,
etc
Home missions
Pr>]fAi£m missions
To general headquarters for dis-
tribution
All other purposes _
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
36 9
52 1
57.5
31.1
37.8
44.4
50.5
59.2
59.6
(2)
84.5
86.6
63.1
47.9
42.5
68.9
62 2
55.6
49.5
40.8
40.4
(2)
15 5
13.4
Officers and teachers - _
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number -
Offir>flr$ ftnd t<wtfiftrs
Scholars
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number --- - -—
Officers and teachers
Scholars
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars - --
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for 1936 for the Con-
gregational and Christian Churches by States. Table 2 gives for each State
the number and membership of the churches classified according to their location
in urban or rural territory, and membership classified by sex. Table 3 gives the
number and membership of the churches, membership classified as "under 13 years
of age" and "13 years of age and over," and data for Sunday schools. Table 4
shows the value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church
edifices. Table 5 presents the church expenditures, showing separately current
expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the
financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 4 and 5
is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value and
expenditures.
514
OF KELilGlOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 2. — NTTMBEB AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHXIBCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, AND MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
Total
Ur-
ban
Ru-
ral
Total
Urban
Rural
Male
Fe-
male
Sex not
re-
ported
Males
per 100
fe-
males
United States
5,300
1,863
3,437
976, 388
633, 740
342, 642
375, 028
581, 233
20, 127
64.5
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
227
168
150
559
38
296
302
64
114
314
171
297
217
186
161
204
45
144
169
136
93
2
7
7
108
4
255
2
45
42
10
22
82
3
3
28
23
20
63
31
20
73
8
8
6
129
46
198
36
28
15
296
26
83
131
43
72
114
42
140
66
66
63
65
24
9
13
35
32
1
•5
7
34
1
60
2
16
18
6
8
15
1
2
11
7
14
12
6
5
33
4
6
4
45
24
117
191
140
135
263
12
213
171
21
42
200
129
157
151
120
98
139
21
135
156
101
61
1
2
22, 458
22, 363
20, 713
166, 4U
11,123'
87, 790
70, 164
16, 946
19, 251
66, 346
21, 164
67, 389
41, 942
34, 961
25, 481
38, 745
10, 323
9,515
14, 595
21, 378
15, 582
666
510
3,730
16, 069 '
484
28, 284
277
4,000
4,402
1,487
1,651
6,249
173
611
1,652
2,342
1,989
5,926
2,579
2,496
11, 995
802
1,257
966
15, 003
6,720
49,428
9,601
11, 084
7,100
128, 282
9,658
48, 636
51, 008
13, 317
16, 375
43, 193
8,592
50, 791
28,610
24, 203
17, 298
21, 742
8,615
2,388
4,207
10, 192
9,080
625
402
3,730
7,527
173
7,801
277
2, 116
3,161
1,279
1,121
1,902
57
550
816
1,071
1,537
3,326
1,277
1,220
9,102
479
1,050
877
10, 454
5,298
42, 546
12, 857
11, 279
13, 613
38, 129
1,465
39,154
19, 156
3,629
2,876
23, 153
12, 572
16, 598
13, 332
10, 758
8,183
17, 003
1,708
7,127
10, 388
11, 186
6,502
41
108
7,228
7,657
7,481
61, 636
4,147
32, 744
26, 876
6,637
7,705
26, 121
8,553
26, 826
15, 943
13, 648
10, 258
15, 045
4,234
4,098
6,074
9,109
6,076
328
198
1,347
6,042
190
11, 663
119
1,652
1,760
473
665
2,540
62
246
654
987
815
2,402
981
1,035
5,048
331
530
312
5,799
2,624
18, 129
15, 057
14,455
13,232
102, 825
6, 976
49, 751
42, 148
9.994
10, 641
38, 161
12, 004
39, 531
25, 760
21, 210
15, 196
22, 778
6,089
5,325
8,521
12, 269
9,279
338
312
2,383
7,921
294
16,410
158
2,348
2,642
463
986
3,708
111
365
998
1,355
1,164
3,524
1,587
1,461
6,947
471
727
654
9,204
4,096
29, 404
173
251
48,0
53.0
56.5
59 9
59 4
65 8
63 8
66.4
72.4
68.4
71.3
67.9
61.9
64.3
67 5
66 1
69.5
77.0
71.3
74.2
65.5
97.0
63.5
56.5
76.3
64.6
71.1
75.3
70.4
66.6
102.2
67.4
93.8
55.9
67.4
65.5
72.8
70.0
61.2
61.8
70.8
72.7
70.3
72 9
47.7
63.0
64.1
61.7
New Hampshire
Vermont
M assachusetts
1,950
Rhode Island.
Connecticut _.
5,295
1,140
315
905
2,064
607
1,032
239
103
27
922
MIDDLE ATLANTIC.
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois .- ..
Michigan _
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa - --
Missouri
North Dakota
92
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
227
SOUTH ATLANTIC
Delaware
Maryland _ __
District of Columbia
Virginia
74
3
195
8,542
311
20, 483
2,106
"West Virginia
North Carolina
211
South Carolina
Georgia
29
24
4
14
67
2
1
17
16
6
51
25
15
40
4
2
2
84
22
81
1,884
1,241
208
530
4,347
116
61
836
1,271
452
2,600
1,302
1,276
2,893
323
207
89
4,549
1,422
6,882
Florida - -. ~.
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Kentucky
551
Tennessee
Alabama
1
Mississippi . . .
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas .
Louisiana.
Oklahoma __
Texas
10
MOUNTAIN
Montana __
Idaho
11
Wyoming,
Colorado. .._
New Mexico
Arizona -
Utah ___ .
PACIFIC:
Washington. _
Oregon
California
1,895
CONGREGATIONAL, AND CHRISTIAN OHTJEOHES
515
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
Total
Ml
:MBERSH
IP BY AG
E
SUND
AY SCHO
OLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
number
of
churches
Number
of
members
Under
13 years
13 years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
Churches
reporting
Officers
and
teachers
Schol-
ars
United States
5,300
976, 388
19, 657
737,665
219,066
2.6
4,815
70, 345
526, 907
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
227
22, 458
73
19, 022
3,363
4
193
2 164
14 602
New Hampshire. _
Vermont
168
150
22, 363
20, 713
285
96
16,817
15 443
5,261
5 174
1.7
6
148
130
1,672
1 347
11, 031
7 654
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
559
38
166,411
11, 123
1,091
30
131, 221
8,106
34, 099
2,987
.8
4
520
36
10, 392
629
78,' 708
5 381
C onnecticut
296
87, 790
207
68 145
19 438
3
274
4 590
31 684
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
302
70, 164
1,062
54, 712
14, 390
1.9
272
4 380
30 908
New Jersey
64
16, 946
988
3 4, 433
1,525
6 4
57
1 192
8 702
Pennsylvania
114
19, 251
592
12, 097
6 562
4 7
111
1 818
14 887
E. N. CENTRAL:
Ohio
314
66 346
1,742
46 498
18 106
3 6
294
5 131
41 243
Indiana
171
21, 164
654
16, 077
4,433
3 9
163
2 196
14 443
Illinois -
297
67, 389
1,034
50, 943
15 412
2 0
276
4 930
38' 805
Michigan
217
41 942
904
32, 888
8'l50
2 7
206
3 227
26 197
Wisconsin
186
34 961
641
31, 591
2 729
2 0
170
2 458
17' 862
W. N. CENTRAL:
Minnesota .. _
161
25, 481
364
18,456
6 661
1 9
146
1 902
13 739
Iowa
204
38, 745
753
30, 591
7 401
2 4
185
2 715
20 053
Missouri.
45
10, 323
291
8,075
1,957
3 5
42
774
5 281
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
144
169
136
9,515
14, 695
21. 378
390
740
707
6,130
10, 299
16, 539
2,995
3,556
4,132
60
6.7
4 1
118
136
123
1,021
1,417
1 788
6,285
9,911
13 545
Kansas
93
15, 582
837
11 058
3 687
7 0
90
1 324
10 039
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware .
2
666
112
554
16.8
2
34
336
Maryland
7
510
10
500
2.0
6
84
563
Dist. of Columbia.
Virginia
7
108
3,730
16, 069
59
597
2,403
8,358
1,268
7 114
2.4
6.7
7
95
162
1 071
975
10 048
West Virginia
North Carolina. __
South Carolina _
4
255
2
484
28, 284
277
5
1,578
12
306
16, 384
265
173
10, 322
1.6
8 8
4.3
4
234
2
54
2,183
20
317
17, 308
95
Georgia
45
4,000
166
2,845
989
5.5
32
238
1 554
Florida
42
4,402
62
3,053
1,287
2 0
36
424
2 851
E. S. CENTRAL:
Kentucky
10
1,487
98
710
679
12.1
10
137
1, 465
Tennessee
22
1,651
70
1,465
116
4.6
21
175
1,167
AlftbftTtia
82
6,249
79
4,328
1,842
1 8
66
472
3 133
Mississippi
3
173
10
106
57
8 6
3
17
255
W. S. CENTRAL:
Arkansas
3
611
9
602
.1
3
36
175
Louisiana
28
1,652
46
826
780
5.3
25
126
1,041
OM&hQTTia
23
2,342
83
1,089
1,170
7.1
22
263
2 089
Texas
20
1,989
58
1,732
199
3 2
20
192
1*438
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
63
5.926
278
4,277
1,371
6.1
50
548
4,071
Idaho
31
2,579
55
1,925
599
2.8
29
303
2,286
Wyoming
20
2,496
99
2,150
247
4.4
20
244
1,854
Colorado
73
11, 995
589
8,838
2,568
6.2
67
1,076
8,734
New Mexico
Arizona - -
8
8
802
1,257
40
15
656
861
106
381
5.7
1.7
7
8
63
77
480
709
Utah
6
966
1
781
184
.1
6
64
470
PACIFIC:
Washington
129
15,003
345
10, 094
4,564
3.3
120
1,454
11,807
Oregon - -
46
6,720
197
5,496
1,027
3.5
41
594
4,086
California
198
49. 428
1,503
37. 920
10. 005
3.8
189
3,167
26, 640
» Based on membership with aee classification reDorted,
275318 — 41-
-34
516
CENSUS' OF BEHEGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total number of
churches
Number of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALtTE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
United States
5,300
5,121
4,984
$149, 755, 041
1,290
$10, 906, 080
117, 053
79, 148
63, 229
1, 152, 914
73,800
385, 744
1,332,757
259, 600
511,066
1,063,042
111,983
1, 258, 214
582, 933
537, 137
182, 086
367, 854
108, 826
45, 190
55, 387
268, 315
155,992
21, 200
107,000
132,084
285
70, 178
12,018
164, 321
13, 565
52, 184
7,803
100
790
5,418
30,317
23,897
46,965
36,791
18, 829
78, 063
5,500
2,480
4,890
152, 146
45, 590
1,160,346
1,050
2,582
$12, 016, 499
NEW ENGLAND:
[Maine - -
227
168
150
559
38
296
302
64
114
314
171
297
217
186
361
204
45
144
169
136
93
7
7
108
4
255
45
42
10
22
82
3
3
28
23
20
63
31
20
73
8
8
6
129
46
198
4
224
164
150
547
38
295
289
63
114
302
167
279
216
181
152
202
44
134
160
134
91
5
7
102
4
250
42
39
9
16
72
3
3
25
22
20
57
29
20
69
5
8
5
117
46
196
4
214
155
145
531
37
291
282
63
113
300
158
269
214
177
149
198
42
129
154
132
88
4
7
99
4
239
42
39
8
16
70
3
3
25
22
19
56
29
20
69
5
8
5
113
46
188
24
3, 091, 016
3, 829, 876
2, 873, 445
31, 361, 873
2,084,525
16,670,256
14, 292, 440
3, 334, 127
3, 282, 550
10, 018, 266
1, 889, 980
11, 714, 852
6, 438, 879
4, 578, 970
3, 023, 416
4, 120, 750
1,609,003
821, 700
1, 217, 064
2, 385, 068
1,706,648
53, 500
1, 368, 000
1, 502, 078
69, 500
1, 186, 472
329, 795
1, 196, 700
194, 500
266, 661
237, 900
51, 600
54, 375
70, 211
194,465
331, 800
467, 300
211,200
297,350
1, 193, 565
58, 500
92, 000
87, 500
1, 755, 471
815, 742
7, 080, 902
243, 250
33
24
20
137
12
55
83
36
38
71
18
76
65
56
56
45
13
38
43
31
25
2
4
14
1
25
8
14
3
9
12
1
1
4
9
8
17
12
9
22
1
2
3
37
17
77
3
116
109
78
329
15
226
161
35
46
117
49
155
126
111
76
128
17
67
83
92
52
2
3
15
2
20
10
24
3
6
10
415, 550
437, 386
348, 820
2, 004, 226
103, 800
1, 665, 774
967, 348
287, 000
264, 550
523, 590
146, 385
894, 500
466, 450
509, 550
276, 250
416, 625
102, 195
166, 650
208, 925
265, 650
157, 670
37, 000
53,000
C1)
72, 125
13, 850
152, 300
11,000
22, 500
17, 750
New Hampshire
Rhode Island - - -
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC-
New Jersey
[pennsylvaniai -
EAST NORTH CENTBAL
<3h|Q
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL
[Minnesota
[Missouri ---
North Dakota
South Dakota,
Nebraska -
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
District of Columbia-
Virginia -
"West Virginia -
North Carolina
Georgia ---
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTEAL:
Kentucky -
Tennessee -
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
2
fi
10
10
24
16
12
36
3
5
2
49
21
101
2
11, 950
25, 515
36, 900
70, 600
47, 000
54, 000
111, 000
12, 500
20,800
W
114, 700
54, 290
380, 975
67, 850
[Louisiana -
Oklahoma -- —
Texas -
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
Colorado
New Mexico •-
Arizona
XJtah
PACIFIC-
Washington . .
Oregon - -
California
Other States ~
i Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
a Includes- Delaware, 2, and South Carolina, 2.
CONGREGATIONAL AND CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
517
TABLE 5. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
provements
United States
5,300
5,031
$16,110,465
$5,429,942
$2,198,688
$1, 185, 728
NEW ENGLAND.
Maine
22!7
168
150
559
38
296
302
64
114
314
171
297
217
186
161
204
45
144
169
136
93
7
7
108
4
255
45
42
10
22
82
3
3
28
23
20
63
31
20
73
8
8
6
129
46
198
4
210
159
147
555
37
296
287
61
111
298
165
284
208
186
156
196
42
130
148
131
89
7
7
97
4
199
42
41
10
20
79
3
3
27
22
18
57
29
20
66
8
8
6
121
45
193
1 3
437, 017
427, 185
334,370
3,156,647
235,436
1,728,707
1,412,710
357, 095
346,364
943, 140
213,318
1, 201, 851
662, 284
507, 922
413, 607
446, 437
207, 828
101, 884
143, 267
270, 536
187, 752
6,004
69, 966
136, 608
8,173
162, 118
29, 324
100, 772
18,316
35, 487
35, 311
2,565
5,894
14, 380
30,682
32, 216
74,089
30,724
37, 587
152, 344
13, 230
21, 522
22, 070
247, 064
105,779
964,101
18,782
193, 591
177, 999
129, 626
986, 772
55, 354
517, 853
417,349
114, 614
119, 935
288, 271
84,483
360, 909
237, 032
204,310
150, 802
184, 539
60, 203
50, 552
80, 293
103, 200
77, 075
3,131
15, 445
39, 391
4,080
55,468
12, 254
47,460
6,410
12, 279
14, 138
558
3,345
3,343
15, 021
16, 276
39, 190
17,446
19, 076
61, 996
9,340
6,600
3,361
87, 671
45,069
289, 131
7,701
38,820
41, 606
19, 194
488,298
36, 830
295, 884
215,423
58, 750
46, 368
127, 984
17, 610
176, 903
100, 671
64,910
41,608
42,995
30, 861
6,156
7,934
23, 576
16,026
990
15,496
10, 020
1,160
13, 233
2,425
13, 129
2,471
1,703
3,578
204
921
332
1,703
2,839
5,406
1,160
2,065
21, 157
1,245
1,961
1,145
36, 263
8,875
148,693
2,107
36, 585
38,793
25, 851
237, 239
21, 143
133, 418
100, 369
19, 999
31, 734
64, 111
19, 297
89, 714
55, 944
32, 660
20, 592
40, 948
11,911
5,859
8,607
14, 372
10, 565
605
1,997
6,733
1,025
16, 670
2,555
6,359
1,085
1,905
5,108
117
313
587
1,905
1,174
3,141
2,092
4,481
11, 103
406
2,271
314
14,650
10, 625
67, 796
1,000
New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
Rhode Island-
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC-
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin . .. .. .
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota - --.
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas.- ..
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia.
West Virginia
North Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL*
Kentucky.
Tennessee
Alabama .
Mississippi ...
WEST SOUTH CENTRAI :
Arkansas _
Louisiana ...
Oklahoma
Texas „,. -
MOUNTAIN:
Montana .. __ .
Idaho
Wyoming. .
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona _
Utah.
PACIFIC:
Washington..
Oregon
California
Other States.
i Includes: Delaware, 1, and South Carolina, 2.
518 GE,NSUS! OF' KELiIGIOU'S BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
\
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
EXPENDITURES — continued
Payment
on church
debt,
excluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To
general
head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
$844,363
$4,367,000
94,878
102,664
86, 682
897, 353
76,222
472,683
368,551
84,276
103,375
299,427
49,497
353, 044
156, 186
126,244
130,687
125, 196
59, 470
24,514
24, 722
64,978
51, 898
804
24, 528
34, 222
1,220
36, 283
9,047
22,438
6,777
14, 160
8,321
1,485
567
9,161
4,702
6,675
15, 633
6,719
6,912
35,211
882
8,203
8,098
66, 234
25, 111
255, 642
5,418
$322, 390
7,126
8,088
3,352
75, 061
4,085
41,285
41,059
6,917
8,172
16, 347
3,248
23,503
13, 426
5,540
5,440
4,661
4,958
2,114
2,216
2,379
4,524
93
4,783
3,236
25
4,106
588
802
225
2,370
538
25
75
130
258
1,399
820
353
1,041
2,314
235
134
181
1,819
1,744
11, 077
518
8249,023
$202,687
$888, 738
S421, 906
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine -
18,432
11, 679
24,484
100, 048
8,826
69, 059
114, 681
9,804
10, 701
63,860
26, 393
66, 787
31, 369
27, 603
23,354
13, 056
6,040
2,096
2,317
33, 428
9,915
128
1,158
21, 161
6,943
5,626
4,024
62, 311
2,983
40, 977
24, 881
18, 531
3,368
8,965
887
11,154
7,638
3,535
5,148
3,355
914
1,832
2,229
2,374
1,446
33
182
3,745
35
7,011
606
1,730
86
403
243
41
50
147
1,398
811
783
362
242
2,309
280
250
222
2,751
1,609
4,273
300
4,192
3,105
6,501
63, 249
2,296
28, 421
12, 915
13,936
3,457
11,031
1,201
8,281
5,246
2,230
3,550
3,173
3,620
790
1,295
2,249
2,425
65
155
2,319
30
3,370
281
824
87
197
263
35
50
105
245
447
844
283
173
1,948
190
249
72
2,294
1,341
3,657
21, 261
26,073
20, 794
161,549
23,071
90,392
76, 089
22,825
10,522
44,967
6,642
64, 606
42, 512
32, 437
22, 768
20, 577
19, 108
5,039
9,426
12, 948
8,744
155
6,141
7,757
538
8,830
555
3,716
- 300
835
1,174
50
56
340
2,222
666
3,099
874
1,397
7,863
293
559
240
17,998
5,259
74, 553
918
15, 189
11, 552
13, 862
84, 767
4,626
38, 735
41, 393
7,443
8,732
18, 177
4,060
46,950
12,260
8,453
9,658
7,937
10, 743
2,932
4,228
11, 032
5,134
New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts -- -_
Rhode Island
Connecticut -~ --
MIDDLE ATLANTIC
New York _
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan .. -
Wisconsin ~ -
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri .„_
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska^,., ,
Kansas -__
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
District of Columbia.,.
Virginia,
81
8,024
60
9,977
593
2,414
50
132
482
West Virginia
North Carolina.-
7,170
420
1,900
825
1,503
1,466
50
355
176
1,025
1,285
3,708
1,175
1,956
5, 501
250
1,144
7,312
14,442
5,127
90,994
200
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee .
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
162
59
2,203
644
1,465
260
244
2,942
109
151
1,125
2,942
1,019
18,285
620
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho ._.
Wyoming
Colorado .
New Mexico
Arizona. .
Utah
PACIFIC:
Washington .
Oregon
California
Other States
CONGREGATIONAL. AND CHRISTIAN CHURCHES 519
CONGREGATIONAL AND CHRISTIAN
CHURCHES '
In 1931 the National Council of the Congregational Churches of the United
States and the General Convention of the Christian Church (headquarters, Dayton,
Ohio) united to form the General Council of the Congregational and Christian
Churches. This national merger was followed by combinations in States and
districts and as occasion called for it and congregations desired it local churches
united to form "Congregational Christian" churches.
Both bodies having been wholly democratic it was not difficult to come together
on that basis. Each church is free in its own life. It is a part of a group of
churches which is also free in its sphere. These groups, or the churches in them,
unite in State or district organizations which again are self-determining. Finally
these groups join together to form the democratically constituted national body
which exercises no authority but furnishes mutual counsel, inspiration, and
instrumentalities for common Christian work.
A church may continue to be known as a "Christian" church or a "Congrega-
tional" church. A local group may continue as a "Congregational" association
or a "Christian" conference, and in either case be part and parcel of the fellowship
bodies of the "Congregational and Christian Churches."
Something of the history and doctrine of the separate bodies is given, followed
by a statement of the organization and work of the united body. In the latter it
will be seen that the national missionary work has been completely combined.
HISTORY AND DOCTRINE OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The Reformation in England developed along three lines: Anglicanism, Puri-
tanism, and Separatism. The Anglicans held to the old English Church, minus
the papacy and the distinctively papal features. The Puritans, including the
Presbyterians and some Anglicans, held to a National Church but called for a
thoroughgoing reformation which would provide an educated, spiritually minded
ministry and would recognize the right of the members to a voice in the selection
of their ministers, the management of the local church, and the adoption of its
creed or confession. They believed, however, that they should remain within
the church and thus secure its reformation. The Separatists held that the whole
system of the establishment was an anti-Christian imitation of the true church
and could not be reformed, and that the only proper thing for a Christian to do
was to withdraw himself from it.
Such sentiments could scarcely be tolerated in that age, especially after the
Act of Uniformity, passed in 1559, the year after the accession of Queen Elizabeth
to the throne, and church after church which professed them was broken up.
One pastor, Robert Browne, with his congregation, emigrated to Holland in 1581,
whence he issued pamphlets so bitter in their attack upon the ecclesiastical gov-
ernment of the realm, that two men charged with distributing them were hanged,
and the books were burned. In 1593 three others, Barrowe, Greenwood, and
Penry, paid for their treasonable sentiments with their lives.
The movement, however, could not be suppressed, and in 1604 (the first year
in the reign of James I) the man to whose influence is chiefly due the development
of Separatism into Congregationalism came to a little congregation already or-
ganized at Scrooby. John Robinson was ordained in the Church of England, but
he became acquainted with Browne's writings and accepted their principles
without their virulence. For him, too, exile became inevitable, and, together
with a number of friends and followers, he went first to Amsterdam and then to
Ley den. Here they met with a friendly reception, but, after a few years, decided
to remove to America, where they could practice their religion unmolested and
at the same time live and rear their children as Englishmen. After many delays
and discouragements, the first band of Pilgrim Separatists, 102 persons, under
the leadership of Brewster, Bradford, and Winslow, landed at Plymouth, Mass.,
in 1620, and founded there the first Congregational Church upon American soil,
Robinson remaining in Ley den. They were followed after a few years by the
i The statement on history, doctrine, and organization for these two bodies has been furnished by Rev.
Charles E Burton, secretary, General Council of the Congregational and Christian Churches, 287 Fourth
Ave., New York, N. Y.
520 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BOD'IEiS, 1936.
Puritans of Massachusetts Bay. So long as they were in England the differences
between the two bodies were accentuated, but after their arrival in America
the many points on which they agreed became more apparent, and the essential
elements of both Separatism and Puritanism were combined in Congregational-
ism. This, indeed, was not accomplished at once. The modern conception of
religious liberty was not yet realized. Certain members of the balem Church,
who preferred to use the prayer book and withdrew from the Puritan service for
that purpose, were promptly sent to England as nonconformists, and an extreme
Separatist, Ralph Smith, was dismissed to find a welcome farther south. Little
by little, however, the two united, and it is significant that the strongest influence
for such union appears to have been that of two laymen, Governor Endicott, of
Salem, and Dr. Fuller, of Plymouth. . . , . . ,
During the decade from 1630 to 1640, the Puritan immigration increased
rapidly, and with each accession new churches were formed, as the companies not
infrequently brought their own pastors with them, and in two cases a full church
organization. By 1640 there were 33 churches in New England, all but 2 being
of pronounced Congregational type. These two at first preferred the Presbyterian
system, but did not retain it long. A notable result was that Congregationalism
soon became practically a State religion, and church influence was everywhere
supreme, although it did not find expression in ecclesiastical courts. In two colonies,
Massachusetts Bay and New Haven, the franchise was limited, until 1664 and
1665, to church members, and throughout the older Congregational colonies of
New England, sooner or later, the salaries of pastors were secured by public tax,
until into the nineteenth century. Any action affecting the general religious as
well as the social or civil life of the community was taken by the civil legislature,
such as the calling of the Cambridge Synod, in 1646, to draw up a plan of ecclesi-
astical polity, and the expulsion of the Salem "nonconformists and of Roger
Williams; Williams was expelled not so much for his religious opinions, however,
as for his attacks on the government.
The withdrawal of the Massachusetts charter in 1684 replaced Congregation-
alism by Episcopacy, but a new charter in 1691 restored the former conditions
to a considerable degree. The old ecclesiastical tests once abolished, however,
were not renewed, and, while Congregationalism was still dominant, it was not
With the beginning of the eighteenth century other forms of church life devel-
oped in New England. Episcopalians, Baptists, and Quakers protested against
being taxed for the support of Congregational churches, and little by little there
ceased to be a state church. Thus the voluntary, democratic system of Separatist
Plymouth overcame the ecclesiasticism of Puritan Massachusetts Bay and Con-
necticut, although this result was not attained until after the Revolutionary War.
In this development of their early history, however, it was manifest that the
churches considered fellowship fully as important as autonomy, and that ^ the
strict separatism, which in England developed into independency, found little
favor. Separatist Plymouth was represented, unofficially indeed, at the formation
of the first Puritan Church at Salem; and, as the different communities grew,
they formed associations or consociations for mutual conference, and in 1648 the
"Cambridge Platform" was drawn up, a general summary of doctrine and of the
relation of the churches, which, while having no absolute authority, was recognized
as substantially expressing the views of the churches.
The Congregationalists took the initiative in the remarkable revival known as
"The Great Awakening/' which was started in 1734 by the preaching of Jonathan
Edwards and was developed under the eloquence of Whitefield. They had^ a
prominent share in the political discussions preceding the Revolution, in its
inception and conduct, and in the subsequent national development, sending such
men as John Hancock and the Adamses to take part in the councils of the new
nation, although they were not considered to represent the Congregational
churches as a religious body.
The history of Congregationalism during the century succeeding the Kevo-
lutionary War centers about certain movements: A plan of union with the Pres-
byterians, the rise of missionary enterprise, the Unitarian separation, and what
may be termed the development of denominational consciousness, manifesting
itself in the extension of Congregational churches toward the West, the organiza-
tion of a National Council, and efforts to secure some harmonious, if not uniform,
statement of Congregational belief.
As the Congregationalists of New England gradually extended westward,
they came into intimate relations with the Presbyterians of the Middle States,
CONGREGATIONAL AND CHRISTIAN CHURCHES 521
and these relations were all the closer because of the doctrinal affinity between
the teaching of the Edwardses, father and son, and the type of theology repre-
sented by Princeton College, of which Jonathan Edwards, Sr., was president.
Furthermore, the Congregational churches in Connecticut were in many respects
in harmony with the Presbyterian idea, with the result that, before the close of
the eighteenth century, delegates were interchanged between the Presbyterian
General Assembly and several Congregational associations. These relations
were still further strengthened by the call of Jonathan Edwards, Jr., to the
presidency of Union College, and his taking a seat in the Presbyterian General
Assembly. It was natural that this intermingling of the two denominations
should result in more or less confusion, and, in some cases, in friction between
churches in the same region, especially in the newer communities where churches
were being formed. In order to avoid this a "Plan of Union" was adopted by the
Presbyterian General Assembly and by the Connecticut Association, in 1801, and
accepted later by other associations, providing that "missionaries should be
directed to 'promote mutual forbearance' between the adherents of the respective
polities where they should labor; that churches of Congregational or Presbyterian
preferences should continue to conduct their discipline in accordance with their
chosen polity, even where mutual councils were provided for; and in mixed churches
a standing committee might be chosen, one member of which should have the
privilege of sitting in a presbytery, while another should have a vote in a
Congregational association."
While the plan was, in its inception, eminently fair to both parties, and worked
out advantageously for each along certain lines, one result was the practical
elimination of Presbyterianism from New England, and of Congregationalism
from the new communities to the West, except as various Congregational settle-
ments were established, as in the Western Pieserve, in Ohio. On the other hand,
the plan assisted materially in the development of the Congregational missionary
movement. When the division into Old School and New School in the Presby-
terian Church was accomplished in 1837, the Old School Assembly dropped the
plan, while the New School continued it for 15 years, until the Congregationalists
withdrew.
From the very beginning of the Plymouth colony, missionary work for the
Indians was emphasized, and John Eliot, the Mayhews, the younger Edwards,
and David Brainerd accomplished much, although there was no general mis-
sionary movement among the churches. With the increase of westward migra-
tion and the organization, during the first years of the nineteenth century, of
churches in Ohio, especially in the Western Reserve, missionary interest in the
home field developed. The General Association of Connecticut, as early as
1774, voted to send missionaries to the West and North, that is, to New York
and Vermont. The Revolutionary War interrupted, but in 1798 the same associa-
tion organized itself as a missionary society ato Christianize the heathen in
North America and to support and promote Christian knowledge within the new
settlements of the United States." This was followed by similar organizations in
other New England States; by the Vermont Religious Tract Society in 1808; and
by the Connecticut and Massachusetts Bible Societies in 1809.
The missionary movement, however, with which the Congregational churches,
as a whole, were first identified was that which culminated in the organization
of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in 1810. The
Presbyterians and other religious bodies at first joined the Congregationalists in
this movement, and for many years carried on their entire foreign missionary
work through that board. As denominational consciousness developed, the others
withdrew, one by one, to form their own organizations, leaving the older society
entirely in the hands of the Congregationalists.
The foreign missionary enterprise once thoroughly organized, home missions
again received attention. In 1826 the American Home Missionary Society was
formed, on much the same interdenominational basis as the American Board.
This arrangement continued until 1861, when it became a distinctively Congre-
gational society, and later changed its name to the Congregational Home Mis-
sionary Society, The American Missionary Association was organized in 1846,
and was at first almost as much a foreign as a home society, although more
specifically interested in Negro fugitives and American Indians. In 1853, as it
became apparent that in the outlying sections the newer churches would require
aid, not merely for their services but for their houses of worship, there was formed
the American Congregational Union, subsequently known as the Congregational
Church Building Society. Even earlier than any of these was the American Edu-
522 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
cation Society, organized in 1815 to assist in the preparation of students for the
ministry, which passed through the same experiences as the Home Missionary
Society.
The influences which resulted in the separation between the Trinitarian and the
Unitarian wings of the Congregational body became manifest early in the eight-
eenth century, with the development of opposition to, or dissatisfaction with,
the sterner tenets of Calvinism. The excesses connected with The Great Awak-
ening, and the rigid theology of the Edwardses, and particularly of their successors,
Hopkins and Emmons, contributed to this divergence. The selection in 1805 of
Henry Ware, a liberal, as professor of divinity in Harvard College, drew the lines
between the two parties more clearly, and the college was now classed as avowedly
Unitarian. Mutual exchange of pulpits still continued to a greater or less extent,
and, while there was much discussion, there was no separate organization.
In 1819 William Ellery Channing, in a famous sermon in Baltimore, set forth
the Unitarian conception so forcibly that separation became inevitable. Then a
difficulty arose, occasioned by the distinction between the church as an ecclesias-
tical body, and the society, in which the ownership of the property was vested.
In some cases the church and the society were in agreement in their theological
views; but in others, the society differed from the church, and, according to the
courts, was entitled to the property. A period of confusion and of legal strife
existed until about 1840, when the line of demarcation became complete. The
section most affected was eastern Massachusetts, all but two of the Boston churches
going over to the Unitarians. Congregational authorities give the total number
of churches lost to them as less than 100, while Unitarians claim an accession of
150. Both are probably correct, as in many cases the churches were split, so
that, while one side gained, the other did not lose. For many years the bitterness
of the conflict continued, but of late years it has been steadily diminishing.
With the increase in the number of Congregational churches and the new con-
ditions in the recently settled sections of the West, it became evident that some
form of mutual fellowship more comprehensive than the local or State associations
was needed. Under the leadership of Leonard Bacon, of New Haven, J. P.
Thompson, of New York, and others, a council or convention met at Albany in
1852, this being the first gathering representative of American Congregationalism
since the Cambridge Synod of 1648. At this council 463 pastors and messengers
from 17 States considered the general situation, and their deliberations resulted
in the abrogation of the "Plan of Union," hearty endorsement of the missionary
work, a call for aid for the churches in the West, and the inauguration of a denomi-
national literature. Under the fostering care of such men as H. M. Dexter and
A. H. Quint, the development of a denominational life went on, and the next
step was the calling of a National Council at Boston in 1865, whose principal
work was the drawing up of a statement as to "the system of truths which is
commonly known among us as Calvinism." So advantageous was this gathering
considered that a sentiment arose in favor of a regular system of councils, and
after conference between the different associations, there was called at Oberlin,
Ohio, in 1871, the first of the National Councils, at first triennial, now biennial,
which have done much to consolidate denominational life.
Of these councils the one held at Kansas City, Mo., in 1913, was particularly
important as marking the definite recognition of the Congregational Churches
as an organized religious body with specific purposes and definite methods. The
purposes were set forth in what has been known as a Congregational platform,
including a preamble and statements of faith, polity, and wider fellowship. This
platform did not in any respect modify the essential autonomy of the individual
church in its expression of faith or in its method of action. It did, however,
associate more fully than had been done at any previous time these individual
churches in what may be termed an organic unity based upon a fundamental
union in faith, common purpose in action, and mutual fellowship.
The same spirit has been manifest in various lines of development, especially
those looking toward coordinated action of different religious bodies. Congre-
gationalists have been prominent in the organization and development of the
Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America, have cooperated most
cordially and effectively in the preparations for a World Conference on Faith
and Order, and have entered most heartily into the various movements for
interdenominational cooperation.
Through its Commission on Inter church Relations, the denomination endeavors
to promote the idea of cjmreh unity in every feasible way, particularly by cul-
tivating the closest possible relations with other Christian groups with which
Congregationalists have a normal affiliation.
CONGREGATIONAL, AND CHRISTIAN CHURCHES 523
During the year 1924 the Evangelical Protestant Church of North America,
a body of independent and congregationally administered churches, voted to
become Congregational, and in 1925 this body was received into the National
Council of Congregational Churches as the Evangelical Protestant Conference
of -Congregational Churches.
DOCTRINE
The principle of autonomy in the Congregational Churches involves the right
of each church to frame its own statement of doctrinal belief; the principle of
fellowship of the churches assumes that a general consensus of such beliefs is
both possible and essential to mutual cooperation in such work as may belong
to the churches as a body. As a result, although there is no authoritative Con-
gregational creed, acceptance of which is a condition of ecclesiastical fellowship,
there have been several statements of this consensus, which, while receiving no
formal ecclesiastical endorsement, have been widely accepted as fair presentations
of the doctrinal position of the Congregational Churches. The first of these,
called the "Cambridge Platform," drawn up by a synod summoned by the
Massachusetts Legislature, simply registered general approval of the Westminster
Confession. Certain phraseology in that confession, however, proved unaccept-
able to many churches, and the Massachusetts revision, in 1680, of the Savoy
Confession, and the Say brook Platform of 1708, embodied the most necesssary
modifications but still approved the general doctrinal features of the Westminster
Confession. The first National Council in 1865 adopted the "Burial Hill Decla-
ration," but in the changing conditions this was not entirely satisfactory, and in
1880 the National Council appointed a commission to prepare "a formula that
shall not be mainly a reaifirmation of former confessions, but that shall state in
precise terms in our living tongue the doctrines that we hold today."
The commission, composed of 25 representative men, finished its work in 1883.
The statement, or creed, was never formally adopted, but was issued to the
world "to carry such weight of authority as the character of the commission and
the intrinsic merit of its exposition of truth might command"; it has furnished
the doctrinal basis for a great many of the churches, and in the main represented
their general belief.
With the development of denominational life, there came a demand for a some-
what more definite platform, and the platform adopted by the National Council
of 1913 has served this purpose, and has been accepted with practical unanimity
by the denomination. It is as follows:
"Preamble. — The Congregational Churches of the United States, by delegates
in National Council assembled, reserving all the rights and cherished memories
belonging to this organization under its former constitution, and declaring the
steadfast allegiance of the churches composing the council to the faith which our
fathers confessed, which from age to age has found its expression in the historic
creeds of the church universal and of this communion, and affirming our loyalty
to the basic principles of our representative democracy, hereby set forth the
things most surely believed among us concerning faith, polity, and fellowship.
"Faith.- — We believe in God the Father, infinite in wisdom, goodness, and love;
and in Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord and Savior, who for us and our salvation
lived and died and rose again and liveth evermore; and in the Holy Spirit, who
taketh of the things of Christ and revealeth them to us, renewing, comforting, and
inspiring the souls of men. We are united in striving to know the will of God, as
taught in the Holy Scriptures, and in our purpose to walk in the ways of the Lord,
made known or to be made known to us. We hold it to be the mission of the
Church of Christ to proclaim the Gospel to all mankind, exalting the worship of the
true God, and laboring for the progress of knowledge, the promotion of justice, the
reign of peace, and the realization of human brotherhood. Depending, as did our
fathers, upon the continued guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth,
we work and pray for the transformation of the world into the kingdom of God;
and we look with faith for the triumph of righteousness and the life everlasting.
"Polity. — We believe in the freedom and responsibility of the individual soul
and the right of private judgment. We hold to the autonomy of the local church
and its independence of all ecclesiastical control. We cherish the fellowship of
the churches united in district, State, and national bodies, for counsel and coopera-
tion in matters of common concern.
"The wider fellowship. — While affirming the liberty of pur churches, and the
validity of our ministry, we hold to the unity and catholicity of the Church of
Christ, and will unite with all its branches in hearty cooperation; and will earnestly
seek, so far as in us lies, that the prayer of our Lord for His disciples may be
answered, that they all may be one,"
524 cosisrstrs OF EEMGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY AND DOCTRINE OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The period following the War of the Revolution was characterized by a general
spiritual declension. This again was succeeded by a revival period during which,
especially in what were then the western and southern sections, denominational
lines were frequently ignored, and members of different churches united both in
evangelistic and sacramental services. In some cases there were efforts to enforce
ecclesiastical discipline, which resulted in revolt, while in others entirely inde-
pendent movements were started, not so much antagonistic to, as independent of,
ecclesiastical organization.
The pioneer in this movement was Rev. James O'Kelley, a Methodist
minister in Virginia. He opposed very earnestly the development of the super-
intendency into an episcopacy, especially so far as it gave the bishops absolute
power in the matter of appointments to charges. He presented his cause in the
general conference and elsewhere, but failed to bring about the change he desired,
and in 1792, with a number of others, withdrew from the Methodist Episcopal
Church. A little later they organized under the name of "Republican Method-
ists," but in 1794 resolved to be known as "Christians" only, taking the Bible as
their guide and discipline, and accepting no test of church fellowship other than
Christian character.
A little later a similar movement arose among the Baptists of New England.
Dr. Abner Jones, of Vermont, became convinced that "sectarian names and
human creeds should be abandoned, and that true piety alone, and not the exter-
nals of it, should be made the test of Christian fellowship and communion."
On this basis he organized a church at Lyndon, Vt., in 1800. He was soon joined
by Elias Smith, a Baptist minister of Portsmouth, N. H., and by many others.
In 1800 the "Great Revival," as it came to be known, was started in the Cum-
berland Valley of Tennessee and Kentucky. It was confined to no denomination
and in the preaching no attention was given to the doctrines which had divided
the churches. In the Presbyterian Church, especially, this seeming neglect of
fundamental doctrines was viewed with concern, and resulted in charges being
preferred against two ministers, Richard McNemar and John Thompson, for
preaching doctrines contrary to the confession of faith. As a consequence, these
men, with a number of others, among whom were John Dunlavy, Robert Marshall,
and Barton W. Stone, withdrew from the Synod of Kentucky and, in 1803,
organized the Springfield Presbytery. Shortly afterwards this body was dis-
solved, and its members adopted practically the same position as that held by
James O'Kelley in the South and by Abner Jones in New England.
General meetings, the first step toward organization, were held in New England
as early as 1809, but it was not until 1819 that the first general conference met at
Portsmouth, N. H., on the call of Frederick Plummer, of Pennsylvania, and
Edward B. Rollings, of New Hampshire. The conference met again at Windham,
Conn., in 1820, and regularly until 1832, when it was dissolved; but the following
year, by the action of several conferences, a general convention was organized.
In 1834, by direction of the convention, the Christian General Book Association
was formed, and thereafter met once in 4 years in connection with the conven-
tion, the same persons being delegates to both bodies. This form of organiza-
tion continued until after 1860, when the two bodies became entirely separated.
In 1886 the general convention, then called the "American Christian Conven-
tion," and the publication board, then called the "Christian Publishing Associa-
tion," were again made identical in membership.
In the year 1829 Alexander Campbell and his followers separated from the
Baptists of Pennsylvania and Ohio. Their teaching spread rapidly to Kentucky,
and in 1832 Barton W. Stone, one of the most prominent of the original leaders
of the ^Christians in that section, united with them, on the condition that the
Bible alone should be the basis of the union. A large number of the Christians
in Kentucky and Ohio followed Mr. Stone in this action, but even in these States
the greater part remained with the ^original body, while the eastern and southern
churches were not affected. Out of this movement, however, some confusion of
names has arisen, since many of the churches of the Disciples are still known as
"Christian" churches. < >>
In the report for 1890 the denomination! was listed as "Christians (Christian
Connection^," and the same name was used in 1906. This dio^not prove entirely
satisfactory, and after some conference the name "Christian Church (American
CONGREGATIONAL AND CHRISTIAN CHURCHES 525
Christian Convention)" the title already officially chosen by the church, was
adopted for the 1916 report, as identifying the denomination with its general busi-
ness organization. This title was in 1922 changed to "Christian Church (General
Convention of the Christian Church)."
In 1854, on account of the adoption of resolutions condemning slavery, the
southern delegates to the general convention withdrew and formed a separate
organization, which continued until 1890, when the delegates from the South
resumed their seats in the convention.
DOCTRINE
The principles upon which its first churches were organized continue to char-
acterize the denomination. No general organization has ventured to set forth any
t 'creed" or , statement of doctrine other than the Bible itself. Christian char-
acter is the only test of church fellowship, and, while their interpretation of the
teachings of the Bible is generally in accord with that of most evangelical denom-
inations, they do not bar any follower of Christ from membership because of
difference in theological belief. This same liberty extends to the ordinances of
the church. Baptism is not made a requisite to membership, although it is often
urged upon believers as a duty. While immersion is generally practiced, no one
mode is insisted upon. The churches practice open communion and labor to
promote the spirit of unity among all Christians.
ORGANIZATION AND WORK OF THE CONGREGATIONAL AND
CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
ORGANIZATION
While the polity of the Congregational and Christian Churches is based upon
certain definite principles, as set forth in its historical development it represents
adaptation to conditions rather than accord to a theory of church government.
The local church is the unit and every church member, irrespective of sex or
position, except as limited by State law, has an equal voice in its conduct and is
equally subject to its control. For orderly worship and effective administration
certain persons are set apart or ordained to particular services, but such ordination
or appointment carries with it no ecclesiastical authority. The church officers
are the pastor, a board of deacons, a clerk, and a treasurer, usually a board of
trustees, and heads of various departments of church work. In most churches
there is a church committee which considers various topics relating to the conduct
of the church, meets persons desiring to unite with it, and presents these matters
in definite form for action by the church as a whole. Early in Congregational
history there was a distinction between elders and deacons corresponding very
closely to that in the Presbyterian Church. That distinction has disappeared,
and the offices of elders, or spiritual guides, and of deacons, or persons having
charge of the temporalities of the church, have been united in the diaconate.
For fellowship, mutual assistance, and common Christian work, the churches
gather in local associations or conferences, and in State conferences, in which each
church is represented by pastor and lay delegates. Membership in the General
Council includes ministerial and lay delegates elected by the State conferences.
Membership in an association is regarded as essential to good and regular stand-
ing of churches and ministers in the denomination. No association or conference,
or national council has any ecclesiastical authority beyond that of withdrawing
fellowship. That is vested solely in the council of the vicinage called by .the local
church for a specific case, and its existence terminates with the accomplishment of
its immediate purpose. The result is that there is no appeal from one court to
another, although an aggrieved party may call a new council, which, however,
has no more authority than its predecessor.
Ordination to the ministry is generally by a council of churches called by the
church of which the candidate is a member, or over which he is to be installed
as a pastor. More and more, in practice, such councils are made up of the
members of the district association of which the church is a constituent part.
Doctrinal tests are less rigidly applied than in the past, practical Christian fellow-
ship being emphasized rather than creed subscription. In the early history of
the churches the minister was a member of the church, selected by the church, and
ordained to the service by a council of associate churches, while his ministerial
526 CENSUS OF RELilOlOUS BODIES, 1936
standing ceased with the end of his pastorate. Gradually, however, this stand-
ing became recognized as having a permanent character, although the minister,
whether pastor or not, still remained a member of his church, and subject to its
order. For purposes of fellowship, ministerial associations have been formed,
and these have furnished the basis of ministerial standing; but of late there has
been a tendency, all but universal, to vest such standing in a church association,
conference, or convention.
Admission to church membership is usually conditioned on the declared and
evident purpose to lead the Christian life, rather than on the acceptance of par-
ticular doctrine, and participation in the Lord's Supper is free to all followers
of Christ. Infant baptism is customary, and the form of all baptism is optional,
although sprinkling is the form most commonly used.
WORK
The missionary and general educational activities of the Congregational and
Christian Churches are conducted through two national organizations, each of
which is recognized as an agency of the General Council of the churches, whose
members are voting members of each of the missionary organizations. Pro-
vision for securing the participation of those especially interested in either cause
is secured through permitting each organization to elect a limited number of dele-
gates at large, in addition to the council membership. Unity of control and
administration is thus secured.
As a result of this arrangement, there are two organizations serving the denomi-
nation. The first has the total foreign missionary field in its care; the second, the
entire home field, including Sunday school planting and church building, the task
of conducting schools and colleges among backward or exceptional populations,
the function of religious education and publication, including in its scope the
whole life of the church, and the provision of ministerial pensions and relief. The
promotion of income for all departments of missionary work is assigned to a com-
mon agency called the Missions Council, appointed by the boards themselves.
The foreign missionary work of the Congregational and Christian Churches is
carried on through the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.
Until 1926 there were three auxiliary women's boards, representing different sections
of the country; the oldest, the Woman's Board of Missions, being the pioneer of
similar societies in other denominations, and in the Christian Churches, the Foreign
Department of the Board of Missions with its related women's organization.
These have now merged with the American board. In 1936 the American board
carried on missions in East, South, and West Central Africa, in Turkey, Syria,
India, Ceylon, China, Japan, the Philippines, the Pacific islands, Mexico, and
Bulgaria. The report of the year shows 3,002 places of service, occupied by 481
American missionaries and 6,465 native workers. There were 804 churches
reported, with 107,629 members; 23 theological and training schools, 9 colleges,
48 secondary schools, and 1,033 other schools, with a total of 84,537 students;
26 hospitals and 44 dispensaries, which gave a total of 654,291 treatments. The
amount contributed during 1936 for the foreign work, including legacies, was
$802,661, and the income from various funds, $290,522, making a total of $1,093,-
183. In addition to this, $181,184 was contributed for the work by the native
churches. In regard to the total value of property belonging to the Congrega-
tional denomination in foreign countries, or the total amount of endowment for
all its institutions, there are at present no figures available. The value of the
property is estimated at about $7,500,000.
In 1936 several societies working in the United States combined their work
under the Board of Home Missions with five divisions as follows:
The church extension division is charged with the missionary work among the
white races of continental United States, whether of native or foreign extraction,
and carries on its work in close coordination with a number of State conferences,
each of which is represented on the board of the general society. The report for
the year 1936 shows a total of some 1,400 missionaries employed by the general
society and the constituent State societies, while the number of churches and
preaching stations cared for was about 1,600. Of these churches and missions,
many held services in foreign tongues: German, Swedish, Dano-Norwegian,
Armenian, Assyrian, Cuban, Hawaiian, Italian, French, Filipino, Spanish, Welsh,
Finnish, Slovak, Portuguese, Indian, Mexican, Bohemian, Chinese, and Japanese.
The largest mission work for those of foreign extraction was carried on among the
German, Swedish, Finnish, and Welsh people. Total receipts for the year were
CONGREGATIONAL AND CHRISTIAN CHUROHES 527
as follows: National society, $277,709; constituent State societies, $684,568;
making a total of $962,277.
The American Missionary Association division carries on work among the
Negroes, Indians, Chinese, Japanese, and the various races in Puerto Rico. It
established at Hampton, Va., during the Civil War, the first day school among the
freedmen, and after the close of the war extended its work rapidly. Such out-
standing institutions as Atlanta University and Fisk Universitv were founded by
the association. Dillard University, Talladega, Tougaloo, Tillotson, and Le-
Moyne Colleges are still directly under its auspices. The Congregational churches
among Negroes in the South have been fostered by the association. It also sup-
ports and supervises Congregational church and educational work among the
Sioux, Mandan, Rhee, and Gros Ventres Indians of North Dakota and South
Dakota. On the accession of Puerto Rico, the association took up work in that
island. The report for 1936 shows 428 missionaries and teachers, 110 churches
aided, and 18 colleges and schools, of which 14 are for Negroes, with a total enroll-
ment of 4,384 students. The total income of the association for the fiscal year
ending September 30, 1936, was $687,675. The churches contributed $84,406 of
this; the remainder came from legacies, individuals, and income from invested
funds.
The church building division assists congregations in the erection of church build-
ings and parsonages. In 83 years this society has helped to complete 6,701 churches
and 1,816 parsonages. Its receipts during that time have amounted to $13,-
980,464, and it has helped to secure church property worth over $40,000,000.
During 1936 the number of churches aided was 54, and the amount contributed
for this work was $54,783. Other miscellaneous receipts amounted to $249,643,
making a total of $304,326.
The Christian education division, formerly the Congregational Education So-
ciety, the successor of the American Education Society, with which two kindred
societies, organized for the establishment of Christian schools in Utah and New
Mexico, were afterwards incorporated, includes in its present work leadership in
the denominational program of Christian training in home, church, and school,
including missionary education and world fellowship, student and young people's
work, adult education, leadership training and recruiting for Christian leadership,
student work under university pastors; summer conferences, vacation and week-
da v schools; aids ministerial students; and seeks to make available to schools and
colleges the resources of the denomination through administrative counsel and
advice and, when possible, through financial support. The contributions for this
work in 1936 were $62,891, which, supplemented from other sources, gave
a total of $100,978. This does not, however, cover the entire amount contributed
by the Congregationalists toward educational work, there being no separate
record of contributions for the erection of new schools and the providing of
endowments.
Ministerial relief division, — The Board of Ministerial Relief was organized in
1887 and later developed as the Congregational Board of Ministerial Relief, "to
secure, hold, manage, and distribute funds for the relief of needy Congregational
ministers and the needy families of deceased Congregational ministers." The
receipts of this division during the year 1936 were $260,691.
The annuity fund for Congregational ministers, which in 1936 completed its
twenty-third year, is organized under the contributory pension system to secure
an annuity at the age of 65 for those ministers who become members. Its total
assets at the close of 1936 were $6,610,274. In addition there is held in trust for
the annuity fund, by the corporation for the General Council, an endowment
fund of $5,506,825. The retirement fund for lay workers makes similar provi-
sion for unordained church workers.
The totals for all the missionary societies for 1936 show contributions to the
amount of $2,001,157, exclusive of income from funds of $1,367,088.
In philanthropy, the Congregational churches have given largely to institutions
under the care of almost every denominational or undenominational enterprise in
the country, but there are very few distinctively Congregational hospitals,
orphanages, asylums, or homes, and of these there is no available record.
Pilgrim Press division. — Publishing interests are chiefly cared for under this
division which carries on the publication of Sunday school literature and of other
periodicals and books, mainly of a religious nature. It also issues the leading
denominational paper, Advance. The missionary societies publish their own
monthly, The Missionary Herald, representing the home and foreign work.
In 1853 the American Congregational Association was organized in Boston for
the purpose of collating such literature as might serve to illustrate Congregational
528 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
history and of promoting the general interests of the Congregational churches.
It owns a building, the Congregational House, in Boston, and has a library of
great value.
The modern movement for the organization of young people for Christian
work was started by a Congregational minister, Rev. Francis E. Clark, who
formed the first Christian Endeavor Society in Portland, Maine, in 1881. Similar
societies were soon established in other churches, and in 1885 a general interde-
nominational organization was effected, under the name United Society of Chris-
tian Endeavor. This has spread not only throughout the United States, but
throughout the world, and has also given the impulse for a number of kindred
denominational societies, such as the Ep worth League, the Baptist Young People's
Union, etc. In 1936 there were in the Congregational and Christian Churches
of the United States 3,480 young people's societies, with 178,046 members.
The interest of the Congregational and Christian Churches in educational mat-
ters is shown by the fact that Harvard, founded in 1636, and Yale in 1701, were
established as Congregational colleges, as were also Williams, Dartmouth, Bow-
doin, and Amherst in the East, and Oberlin, Grinnell, Beloit, Carleton, Drury, and
others in the West. At present more than 40 colleges and 18 academies in the
United States owe their origin to Congregationalists. In 1936 these employed
5,608 instructors, had an enrollment of 40,046 students, had 2,500,000 volumes in
their libraries, and held productive funds amounting to $344,294,241. There
were also 8 theological seminaries, Andover, now part of Andover-Newton Semi-
nary, being the oldest, with a total of 94 professors, 56 instructors and lecturers,
and 1,068 students.
The Council for Social Action deals with social questions and the Laymen's
Fellowship interests laymen in all phases of church life. Both are related to
the Board of Home Missions. The women are organized by States for compre-
hensive work.
For the better coordination of the various lines of denominational activity
there have been established a number of commissions of the General Council
whose duty it is to recommend to the council such action as commends itself to
their judgment. These commissions are four in number, namely: On evangelism,
on interchurch relations, on the ministry, and on stewardship. In addition,
there are the delegates to the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America.
CONGREGATIONAL HOLINESS CHURCH
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Congregational Holiness Church for the year
1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures
between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules
sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and
the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of persons who profess conscious
regeneration, and who are also in harmony with the articles of faith of the denomi-
nation.
TABLE 1. — SUMMAKY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
56
2,167
39
732
1,200
235
61.0
28
1,994
145
1.4
43
42
$46, 545
$39, 595
$6,950
$1, 108
8
$3, 050
25
3
3
$3,500
51
$21, 063
$8,740
$1, 609
$1, 757
$2, 185
$1,598
$1, 271
$784
$259
$690
$2, 170
$413
48
363
2,898
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEECENT OF
TOTAL l
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations) , number _
22
1,072
49
401
671
34
1,095
32
331
529
235
62 6
20
975
100
2 0
26
25
$23,710
$20, 610
$3, 100
$948
4
$1,315
16
Members, number..- .. __ _ ..
49.5
50..5
Average membership per church . ._ .
Membership by sex:
Male..
54.8
55 9
45.2
44.1
100.0
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
59 8
8
1,019
45
0.8
17
17
$22,835
$18,985
$3, 850
$1,343
4
$1, 735
9
3
3
$3,500
20
$15, 124
$6, 752
$895
$1,284
$1,458
$556
$1, 135
$596
$254
$479
$1, 715
$756
18
156
1,394
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over
51.1
31.0
48 9
69.0
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 2 »
Church edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
49.1
47 9
55.4
50.9
52 1
44.6
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or m part, in 1936
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting . __
Amount reported -
56.9
43.1
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number .- .
Value — number reporting
Amount reported ..
1000
Expenditures :
Churches reporting number
31
$5, 939
$1,988
$714
$473
$727
$1, 042
$136
$188
$5
$211
$455
$192
30
207
1,504
Amount reported
71.8
77.3
55.6
73.1
66.7
34.8
89.3
76,0
98.1
69.4
79.0
28.2
22.7
44.4
26.9
33.3
65.2
10 7
24,0
1.9
30.6
21.0
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries --
Repairs and improvements _ -
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest. __
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution .
All other purposes - - --
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers .
43.0
48.1
57.0
51.9
Scholars - . - __ .
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Based on membership with age classification reported.
529
530
CENSUS1 OF REIflGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1936 and 1926. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for
comparison, a summary of the available statistics of the Congregational Holiness
Church for the census years 1936 and 1926.
TABLE 2. — COMPAEATIVE SUMMARY, 1936 AND 1926
ITEM
1936
1926
ITEM
1936
1926
Churches (local organizations),
number .
56
25
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number.
51
24
Increase over preceding
Amount reported
$21, 063
$7, 098
census*
Pastors' salaries
$8, 740
Number
31
All other salaries. . _
$1, 609
Percent L
Repairs and improve-
ments__ ._ .
$1, 757
Members, number „
2,167
939
Payment on church debt,
$5, 472
Increase over preceding
excluding interest
$2, 185
census:
Number _._
1,228
All other current expen-
ses, including interest.-
$1, 598
Percent.-
130 8
Local relief and charity,
Average membership per
Red Cross, etc
$1, 271
church
39
38
Home missions
Foreign missions „„
$259
Church edifices, number
43
19
To general headquarters
$1, 626
Value — number reporting
42
19
for distribution
$690
Amount reported
$46 545
$22 050
All other purposes
$2, 170
Average value per church _
Debt — number reporting
$1, 108
8
$1, 161
Average expenditure per
church
$413
$296
Amount reported ..
$3,050
$865
Parsonages, number
3
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number. _
48
23
Value — number reporting
3
Officers and teachers _
363
146
Amount reported
$3 500
Scholars
2,898
1,175
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables, — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Congregational
Holiness Church by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the num-
ber and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban
or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools.
Table 4 gives the number and membership of the churches for the census years
1936 and 1926, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under
13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of
churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936.
Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current
expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
4
§
e
d
03 co
STATE
.talS
53.2
bC
a
§
•S
A
G'S
if
60 §
I
•2
J2
H
-£i
42
§
,s
a
,5 •*-•
3 O*
g4J
0
o
En
fc>
rt
fc>
«
*
PS,
CQ
*
6
o
CO
United States
56
22
34
2,167
1,072
1,095
732
1,200
235
61.0
48
363
2,898
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
North Carolina
5
5
105
105
32
73
5
32
230
South Carolina
5
2
3
104
34
70
38
66
4
33
266
Georgia. -
33
12
1,490
723
767
497
758
235
65.6
29
232
1,697
Florida
3
1
2
79
17
62
24
55
2
12
90
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Alabama
10
7
3
389
298
91
141
248
56.9
8
54
615
* Eatio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
CONGREGATIONAL HOLINESS! CHURCH
531
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, 1936 AND 1926, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1936
1936
1936
Under
13 years
13 years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Percent
under
13i
United States
56
25
2,167
939
28
1,894
145
L4
North Carolina
5
105
104
1,490
79
389
5
1
13
100
103
1,332
79
380
4.8
1.0
1.0
South Carolina _
5
33
3
3
21
61
839
Georgia .
145
Florida ___
Alabama.
10
1
39
9
2.3
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PARSON-
AGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States-
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia _ _
56
43
42
$46, 545
8
(
$3, 050
3
$3, BOO
5
5
33
10
3
2
3
28
7
3
2
3
27
7
3
} ^5, 600
27, 845
10, 800
2,300
{
4
2
2
1,831
1,054
165
1
2
} s 3, 500
Alabama . _ _
Florida
1 Amount for North Carolina combined with figures for South Carolina, to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
2 Amount for Georgia combined with figures for Alabama, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individ-
ual church.
TABLE 6.-— CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
1
EXPENDITURES
1
9
a
|9
63
I
«
1
"3
<5
J
a
-a'H
4*1=!
M
§
^
Q,
STATE
c»
•g
"S
OS
13 0
°M
g'o
**-< !>»
§
•P*
52
pi
*§
£
§
•3
£
03 §
H.S
^5.13
*w
«
13 -SS
ft
a
i
3
w
to
1
el
4^ 03*3
fell
if
I
a
d
b£
"8
P
1
o
o
03
0
o
o
0
EH
s
<!
«
*
O
W
PR
g-.
^
United States..
56
51
$21, 063
$8, 740
$1, 609
$1, 757
$2, 185
81, 598
81, 271
$784
$259
$690
$2, 170
North Carolina
5
5
1 048
278
261
390
58
18
24
"
19
South Carolina
5
3
657
177
143
35
75
45
63
50
4
65
Georgia
33
3
32
3
14, 851
169
6,585
30
998
1,050
58
1,515
10
1,036
9
1,208
559
15
200
259
15
1,441
32
Florida
Alabama.
10
8
4,338
1,670
207
614
270
420
123
9
412
613
Ecclesiastical divisions. — In 1935 the growth of this denomination was such as
to need division for administrative purposes, so, at the fifteenth annual session of
the Southeastern Association of the Congregational Holiness Church, held in
Griffin, Ga., three divisions of this church were incorporated; namely, the Ala-
bama Division, the Georgia Division, and the Carolina Division, creating the
General Southeastern Association of the Congregational Holiness Church.
Table 7 presents, for each of the three divisions, the more important statistical
275318 — 41 35
532
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
data for 1 936 shown by States in the preceding tables, including the number and
membership of churches, value and debt on church edifices, expenditures, and
Sunday schools.
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY DIVISIONS,
1936
DIVISION
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of
mem-
bers
VALUE OF
CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Church-
es re-
porting
Amount
Church-
es re-
porting
Amount
Church-
es re-
porting
Amount
Church-
es re-
porting
Scholars
Total
56
2,167
42
$46, 545
8
S3, 050
51
$21, 063
48
2,898
Alabama
13
18
25
491
459
1,217
10
12
20
13, 060
13, 650
19, 835
3
1,204
11
15
25
5,213
2,879
12, 971
11
17
20
743
906
1,249
Carolina
Georgia
5
1,840
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The Congregational Holiness Church was organized January 19, 1921. It
was a separation from the Pentecostal Holiness Church by a number of ministers
and entire congregations who desired to establish a church having a congrega-
tional form of government, but retaining its holiness belief; the new denomina-
tion was accordingly called "The Congregational Holiness Church."
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
This denomination acknowledges belief in the Trinity, the inspiration of the
Scriptures, justification through repentance and faith, sanctification, divine
healing (but does not condemn medical science), the personal second coming of
Christ, eternal punishment or eternal glory, the merits of the atonement, and
the salvation of the entire church. Baptism, foot washing, and the Lord's Supper
are the ordinances of the church, the candidate being allowed liberty of conscience
in the mode of baptism and in the matter of foot washing, while all Christians
are invited to partake of the Lord's Supper. The crowning blessing of religious
experience is believed to be the baptism of the Holy Ghost, manifested by power
to speak in other tongues.
The conditions of membership are as follows: The candidate must know he is
born of God; must be in harmony with the articles of faith of the denomination;
must abstain from the use of tobacco and slang and "other things that are con-
trary to holy living"; and must take the Bible as his rule of conduct. No one
who belongs to oath-bound secret societies will be received as a member.
The form of government is congregational. The highest governing body of
the denomination is the General Association, delegates to which are elected by
the annual associations. Church officers are elected annually. Each church is
authorized to elect 3 trustees of church property, 1 deacon for every 20 members
or fractional part thereof, and a secretary and treasurer. Each church also has
the authority to elect its own pastor by a majority vote of its membership.
Women may be licensed to preach, but are not ordained.
WORK
The church issues a periodical, The Gospel Messenger, and it also issues Sunday
school literature. There are no schools or colleges under the management of the
church at present.
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol II of the Eeport on Eeligious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised hy Rev B. L. Cox, secretary of the General Southeastern Association of the
Congregational Holiness Church and chairman of the Alabama Division, Piedmont, Ala., and approved by
him in its present form.
DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification, — A general
summary of the statistics for the Disciples of Christ for the year 1936 is presented
in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and
rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to
the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate
to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of all baptized believers in
Christ who seek fellowship and are enrolled in the local organizations.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEECENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Clrurclies (local organizations), number
5,566
1, 196, 315
215
465, 015
665, 728
65, 572
69.9
76, 783
980, 815
138, 717
7.3
5,292
5,083
$88,070,194
$86, 262, 559
$1, 807, 635
$17, 326
1,254
$11,401,182
3,048
1,636
1,557
$4,838,745
5,364
$11,273,964
$4, 271, 746
$1, 159, 682
$892, 269
$1, 175, 347
$2, 146, 619
$258, 367
$232, 068
$251, 078
$557, 777
$329, Oil
$2, 102
5,171
84,452
761,257
692
7,056
49,919
1,867
743, 251
398
2S4, 881
418, 599
39, 771
68 1
50,018
611, 755
81, 478
7.6
1,797
1,736
$68, 051, 599
$66, 658, 674
$1,392,925
$39, 200
902
$10, 602, 352
661
718
683
$2,936,025
1,849
$8, 519, 307
$2, 860, 242
$994,970
$559,990
$1,018,196
$1,784,771
$180, 667
$179,978
$201, 245
$484, 578
$254, 670
$4,608
1,825
44, 531
470, 681
356
4,227
30,941
3,699
453, 064
122
180, 134
247, 129
25, 801
72.9
26, 765
369, 060
57, 239
6.8
3,495
3,347
$20, 018, 595
$19, 603, 885
$414, 710
$5, 981
352
$798, 830
2,387
918
874
$1,902,720
3,515
$2, 754, 657
$1, 411, 504
$164, 712
$332, 279
$157, 151
$361,848
$77, 700
$52, 090
$49,833
$73, 199
$74, 341
$784
3,346
39,921
290, 576
336
2,829
18,978
33.5
62.1
66.5
37.9
Members, number
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
61.3
62.9
60.7
38.7
37.1
39.3
Female -•
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females-
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
65.1
62.4
58.7
34.9
37.6
41.3
13 years and over
Age not reported __
Percent under 13 years 1
Church edifices, number
34.0
34.2
77.3
77.3
77.1
66.0
P.5.8
22 7
22.7
22.9
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 3936 _-
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
71.9
93.0
21.7
43.9
43.9
60.7
34.5
75.6
67.0
85.8
62.8
86.6
83.1
69.9
77.6
80.2
86.9
77.4
28 1
7.0
78.3
56.1
56.1
39.3
65,5
24.4
33.0
14.2
37.2
13.4
16 9
30 1
22.4
19.8
13.1
22.6
Amount reported - . -_
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number -
Value — numb er reporting.
Amount reported
Expenditures :
CTh7ir(»hft«? rfipnrtiTig, nymhftr
Amount reported -
Pastors' salaries -
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest
All other current expenses, including
interest _
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution _.
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting niTmbftr
35.3
52.7
61.8
51.4
59.9
62.0
64.7
47.3
38.2
48.6
40.1
38.0
Officers and teachers - -
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
533
534
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 1. — STTMMAKY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Weekday religious schools :
OhnrrthAs rAporfrTig, TiiiTTiher u.™.,™ _ _.„.,.. n,.,^,™-
143
849
11, 758
42
531
4,942
73
546
9,133
12
231
2,923
70
303
2,625
30
300
2,019
51.0
64.3
77.7
(2)
43.5
59.1
49.0
35.7
22.3
(2)
56.5
40.9
Officers and teachers _ __
Scholars . . - _ .-
Parochial schools :
Dhnrr»hftR yftportiflg, rmrnhflr
Officers and teachers -
Scholars
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of the Disciples of Christ for the census
years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churfth^s (Innal organiZfttioTis) , TinmbftT
5,566
7,648
8,396
8,260
Increase l over preceding census:
Number
—2,082
-748
136
Percent
—27 2
-8.9
1.6
Members, number
1, 196, 315
1, 377, 595
1, 226, 028
982, 701
Increase 1 over preceding census.
Number
—181, 280
151, 567
243, 327
Percent
— 13 2
12 4
24 8
Average membership per church - - -
215
ISO
146
119
Church edifices, Tinnihfti"
5,292
7,252
6,815
7,066
Value — number reporting
5,083
6,887
5,597
6,944
Amount reported
$88, 070, 194
$114, 850, 211
$40, 327, 201
$27, 439, 944
Average value per church
$17, 326
$16, 676
$7, 205
$3, 952
Debt — number reporting
1,254
1,575
1,327
1, 041
Amount reported
$11, 401, 182
$13, 522, 541
$4, 160 239
$1, 792, 613
Parsonages, number.
1,636
Value — number reporting
1,557
1,734
947
596
Amount reported
$4, 838, 745
$7, 982, 310
$2, 318, 852
$1, 106, 325
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
5,364
7 250
5 568
Amount reported
$11,273 964
$22 967,484
$8 797 820
Pastors' salaries
$4 271 746
All other salaries
$1 159 682
1
Repairs and improvements
$892, 269
[•$19 885 635
$6,786 226
Payment on church debt, excluding interest.. .
All other current expenses, including interest..
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$1,175,347
$2, 146, 619
$258, 367
Home missions
$232, 068
Foreign missions
$251, 078
$3 039 761
$1 413 599
To general headquarters for distribution
$557, 777
All other purposes
$329, Oil
Not classified
$42 088
$597 995
Average expenditure per church _
$2, 102
$3,168
$1, 580
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
5,171
6,680
7 549
6 676
Officers and teachers
84 452
91, 625
84 596
65 364
Scholars
761, 257
1 000 416
942 879
578 418
1 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Disciples of
Christ by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and member-
ship of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory,
membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives for
selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four census
years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under
13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of
churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936.
Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current
expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the
financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and
6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value and
expenditures.
DISCIPLES OF CHEIST
535
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC
DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OP
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
3
£
£
rQ
S
"3
t-<
5
3
s
p
1
PH
1
Female
8
'd
n
i
Males per 100
females
Churches re-
porting
T3
g £
OT-§
&S^
0
Scholars
United States.
NEW ENGLAND
Maine
5,566
1,867
3,699
1,196,315
299
12
210
954
465
10, 583
675
36, 751
101, 248
130, 004
110, 646
13, 603
3,250
6,614
60, 973
108, 374
161
1,179
23, 359
65, 740
209
5,836
5,082
38, 174
18, 765
28, 463
2,992
17, 315
9,527
92,204
23, 899
6,799
5,968
14,120
4,792
51, 772
74, 990
3,590
5,117
1,591
14, 714
2,249
3,973
321
56
17, 622
20, 431
50,644
743, 251
453, 064
465, 015
665, 728
65, 572
69.9
5,171
3
1
2
5
1
50
3
136
371
503
481
83
21
39
236
507
1
12
114
252
1
31
8
213
88
152
10
81
50
425
107
34
42
91
20
206
310
17
25
5
56
13
19
3
1
73
97
172
84, 452
29
5
21
83
27
741
59
2,936
7,314
8,634
8,400
1,263
252
601
4,278
7,643
13
129
1,926
5,111
15
557
254
2,809
1,398
1,604
98
938
825
5,127
1,421
485
417
1,053
270
3, 695
5,035
278
395
83
1,041
207
288
37
10
1,388
1,565
3,694
761, 257
3
3
299
121
5
101
375
188
4,446
256
14, 422
39, 981
49, 696
43, 512
5,337
1,339
2,400
23, 524
41,049
10
419
9,150
24, 882
90
1,898
1,419
15, 605
6,795
11, 498
1,206
6,781
3,647
36,246
9,709
2,963
2,413
5,174
1,436
20, 834
29, 408
1,503
2,046
604
5,722
857
1,680
165
17
6,997
8,080
19,009
178
7
109
579
277
6,137
419
19, 347
57, 642
68,443
61, 868
7,936
1,876
3,390
34,923
60, 598
18
700
13, 879
37, 145
119
3,043
2,043
20, 585
9,213
15,830
1,763
8,930
5,667
49, 145
13, 346
3,821
3,364
7,274
2,091
29, 458
43, 521
2,087
3,021
987
8,687
1,392
2,218
156
39
10, 433
12, 176
29,848
68.0
0)
92 7
64.8
67.9
72.4
61.1
74.5
69.4
72.6
70 3
67.3
71.4
70 8
67.4
67.7
0)
59.9
65 9
67.0
75 6
62.4
69.5
75 8
73 8
72.6
68 4
75 9
64.4
73.8
72.7
77 5
71.7
71.1
68.7
70.7
67.6
72.0
67 7
61.2
65 9
61 6
75 7
105 8
0)
67.1
66 4
63.7
182
20
134
459
171
5,600
314
26, 475
73, 354
84, 344
69, 786
10, 755
1,921
4,780
40,085
59, 754
128
829
16,314
47, 189
165
4,600
3,053
25, 396
13, 667
13, 998
728
7,984
6,732
46, 278
14, 600
3,524
3,022
8,853
2,248
38, 317
43, 148
2, 403
4,373
980
9,105
1,704
2,462
210
40
12, 261
14, 643
34, 169
N. Hampshire.
Vermont
9,
1
12
2
21
"~66
228
403
375
52
13
20
168
458
1
9
84
192
1
19
"170
71
127
9
66
7
410
69
23
30
62
8
150
169
7
12
3
28
6
6
210
Massachusetts.
Connecticut ..
MID. ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey. _.
Pennsylvania.
E. N. CENTRAL:
Ohio.
5
1
52
4
141
389
5&3
510
87
25
42
242
557
2
13
116
269
1
32
8
223
103
176
14
100
52
487
116
42
49
101
24
215
338
18
25
6
57
14
19
3
1
76
98
174
5
1
31
4
75
161
130
135
35
12
22
74
99
1
4
32
77
.....
8
53
32
49
5
34
45
77
47
19
19
39
16
65
169
11
13
3
29
8
13
3
1
33
26
138
954
465
8,761
675
28, 708
72,479
70, 840
58, 323
9,323
2,458
4,798
38, 072
53,465
133
529
14, 197
39,998
1,822
8,043
28, 769
59, 164
52, 323
4,280
792
1,816
22, 901
54, 909
28
650
9,162
25, 742
209
1,587
2,982
3,625
11, 865
5,266
330
35
824
2,526
6,727
133
60
330
3,713
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
W.N. CENTRAL.
Minnesota
Iowa._,
Missouri
N. Dakota....
S. Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas. _.
S. ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
Dist.ofCol...
Virginia
4,249
5,082
17, 441
13, 233
11, 141
595
9,191
9,186
38,297
17, 743
5,152
3,497
9,590
3,747
34, 192
59, 856
2, 816
3,417
1,020
11,605
1,825
3,641
321
56
13, 556
12,580
46,032
895
1,620
1,984
2,757
1,135
23
1,604
213
6,813
844
15
191
1,672
1,265
1,480
2,061
"""50
"305
------
192
175
1,787
20, 733
5,532
17, 322
2,397
8,124
341
53, 907
6,156
1,647
2,471
4,530
1,045
17, 580
15, 134
774
1,700
571
3,109
424
332
W. Virginia...
N. Carolina...
S. Carolina...
Georgia ._
Florida
E. S. CENTRAL.
Kentucky
Tennessee,
Alabama
Mississippi. _~
W. S. CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
Wyoming
Colorado
New Mexico..
Arizona .
Utah
Nevada
PACIFIC:
Washington __
Oregon ._
43
72
36
4,066
7,851
4,612
California
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100,
536
GE'NSTJS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1996
1916
1906
1936
1996
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
port-
ed
Per-
cent
un-
der
13i
United States.,
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
5,566
7,648
8,396
8,260
1,196,315
1,377,595
1,226,028
982, 701
76, 783
980, 815
138, 717
7.3
3
5
1
52
4
141
389
533
510
87
25
42
242
557
2
13
116
269
32
8
223
103
176
14
100
52
487
116
42
49
101
24
215
338
18
25
6
57
14
19
3
76
98
174
25
7
1
59
2
162
485
655
635
94
32
45
317
857
3
20
140
369
36
8
294
136
309
52
149
71
783
165
78
106
153
24
327
489
24
31
9
75
19
19
2
101
117
179
4
7
8
2
55
2
168
525
765
690
120
28
55
384
1,023
9
26
171
411
41
8
321
174
173
54
144
41
952
211
73
77
155
31
339
544
29
45
10
61
32
14
7
9
4
53
2
161
540
661
768
116
24
43
437
1,422
e
21
176
339
26
p
277
134
122
41
128
33
841
150
152
105
154
25
314
502
22
54
4
47
11
4
299
954
465
10, 583
675
36, 751
101, 248
130, 004
110, 646
13, 603
3,250
6,614
579
1,011
400
12, 479
447
38,996
118,894
154, 067
122, 883
14,499
3,769
6,701
66, 719
144, 791
170
2,278
26, 182
77,409
5,949
4,567
38,380
21, 343
38, 088
4,260
17, 328
10, 677
121, 372
24, 972
8,638
8,847
17, 198
4,857
59, 349
77, 150
3,372
5,187
1,280
17, 759
2,662
2,478
397
20, 4S3
20, 303
48, 102
323
687
1,264
628
11, 139
534
37, 717
109, 732
137, 727
116, 639
12, 740
2,291
5,042
73,237
145, 403
341
1,764
24, 140
67, 554
5,719
3,038
34, 220
19, 227
20, 095
4,414
16, 885
3,790
129, 912
21, 672
6,978
5,364
13, 275
3,615
41,811
54, 836
3,719
5,065
763
12, 805
2,284
1,712
260
1,527
866
9,124
213
26, 458
83, 833
108, 188
101, 516
9,791
1,707
3,560
55, 948
159, 050
147
1,478
19, 121
40, 356
3,343
2,170
26, 128
10, 729
13, 342
2,021
12, 703
2, 194
123, 659
14, 904
8,756
6,709
10, 269
2,127
24, 232
39, 550
2,008
3,206
292
8,521
963
484
10
47
6
548
21
1,761
5, 833
8,719
6,151
925
114
378
3,909
6,383
289
907
459
9,420
654
32, 436
87,397
100, 229
91,878
11,463
2,735
4,947
50, 850
85, 636
28
986
19, 527
53, 755
4, 953
3,287
31,766
14, 175
23, 436
2,265
13, 428
8,387
72, 478
20, 819
6,089
4,536
10,602
3,044
41, 994
63,100
3,348
4,687
1,128
12, 689
2,062
3,654
292
13, 659
18, 380
42, 475
486
3.3
4.9
1.3
5.5
3 1
5.1
6.3
8.0
6.3
7.5
4.0
7.1
7.1
6.9
Massachusetts. __
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC.
New York.
615
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
E. N. CENTRAL:
Ohio. .
2,554
8,018
21, 056
12,617
1,215
401
1,289
6,214
16, 355
133
60
2,246
7,551
555
1,610
4,034
2,933
3,743
438
3,100
300
14, 907
1,797
366
1,151
2,387
1,265
4,964
5,630
Indiana
Illinois .
Michigan
Wisconsin
W. N CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
60, 973
108,374
161
1,179
23,359
65, 740
5,836
5,082
38, 174
18, 765
28,463
2,992
17, 315
9,527
92, 204
23, 899
6,799
5,968
14, 120
4,792
51, 772
74,990
3,590
5,117
1,591
14, 714
2,249
3,973
321
17, 622
20, 431
50, 644
487
Missouri...
North Dakota...
South Dakota- -.
Nebraska
133
1,586
4,434
328
185
2,374
1,657
1,284
289
787
840
4,819
1,283
344
281
1,131
483
4,814
6,260
242
322
103
1,088
187
319
29
1,636
1,690
3,049
1
11.9
7 5
7 6
6.2
5.3
7.0
10.5
5.2
11.3
5.5
9.1
6.2
5 8
5.3
5.8
9.6
13.7
10.3
9.0
6.7
6.4
8.4
7.9
8.3
8.0
9.0
10.7
8.4
6.7
.2
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Dist of Columbia
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina..
South Carolina,.
Georgia
Florida,. .
E. S. CENTRAL:
Kentucky.
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
W. S. CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana. __
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
108
360
937
Wyoming
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
Utah
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
124
121
165
8
83
90
140
8
17, 521
15, 399
32, 211
1,119
10, 140
10, 012
20, 272
824
2,327
361
5,120
California _.
Other States
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
8 Includes: New Hampshire, 1; Vermont, 2; Delaware, 1; and Nevada, 1.
DISCIPLES OF OHKIST
537
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total number of
churches
Number of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
United States _
5,566
5,292
8,083
$88, 070, 194
1,254
$11,401,182
1,557
S4, 838, 745
NEW ENGLAND:
M assachusetts
5
52
4
141
389
533
510
87
25
42
242
557
13
116
269
32
8
223
103
176
14
100
52
487
116
42
49
101
24
215
338
18
25
6
57
14
19
3
76
98
174
11
5
49
4
136
371
519
494
80
20
38
235
530
11
111
267
31
8
210
94
164
13
99
49
447
108
37
46
84
24
208
318
18
25
5
56
13
17
3
73
95
168
9
5
47
4
134
341
494
468
78
18
37
227
509
10
108
256
28
8
209
88
159
13
94
49
428
105
35
44
80
23
202
310
18
25
5
56
13
17
3
68
94
165
28
119, 125
1, 636, 214
89, 000
4, 125, 782
7, 614, 830
7, 072, 610
7, 711, 336
1, 617, 085
165, 890
313, 350
3, 743, 310
6, 579, 398
35, 125
1, 402, 850
3, 971, 800
536, 650
1, 677, 000
2, 291, 220
1, 696, 900
1, 304, 487
72, 550
1, 224, 609
1, 419, 350
6. 580, 200
1, 645, 136
757, 150
447, 600
960, 250
352, 850
3,082,818
6, 623, 600
311, 900
274, 950
29,000
978, 200
119, 625
277, 500
34,000
1,859,250
1, 217, 285
5,862,609
235,800
3
26
3
60
81
90
83
24
8
14
50
70
3
28
60
10
7
43
24
39
5
16
33
76
32
10
7
23
8
55
81
5
6
1
21
5
8
2
23
29
80
2
9,300
274, 226
12, 200
662, 155
853, 352
552, 961
701. 102
310, 852
25, 225
38, 235
430, 798
578, 819
3,065
129, 482
516,839
81,780
716, 600
348, 057
197, 533
170, 597
14, 097
80, 677
226, 655
461, 047
241, 399
81, 850
36, 677
141, 650
95,905
460,462
1, 027, 357
47, 100
40,597
1,000
121,428
10, 320
34, 554
2,075
474, 259
75, 199
1, 106, 196
7,500
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York _
18
1
56
118
146
173
37
3
11
110
83
2
56
123
12
68, 500
(0
267, 350
441, 675
479, 100
487, 250
90, 275
8,000
21, 440
280, 915
243, 250
C)
131, 300
287,350
77, 000
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio _
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan _. _
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa___ _
Missouri
South Dakota—
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland _
"District of Coliimhia,
Virginia
54
19
31
1
14
16
80
17
3
9
15
5
62
117
8
14
1
20
7
10
198, 700
94, 800
70, 150
0)
56, 700
68,500
334, 550
86,100
12, 500
27,800
39,450
14,000
136, 300
376, 200
26,000
35, 100
54, 700
16,750
15, 500
West Virginia
North Carolina __ _
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama __
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho _
Wyoming
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
Utah
PACIFIC:
Washington
21
30
48
6
36, 100
67, 500
143,300
44,640
Oregon
California
Other States
i Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
* Includes: Maine, 2; Vermont, 2; Connecticut, 1; North Dakota, 1; Delaware, 1; and Nevada, 1.
538
CENSUS OF RELlIGIOUS BODIES, 1936>
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
"United States
5,568
5,364
$11,273,964
$4,271,746
$1,159,682
$892,269
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
5
52
4
141
389
533
510
87
25
42
242
557
13
116
269
32
8
223
103
176
14
100
52
487
116
42
49
101
24
215
338
18
25
6
57
14
19
3
76
98
174
11
5
52
4
139
384
520
482
83
24
41
235
528
12
114
260
31
8
218
95
172
14
98
49
458
110
41
48
89
23
205
326
17
25
6
57
14
19
3
75
97
174
*9
15,903
156, 440
22, 816
464, 906
1,048,436
985, 518
889, 124
166, 571
30,023
68,650
446,271
755, 631
7,626
222, 406
519, 748
85, 660
71,099
320, 293
173,454
173,399
13,432
123, 694
153, 512
759,508
257,387
74,713
59, 183
132, 628
65,463
502, 880
874, 798
44, 781
51, 738
14, 321
215, 618
37, 533
45, 719
5,258
216, 276
189, 724
769, 546
42,278
7,085
58,773
6,716
159,337
359,328
377, 789
365,968
57,872
15,525
36,547
186,876
291,930
4,949
86,320
213,049
30,279
18,422
125,120
68,368
68,918
5,385
52,493
61,370
280,274
82,352
27,819
27,376
58,867
23,120
208, 161
326,869
20, 115
24,186
7,583
57,352
16,385
18,980
3,380
77, 127
83,007
?fil, 941
8,433
2,154
17,894
3,586
48,200
115,889
112, 240
95,684
12,190
1,691
4,410
41,136
97,776
111
21,904
50,321
9,903
12, 172
25,275
14,273
10,298
1,058
11,937
11, 622
74,815
24,083
4,884
2,350
9,361
4,794
54, 875
96,581
2,852
2,858
780
11,924
2,260
4,858
36
25,202
18,459
94,968
2,018
422
8,524
120
55,761
102,723
99, 262
82,056
12,723
1,838
4,259
35,251
54,084
546
10, 979
37,452
6,296
2,877
18,421
14, 107
24,091
1,133
8,097
22,268
68,888
16,353
5,700
9,249
8,089
7,089
27, 179
59,945
2,372
3,589
2,110
6,299
2,138
3,683
200
9,522
13, 984
38,440
4,150
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey _ ..
Pennsylvania
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio .
Indiana . -
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota _. .
Iowa
Missouri .
South Dakota
Nebraska. ._.
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina.. , __.
South Carolina
Georgia.—
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee. _.
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana.
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
Wyoming.. „ „ ..
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
Utah
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon..
California „
Other States _
i Includes: Maine, 2; Vermont, 2; Connecticut, 1; North Dakota, 2; Delaware, 1; and Nevada, 1.
DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
539
TABLE 6, — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936— -Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other cur-
rent
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
Allother
purposes
United States
$1,175,347
$2, 146, 619
$258,367
$232,068
$251,078
$557,777
$329,011
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
1,242
12,078
4,204
46,951
98, 536
71,957
71, 145
15,718
2,333
3,824
24, 742
43,711
863
22, 678
46,664
7,428
5,895
33,285
27,879
24,481
1,960
15,004
21,457
72,892
33,303
8,279
4,527
21,055
10,215
59,418
96,911
5,320
7,027
1,000
95,156
5,764
4,185
215
27,458
13,478
88,083
17,026
1,831
33, 765
3,324
94, 826
212, 039
164, 168
165,843
48, 336
6,796
9,928
97, 982
170, 281
632
50, 679
102, 366
17, 668
28, 506
64, 798
26, 639
18, 738
1,051
14,844
20, 767
134, 312
54, 006
12, 167
4,164
21,436
15, 946
92,680
154,203
9,071
7,715
1,691
29, 143
5,657
8,264
1,007
50, 189
27,433
154,344
7,384
160
3,614
661
9,301
25,272
22,017
16,785
3,755
645
1,692
7,497
19,878
92
2,581
9,332
2,316
1,182
10,662
3,674
4,719
1,059
4,956
2,905
23,066
8,298
1,943
1,531
2,876
691
10, 175
21,983
897
731
50
1,067
653
1,316
80
3,096
5,357
19,522
280
75
3,467
848
8,001
16, 513
20,907
14,840
2,078
386
2,212
6,379
16, 189
115
5,105
12, 100
1,135
318
8,505
4,348
4,472
553
2,043
2,784
15,728
11, 915
3,590
1,571
2,327
472
7,499
24,485
547
784
109
3,976
482
1,430
25
2,717
7,603
13,405
30
75
4,451
1,268
8,192
18, 617
28,267
19, 905
1,434
179
2,023
7,892
12,771
77
3,678
19,962
640
70
6,387
4,044
4,368
459
1,360
1,506
17,851
6,892
3,135
2,393
1,505
325
9,050
25,739
613
1,396
78
2,332
937
733
5
7,852
6,381
16, 191
45
914
10,566
1,955
22,136
53,997
69, 186
35, 970
9,529
480
2,280
28,315
28, 610
2
12,435
16,039
6,263
1,260
14,385
6,360
9,324
491
7,720
6,748
48,990
14,670
3,646
2,765
5,574
1,805
18, 290
30,200
1,778
1,517
920
4,315
2,241
1,008
310
8,828
4,314
59, 185
2,456
1,945
3,308
134
12,201
45, 522
19, 725
20,928
2,936
150
1,475
10, 201
20,401
239
6,047
12,463
3,732
397
13, 455
3,762
3,990
283
5,240
2,085
22, 692
5,515
3,550
3,257
1,538
1,006
15, 553
37,882
1,216
1,935
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York.
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NOKTH CENTKAL:
Ohio
Indiana »-
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri.
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
District of Columbia......
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina .
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL;
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama.
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
Wyoming
Colorado.
4,054
1,016
1,262
New Mexico
Arizona
Utah
PACIFIC:
Washington
4,285
9,708
23,467
456
Oregon _ _ . ..
California _
Other States
540 CENSUS1 OF KELUGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The Disciples of Christ trace their origin to a movement in the early part
of the nineteenth century, when a number of leaders arose who pleaded for the
Bible alone, without human addition in the form of creeds and formulas. At
first they emphasized Christian fellowship and the independence of the local
church, without adherence to any ecclesiastical system. Somewhat later an
element was added which sought to restore the union of the churches through
a "return, in doctrine, ordinance, and life, to the religion definitely outlined"
in the New Testament.
In 1807 Rev. Thomas Campbell, a minister of the Secession branch of the
Presbyterian Church in Ireland, came to the United States, was received cor-
dially', and found employment in western Pennsylvania. Finding that, in the
generally destitute condition of that region, a number of families belonging to
other presbyteries had not for a long time enjoyed the communion service, he
invited them to attend his service. For this he was censured by his presbytery,
but upon his appeal to the Associate Synod of North America, on account of
informalities in the proceedings of the presbytery, he was released from censure.
In the presentation of his case, however, he emphasized very strongly the evils
of sectarianism, and as it became increasingly evident that his views differed
from those of the presbytery, he formally withdrew from the synod. In 1809
his son, Alexander Campbell, with the rest of the family, joined him, and an
organization called the Christian Association of Washington, Pa., was formed.
From this association was issued a "declaration and address/' which became
historic.
Its main purpose was to set forth the essential unity of the Church of Christ,
which, while necessarily existing in particular and distinct societies, ought to
have "no schisms, or uncharitable divisions among them." To this end, it claimed
that nothing should be inculcated "as articles of faith or terms of communion
but what is expressly taught and enjoined * * * in the Word of God," which
is "the perfect constitution for the worship, discipline, and government of the
New Testament Church," nor has "any human authority power to impose new
commands and ordinances upon the church." While "inferences and deductions
from Scripture promises * * * may be truly called the doctrine of God's
Holy Word, yet they are not formally binding upon the consciences of Christians,"
and while "doctrinal expositions of divine truths are advantageous, yet they
ought not to be made terms of Christian communion," all the "precious saints of
God" being under obligation "to love each other as brethren."
Division among Christians is characterized as "a horrid evil, fraught with
many evils," anti-Christian, anti-Scriptural, antinatural, and "productive of
confusion and every evil work." Membership in the church should be confined
to such as "profess their faith in Christ and obedience to Him in all things
according to the Scriptures," and "continued to manifest the reality of their
profession by their temper and conduct." Ministers are "to inculcate none other
things than those articles of faith and holiness expressly revealed and enjoined
in the Word of God," and in administration are to observe the "example of the
Primitive Church without any additions whatsoever of human opinions or in-
ventions of men." Should there be any "circumstantials indispensably neces-
sary to the observance of divine ordinances not found upon the page of express
revelation/' these may be adopted only under the title of "human expedients
without any pretense to a more sacred origin."
The publication of this address did not meet with much response, and the two
Campbells appear to have been somewhat uncertain as to just what to do. The
development of their Christian Association into a distinct denomination was the
very thing they did not wish, and accordingly overtures were made to the
Presbyterian Synod of Pittsburgh. The address, however, stood in the way of
acceptance, and in 1810 they and their associates organized "The First Church
of the Christian Association of Washington, meeting at Cross Roads and Brush
Run, Washington County, Pennsylvania."
1 This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Dr. Stephen J. Corey, president, the United Christian Missionary Society,
Disciples of Christ, Indianapolis, Ind., and approved by him in its present form.
DISCIPLES or CHRIST 541
Subsequently, an invitation was given to the members of this association to join
the Redstone Baptist Association, but difficulties arose on both sides. The
Campbells had accepted the general principle of believers' baptism, but some
elements in their position were not pleasing to the Baptists. On the other hand,
the Baptist Association, in accepting the Philadelphia Confession of Faith, had
done the very thing to which the Campbells objected. Still it seemed advantageous
for them to enter into fellowship with the churches nearest to their own in belief
and practice, and, accordingly, the invitation was accepted. This alliance, however,
did not continue for any length of time, as difference of views became more
evident, and later the Campbell association withdrew and joined the Mahoning
Baptist Association, in which their teachings had gained general acceptance.
In 1829, however, since a majority of the members believed that there was no
warrant in Scripture for an organization such as theirs, the association was dis-
banded as an ecclesiastical body. Alexander Campbell was opposed to this
action, as he thought* that such an organization was needed and that there was no
reason why a specific "Thus saith the Lord" should be required in a case of this
character.
Meanwhile, Barton W. Stone, another Presbyterian minister, and a number>
of his associates had accepted the principle of baptism by immersion, although
comparatively few made it a test of fellowship; and as they came into relations
with Alexander Campbell a partial union was effected in Lexington, Ky., in the
early part of 1832. In this there seems to have been no effort at entire agree-
ment, but only a readiness to cooperate heartily. When the question arose as to
the name to be adopted, Mr. Stone favored "Christians," as the name given in
the beginning by divine authority. Mr. Campbell and his friends preferred the
name "Disciples" as less offensive to good people and quite as scriptural. The
result was that no definite action was taken and both names were used, the
local organization being known, generally, as a "Christian Church," or a "Church
of Christ," and, rarely, as a "Church of Disciples," or a "Disciples7 Church."
During the first few years of the movement, Alexander Campbell and other
leaders were often engaged in more or less heated controversies with represent-
atives of other denominations. Gradually, however, these discussions became
less frequent and at the same time more conciliatory in tone.
The growth of the new organization was very rapid, especially in the Middle
West. Throughout Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, and Missouri it gathered
numerous congregations, though there was evident a strong objection to any
such association, even for fellowship, as would appear to involve ecclesiastical
organization. This manifested itself in various ways, especially in opposition to
the use of societies for carrying on missionary work. The use of instrumental
music in the churches also occasioned dissatisfaction.
During the Civil War the movement suffered from the general disorganization
of the sections in which it had gained its strength, and the death of Alexander
Qaiopt>ell in 1866 was no doubt a severe blow. From the effect of these dis-
couragements, however, it soon recovered, and the period since that war has
been one of rapid expansion. With, this expansion there developed, out of the
objections referred to above, and especially to any semblance of ecclesiastical
organization and to the use of instrumental music in the churches, two parties,
generally termed "Progressives" and "Conservatives." The former were anxious
to include all under *o~ne general head as was done in the census report for 1890,
leaving each church free to conduct its affairs in its own way, but the Conserva^*"
tives objected, and insisted on separate classification. Accordingly, in the report
for 1906 and in subsequent reports the "Conservative" churches have been listed
as Churches of Christ. _T.he line of demarcation between the two bodies, however,
is by no means crearT
DOCTRINE
The doctrinal position of the Disciples has been summarized as follows: They
accept the divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New
Testaments; the all-sufficiency of the Bible as a revelation of God's will and a
rule of faith and life; the revelation of God in threefold personality of Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit, as set forth by the Apostles; the divine glory of Jesus
Christ as the Son of God, His incarnation, doctrine, miracles, death as a sin
offering, resurrection, ascension, and coronation; the personality of the Holy
Spirit and His divine mission to convince the world of sin, righteousness, and
judgment to come, and to comfort and sanctify the people of God; the alienation
of man from his Maker, and the necessity of faith, repentance, and obedience in
order to salvation; the obligation of the divine ordinances of baptism and the
542 CENSUS' OF KELlIGIOU'S BODIES, 1936
Lord's Supper; the duty of observing the Lord's day in memory of the resurrec-
tion of the Lord Jesus; the necessity of holiness on the part of believers; the divine
appointment of the Church of Christ, composed of all who by faith and obedience
confess His name, with its ministries and services for the edification of the body
of Christ and the conversion of the world; the obligation of all disciples to carry
the gospel into all the world, "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever
I commanded you"; the fullness and freeness of the salvation that is in Christ to
all who will accept it on the New Testament conditions; the final judgment, with
the reward of the righteous and punishment of the wicked.
In addition to these beliefs, in which they are in general accord with other
Protestant churches, the Disciples hold certain positions which they regard as
distinctive:
1. Feeling that "to believe and to do none other things than those enjoined
by our Lord and His Apostles must be infallibly safe," they aim "to restore in
faith and spirit and practice the Christianity of Christ and His Apostles as
found on the pages of the New Testament."
2. Affirming that "the sacred Scriptures as given of God answer all purposes
of a rule of faith and practice, and a law for the government of the church,
and that human creeds and confessions of faith spring out of controversy
and, instead of being bonds of union, tend to division and strife," they reject
all such creeds and confessions.
3. They place especial emphasis upon "the Divine Sonship of Jesus, as the
fundamental fact of Holy Scripture, the essential creed of Christianity, and
the one article of faith in order to baptism and church membership."
4. Believing that in the Scriptures "a clear distinction is made between the
law and the gospel," they "do not regard the Old and New Testaments as of
equally binding authority upon Christians," but that "the New Testament
is as perfect a constitution for the worship, government, and discipline of the
New Testament church as the Old was for the Old Testament church."
5. While claiming for themselves the New Testament names of "Chris-
tians," or "Disciples," "they do not deny that others are Christians or that
other churches are Churches of Christ."
6. Accepting the divine personality of the Holy Spirit, through whose
agency regeneration is begun, they hold that men "must hear, believe,
repent, and obey the gospel to be saved."
7. Repudiating any doctrine of "baptismal regeneration," and insisting
that there is no other prerequisite to regeneration than confession of faith
with the whole heart in the personal living Christ, they regard baptism by
immersion "as one of the items of the original divine system," and as "com-
manded in order to the remission of sins."
8. Following the apostolic model, the Disciples celebrate the Lord's Supper
on each Lord's day, "not as a sacrament, but as a memorial feast," from
which no sincere follower of Christ of whatever creed or church connection is
excluded.
9. The Lord's day with the Disciples is not a Sabbath, but a New Testa-
ment institution, commemorating our Lord's resurrection, and consecrated
by apostolic example.
10. The Church of Christ is a divine institution; sects are unscriptural and
unapostolic. The sect name, spirit, and life should give place to the union
and cooperation that distinguished the church of the New Testament.
ORGANIZATION
In polity the Disciples churches are congregational. Each local church elects
its own ^officers, calls its own ministers, and conducts its own affairs with no
supervision by any outside ecclesiastical authority. Persons are received for
membership in the church on profession of their faith in Christ and baptism, which
follows either at the same or at some subsequent service. The officers of the
church are the elders and deacons, the pastor usually being one of the elders. The
elders have special care of the spiritual interests of the congregation, and the
deacons of its financial affairs and benevolences, although the distinction between
elders and deacons is not always observed. Applicants for the ministry are
ordained by authority of the local church, the ceremony of ordination being
conducted by the pastor and elders of the church, sometimes by a visiting evangel-
ist, or occasionally by an association of neighboring churches. The minister is a
member of the church where he is located, whether as pastor or as evangelist, and
is amenable to its discipline. For conference in regard to ministerial matters, and
DISCIPLES OF CH'RIS'T 543
a general supervision over ministerial standing, ministerial associations are formed,
but they are simply advisory, the authority resting with the local church of which
the minister is a member.
There is no national ecclesiastical organization of the churches. There is an
International Convention of Disciples of Christ, which is composed of individual
members of the churches. These may or may not be selected by the churches, but
their standing in the convention is personal rather than representative, and the
convention as such has no authority over the action of the churches, which are at
liberty to accept or reject its recommendations.
For mutual conference in regard to their general affairs, the churches unite
in district and State conventions. These conventions, however, have no ecclesi-
astical authority, the ultimate responsibility in every case resting in the local
church.
In accordance with the principles that have been emphasized in their history,
the Disciples ^of Christ, individually, in their local church organization, in their
organized societies, and in their denominational relations, have constantly sought
to secure the overcoming of denominational distinction and the unity of the
church in its broadest sense. They are thus represented in the various inter-
denominational movements, especially the Federal Council of the Churches of
Christ in America, the International Council of Religious Education, the Advisory
Committee of the World Conference on Faith and Order, the World Alliance for
International Friendship through the churches, the Universal Christian Con-
ference on Life and Work, the Near East Relief, the Boy Scouts of America, the
Y. M. C. A., and similar organizations.
WORK
The general activities of the Disciples of Christ are carried on through several
societies or boards which, in their organization, are independent of any ecclesi-
astical control, although the various individuals are representative of their
membership. A general convention, called The International Convention of
Disciples of Christ, consisting of members of the churches, meets annually.
Its object is to promote unity, economy, and efficiency among the philanthropic
organizations of the churches, promote equitable representation, and secure
closer cooperation. Its powers are advisory.
While the earlier sentiment was somewhat adverse to the organization of
societies, Alexander Campbell's first association at Washington, Pa., was prac-
tically a missionary or church extension society, and the organization with which
Barton W. Stone was identified was distinctly evangelistic in its nature. It was
with Mr. Campbell's full approval that in 1849 the American Christian Mis-
sionary Society was formed at Cincinnati, its object being, as stated in its consti-
tution, "* * * to promote the preaching of the Gospel in this and other lands."
He was the first president and held the office 18 years, until his death in 1866. In
1874 the Christian Woman's Board of Missions was organized. Prior to this
time a large number of State, district, and city societies had been formed. The
next year the Foreign Christian Missionary Society came into being, followed
in 1887 by the National Benevolent Association of the Christian Church, in 1888
by the Board of Church Extension, in 1895 by the Board of Ministerial Relief,
in 1910 by the Association for the Promotion of Christian Unity, in 1914 by the
Board of Education, and later by the Board of Temperance and Social Welfare.
These boards continued to function separately until, at the International
Convention in Kansas City in 1917, the three missionary societies appointed a
committee on unification, instructing the committee to seek to bring about the
complete unification of societies so that they should function as one organization,
having one headquarters and one management. It was proposed that whatever
organization should ultimately be brought about, it should have on its board and
its executive committee equal representation of men and women.
The committee on cooperation and unification held a preliminary meeting in
Indianapolis, December 11, 1917. The original proposal was to unite the Foreign
Christian Missionary Society, the Christian Woman's Board of Missions, and
the American Christian Missionary Society, the latter involving the Board of
Church Extension, which was a board of the American Society. Later the Board
of Ministerial Relief and the National Benevolent Association sought representa-
tion on the committee and voted to join the above-mentioned boards in forming
the United Christian Missionary Society.
When the committee on cooperation and unification came squarely up to the
legal problems involved in a merger of the several societies, it found that techni-
cally such a merger, involving as it would the immediate surrender and dissolution
544 GEosrsfus OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 193 6
of the old boards, could not be accomplished, or at least, not for a period of
years. It seemed, however, that the objects sought in the unification could
be accomplished by creating a new society, duly incorporated, to which the
operating functions of the old boards should be committed. The old societies,
however, were to continue their legal existence in the States where they originated,
for the purpose of holding the trusts committed to them and of discharging the
responsibilities required by law.
Appropriate articles of agreement were drawn up and adopted by each of the
boards and societies prior to their coming together in the International Convention
at Cincinnati, in 1919. At this convention, the constitution and bylaws of the
new United Christian Missionary Society were presented and adopted, and the
organization was effected. The executive committee chose St. Louis, Mo., as
the operative headquarters for the United Christian Missionary Society, and it
began its functions there October 1920. In 1928 the Society, moved its headquar-
ters to Indianapolis, Ind., where it is located in its own commodious quarters,
called The Missions Building.
In 1928 the Department of Ministerial Relief was set apart to be absorbed in
the Board of the Pension Fund of Disciples of Christ, in 1933 the Church Exten-
sion Board took over church loans, and the National Benevolent Association
assumed control of the benevolent homes of the Disciples of Christ.
In 1935 the Department of Social Education and Social Action and the Depart-
ment of Higher Education were added to the United Christian Missionary
Society.
The foreign missionary work carried on by the Disciples of Christ through the
United Christian Missionary Society in 1938 covered the Belgian Congo, China,
India, Japan, Mexico, Philippine Islands, Puerto Rico, Argentina, and Paraguay.
Work by nationals is also carried on in Jamaica and at Batang on the Tibetan
border.
During 1937 there were 5,628 baptisms in foreign fields. The 499 day schools
on the foreign field had a total enrollment of 17,133. The 10 hospitals and 16
dispensaries treated 466,933 persons. Appropriations for pastoral support were
received by 58 home mission churches during the year through the United Chris-
tian Missionary Society.
Work was conducted among immigrants, and among French groups, High-
landers, Indians, Negroes, Orientals, Spanish- Americans, and Mexicans.
The National Benevolent Association conducted 6 homes for the aged, caring
for a family of 873. The Board of Church Extension in 1937 made 382 loans to
churches and had a loan fund of $2,789,606.
The educational work of the Disciples of Christ is carried on through 27 col-
leges and schools of higher grade, which provide classical, scientific, and profes-
sional training for both sexes and cover every phase of ministerial training.
The Pension Fund of the Disciples of Christ shows, in 1937, assets of $2,206,255
and a total pension family of 1,446.
The purpose of the Association for the Promotion of Christian Unity is to watch
for every indication of Christian unity and to hasten the time by intercessory
prayer, the holding of friendly conferences, and the distribution of Christian
unity literature.
Following are some interesting statistics, taken from the 1937 yearbook of the
Disciples of Christ: Total church membership in 41 countries throughout the
world, 1,761,778; total Bible school enrollment throughout the world, 1,168,488;
number of churches reported throughout the world, 8,957; number of ministers
in the United States and Canada, 7,333.
During 1936 the total contributed in the United States and Canada to the
national boards reporting to the international convention of the Disciples of Christ,
including amounts given to the various State and provincial missionary societies,
was $2,928,476.
DIVINE SCIENCE CHURCH
STATISTICS
The data given for 1936 represent 18 active organizations of the Divine Science
Church, all reported as being in urban territory. These statistics were compiled
from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individ-
ual churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of the Divine Science Church includes, in general, only those
adults who have been received into its local churches.
Comparative data, 1936 and 1926. — Table 1 presents, in convenient form for
comparison, a summary of the available statistics of this denomination for the
census years 1936 and 1926.
TABLE 1* — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1936 AND 1926
ITEM
1936
1926
ITEM
1936
1926
Churches (local organizations),
number
18
—4
22
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, num-
ber
14
$105, 695
$31, 595
$20, 707
$1, 722
$5,870
$44, 769
$154
17
$158, 458
$141, 110
$11, 348
$6, 000
$9, 321
17
154
1,693
Increase * over preceding
census:
Number
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries
Percent 2
All other salaries _
Members, number
4,085
619
17.9
227
8
8
$424, 931
3,466
Repairs and improve-
ments
Increase over preceding
census:
Number
Payment on church
debt, excluding in-
terest __ __
Percent
Average membership per
church __ __ .
158
All other current ex-
penses, including
interest ._
Church edifices, number..
Value — number reporting
Local relief and char-
ity, Red Cross, etc..
Home missions
Amount reported __
Foreign missions
Average value per
church
$53, 116
6
$58, 500
1
1
$4,000
To general, headquar-
ters for distribution
Debt— number reporting. .
Amount reported
Parsonages, number
All other purposes
Not classified
$878
Average expenditure per
church
$7, 550
15
168
1,722
Value— number reporting.
Amount reported
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, num-
ber _
Officers and teachers
Scholars
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 2, 3, and 4 present the statistics for the Divine Science
Church by States. Table 2 gives for each State for 1936 the number and mem-
bership of the churches, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 3 gives for selected States the number and membership of the
churches for the census years 1936 and 1926, together with the membership for
1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table
4 presents the church expenditures, for 1936, showing separately current expenses,
improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial
statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in table 4 is limited to
the State of Colorado, the only State in which three or more churches reported
expenditures.
545
546
CELSIUS1 OF KELiIGIOTJS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX,
AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
mem-
bers
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Male
Fe-
male
Sex
not re-
ported
Males
per 100
fe-
males *
Churches
reporting
Officers
and
teachers
Schol-
ars
United States
18
4,085
1,387
2,653
45
52.8
15
168
1,722
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1
1
1
2
1
3
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
175
1,500
125
187
400
422
82
5
57
728
170
184
50
43
600
46
75
150
128
30
132
900
79
112
250
294
52
32 6
06. 7
1
2
45
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Illinois
1
2
1
3
12
19
6
49
50
69
60
369
Wisconsin
67.0
60.0
43.5
WEST NOETH CENTRAL:
Minnesota «
Missouri
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
District of Columbia
EAST SOUTH CENTBAL:
Kentucky
5
1
1
3
1
1
2
60
10
5
12
958
129
WEST SOUTH CENTBAL:
Oklahoma
9
187
45
64
10
48
501
125
120
40
MOUNTAIN-
Colorado
40
37 3
36 0
53.3
PACIFIC-
Washington
Oregon
California
1
7
25
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1936 AND 1926, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936 or 1926]
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1936
1936
1936
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Percent
under
13i
United States
18
22
4,085
3,466
102
3,359
624
2.9
Missouri __
3
3
1
211
3
422
728
170
2,765
984
10
162
588
170
2,439
250
140
5.8
Colorado
Washington
3
16
414
2,068
Other States
92
234
3 6
* Based on. membership with age classification reported.
2 Includes 2 churches in Wisconsin; and 1 in each of the following States— New York, Ohio, Illinois
Minnesota, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Oregon, and California, and the District of Columbia.
DIVINE SCIENCE CHURCH
547
TABLE 4. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
STATE
0
!H
«
C3
0
EXPENDITURES
Churches re-
porting
Total amount
g
- §
if
rC 'C
•g
Repairs and
improvements
a^il
£ **
6 **
I1
a
"o
United States
18
14
$105, 695
$31, 595
$20, 707
$1, 722
$5, 870
$44,769
$154
$878
Colorado
3
15
3
i 11
21, 816
83, 879
9,223
22, 372
5,404
15, 303
800
922
1,750
4,120
4,634
40, 135
5
873
Other States
154
1 Includes 2 churches in Missouri; and 1 in each of the following States — New York, Ohio, Illinois, Wis-
consin, Minnesota, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Washington, and the District of Columbia.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
Divine Science had its beginnings in the year 1885, when Mrs. Malinda E.
Cramer, of San Francisco, Calif., became convinced that she had been healed
from a serious illness of long duration through her realization of God's presence.
She believed that her recovery was due to the working of a scientific principle
through divine power. She confidently believed that this principle was not
limited in its application to herself alone, but was of universal application. After
much study and investigation, she tested her conclusions by practical application
of them to suffering humanity. Her work for others was attended by wonderful
healings. She systematized her teachings and for a number of years gave instruc-
tion in the larger cities of the United States. The Divine Science churches and
theological schools throughout the country are the direct outgrowth of her work
in these early years.
DOCTRINE
The essence of the teaching of Divine Science is the all-inclusiveness of the
God-mind. The essential ideas naturally fall into three divisions — the philosophy,
the psychology, and the religion of Divine Science.
In its philosophy it is monistic; Divine Science is spiritual monism. Through-
out its teaching, the omnipresence of God is the fact stressed. God is portrayed
as the only Creator, the one substance, the one life, and the one intelligence
everywhere present. In this teaching, they claim to be in strict accord with the
teachings of natural science, in which matter is considered not as a solid but as a
mode of motion. Every atom, according to accepted theories, is a whirl of
activity with directive intelligence resident within itself. Divine Scientists
interpret this as the substantiation of their belief in the immediacy of God,
recognizing the Divine Mind as the resident, directive intelligence. However,
Divine Science does not deny the existence of visible matter, but interprets both
form and force as manifestations of God. The monistic conception of man's
relationship to God is well set forth in the verse of Scripture, "One God and
Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all" (Ephesians iv, 6).
In their practical application of this conception, the brotherhood of man and the
fatherhood of God are stressed, as well as integrity in every experience, circum-
stance, and relationship.
i This statement, which is the same as that published in vol. n of the Report on Religious Bodies, 1926,
has been approved in its present form by Nona L. Brooks, president, The Divine Science College, Denver,
Oolo.
275318 — 41-
-36
548 OE-NSUS OF 'BELiIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Divine Science teaches healing through thought training, making every thought
true to God-presence. For example: God is love; every thought must be kind,
helpful, and generous. God is the one power; every thought must evidence faith
in the God-power; fear must be abolished. Evil in its various forms of sickness,
death, and sin has come into the world through man's ignorance of the truth, and
these "complexities" will disappear only when man knows God and lives by that
knowledge.
Healing, in Divine Science, therefore, is much more than restoring harmony to
the body; it is cleansing the inner man from all that is unlike God. It is a
mental process, a turning from the misconception of wrong to a realization of
the oneness of God and man. It is the individual's duty to make his unity with
the law by thinking in terms of wholeness instead of thinking in terms of separa-
tion. Wholeness of thinking means seeing God everywhere. This process by
which one comes to know that he is in conscious touch with God is called healing.
The psychology of Divine Science is that one cannot think wrong thoughts
and reap right harvests in experience. Paul's injunction is good: "Be ye trans-
formed by the renewing of your mind." Thinking cannot change truth, but it
does change experience.
They teach love as the keynote of their religion and define love as conscious
unity. They hold that one may know their philosophy, he may exercise himself
in thought training until he achieves much, but if he leaves out that one thing
he has missed the mark of his high calling.
The fundamental concepts of Divine Science, therefore, are: God, the Om-
nipresence, the Universal Presence, Substance, Life, and Intelligence; man, a
child of God, lives in God, is of God, is like God; knowledge of this truth used
in our living frees us from sin, sickness, and death; the practice of right think-
ing, or thought training, results in the elimination of fear, doubt, anxiety, and
other wrong mental habits, and the establishment of love, faith, joy, and power
in the consciousness; evolution is God's method of accomplishing, and love,
conscious unity, is the fulfilling of the law.
ORGANIZATION. AND WORK
Recently the Divine Science leaders in the United States formed a federation
for the purpose of strengthening the work of its many branches of church, college,
publication, and field activities.
Divine Science literature, as approved by the respective centers, is clear,
simple, and direct. There are books adapted to the need of the advanced student,
as well as study matter for the beginner. The circulation of Divine Science
publications reaches round the world, going to the rural districts and villages, as
well as to the larger cities.
Divine Science considers war un-Christian and works for its abolishment. It
longs for harmonious relations — for a world federation. Divine Science teaches
integrity in all relationships; it draws its lessons on this subject from the Sermon
on the Mount. Divine Science teaches that righteousness means treating others
as we ourselves would be treated. However, it teaches that the way these things
can be brought about is not by imposing them from above but by building them
from beneath on the foundation of individual development in the divine attributes
of integrity, love, and faith.
ORTHODOX CHURCHES
GENERAL STATEMENT
History. — The Holy Eastern Orthodox Church, known historically as the
"Eastern Catholic," in modern times as the " Greek Catholic," the "Eastern
Catholic Church," the "Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church/' and popu-
larly as^the "Greek Church," is the one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of the
Byzantine Empire. It has always been known as the Old Church, the church
of the first Christian era, of the time of the Oecumenical Councils, and considers
herself to be the direct heir of the true conserver of this old Holy Church.
In the first period of the development of the Orthodox Church, during the first
five centuries, Orthodox Christianity received its basis and direction. The basic
truths, the basic forms or constitution, and the foundations of the cult of the
Orthodox Church were set forth by the great oecumenical Church Fathers during
this period.
Two important historical events, the rise of papal Rome and the advance of
Mohammedanism, held the church's chief attention during the second period,
which extended from the fifth to the eleventh century. These two forces
threatened the integrity and the existence of the Eastern Church. The heathen
Slavs, and the iconoclastic controversy caused more unrest during this troubled
period, which finally led to the separation between eastern Christianity and
papal Rome.
During the third period, from the eleventh to the nineteenth century, the
advancing waves of the Mohammedan storm swept over and destroyed the south-
eastern empires of the Byzantines, the Bulgarians, the Serbs, and the Roumanians.
At the same time, the monstrous flow of Tartars swept over Russian orthodox
territory, threatening the existence of eastern civilization and eastern Christianity.
Here the church's iron endurance and its capacity to sacrifice for the faith had a
double result — eastern Christianity maintained its own existence, and also
secured immunity and safety for the Christianity of the west.
During the fourth and last period of development, from the nineteenth century
on, all the orthodox peoples, supported by the inner protective power of their
churches, have been liberated from all foreign subjection and oppression, whether
political or religious. So a new life is seen dawning for Orthodox Christianity.
The Orthodox Church consists of a number of so-called autocephalic or auton-
omic churches, the oldest of which are the four eastern patriarchates of Con-
stantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. The World War and the result-
ing national and political changes have left their mark in many alterations in
various churches of orthodoxy, a depressing example of which being that the
external substance of the patriarchate of Constantinople, the Mother Church of
all orthodox churches, is now reduced to a ruin and shadow. As a parallel to the
political changes in the former Russian Empire, the Orthodox Churches in Poland,
Finland, Esthonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, separated from the Russian Church
and instituted themselves as free (autonomous) churches. Thus on the one hand
is disintegration and on the other individual unification.
These different organizations, although independent of each other ecclesias-
tically, agree in doctrine, and essentially, in form of worship, and together consti-
tute what is called the Holy Eastern Orthodox Church.
Of the 11 bodies comprising the Eastern Orthodox Churches in the United
States, 8 — the Albanian, Bulgarian, Greek, Roumanian, Russian, Serbian, Syrian,
and Ukrainian — are headed by a bishop or archbishop under the spiritual jurisdic-
tion of the mother church in their ancestral homelands. The remaining three
organizations — the American Holy Orthodox Catholic Eastern Church, the
Apostolic Episcopal Church (The Holy Eastern Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox
Church) , and the Holy Orthodox Church in America, whose distinguishing char-
acteristic is that the liturgy is conducted in English — were formed to meet the
needs of American-born descendants of foreign lineage.
549
550 OENSU'Si OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Doctrine. — The doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Churches is founded
on the Holy Scriptures, the Holy Traditions, and the dogmatic decisions of the
seven Ecumenical Councils. The Holy Scriptures are interpreted strictly in
accordance with the teachings of the seven Ecumenical Councils and the Holy
Fathers. The Mceo-Constantinopolitan Creed is held only in its original authori-
tative form without the Roman-Latin addition of the "filioque" phrase. Recog-
nizing Christ as the only head of the earthly as well as the heavenly church, they
do not accept the dogma of the Pope as the special representative or Vicar of
Christ on earth, and the infallible head of His earthly church. According to their
teaching, infallibility belongs to the whole assembly of true believers, to the
"Ecclesia," or church, which is represented by its council legally called together
and whose decisions are confirmed by the consensus of the church.
They believe in the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father alone; honor
Mary as the mother of God, and honor the nine orders of angels and the saints;
do not define as dogma the doctrine of the immaculate conception of the Virgin
Mary, but hold the true Catholic doctrine of the virgin birth of Christ. ^They
reject the doctrine of the surplus merits of the saints and the doctrine of indul-
gences. They reverence relics of the saints, pictures of holy subjects, and the
cross, but forbid the use of carved images. They accept seven sacraments — bap-
tism, anointing (confirmation or chrismation), communion, penance, holy orders,
marriage, and holy unction. Baptism of either infants or adults by threefold
immersion is recognized as the only proper form, although other forms are accepted
of necessity or in the case of converts who have previously been baptized. The
sacrament of anointing with "chrism," or holy oil, is administered immediately
after that of baptism and the chrismated infant or adult is thereafter a full com-
municant in the Eucharist.
The doctrine of transubstantiation is taught. In the Eucharist, leavened bread
is used, being consecrated and soaked in the consecrated chalice and then received
by all members of the Eastern Orthodox Churches after confession and absolu-
tion. Children under 7 years of age, however, receive the sacrament without
confession. Holy unction is administered to the sick, and not alone to those in
danger of death. The church rejects the doctrine of purgatory, but believes in
the beneficial effect of prayer for the dead by the living and for the living by the
dead. It rejects the doctrine of predestination and considers that for justifica-
tion both faith and works are necessary.
In the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church, membership has two distinct but
frequently confused meanings. All persons who have been baptized in the church
and received the sacrament of chrismation (confirmation) which immediately fol-
lows baptism, are communicant members of the church, participating in the sac-
rament of the Eucharist. Parish membership, however, is counted more
frequently by males over 21 than by communicants, because the head of
each family is the voting member of the parish congregation. This fact gives
rise to confusion and uncertainty of statistics of all Eastern Orthodox Churches.
Organization. — There are three orders of the ministry — deacons^ priests, and
bishops. The deacona assist in the work of the parish and in the serv-
ice of the sacraments. Priests and deacons are of two orders, secular _and mo-
nastic. Marriage is allowed to candidates for the diaconate and the priesthood,
but is forbidden after ordination. The episcopate is, as a rule, confined to mem-
bers of the monastic order. A married priest, should his wife die, may enter a
monastery and take the monastic vows, and is eligible to the episcopate. The
parishes are, as a rule, in the care of the secular priests.
Monks and nuns are gathered in monastic establishments or are scattered out
in missionary work. In some monastic colonies the members live in communi-
ties, while in others they lead' a secluded, hermitical life, each in his own cell.
There is but one order, and the vows for all are the same — obedience, chastity,
prayer, fasting, and poverty.
The organization for the general government of the different Eastern Orthodox
Churches varies in different countries. In general, there is a council at the head
of which, as president, is a bishop elected by the ecclesiastical representatives of
the people. Historically, and at present in some cases, this presiding bishop is
called the patriarch, and has special colleagues and officers for the purpose of
governing his flock. The largest or most important of the bishoprics connected
with the patriarchate, or synod, are called "metropolitan sees," though the title
now carries with it no special ecclesiastical authority. In early times, both the
clergy and the laity of the local churches had a voice in the election of bishops,
priests, and deacons, but of late that right has been much restricted, and at pres-
ORTHODOX iC'H'UEC'HE'S 551
ent the priests and deacons are usually appointed by the bishops, and the bishops
are elected by the clergy.
The service of the Eastern Orthodox Churches is solemn and elaborate. It is
essentially that of the earlier centuries of Christianity, and is most fully and
completely observed in the monasteries. There are no sculptured images and no
instrumental music, although there are pictorial representations of Christ, the
apostles and saints, and scenes in Bible history. The most important service is
the divine liturgy, the chief part of which is the celebration of the Eucharist.
There are three liturgies, those of St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil the Great, and
St. Gregory, the last called the "Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts," for which
the holy gifts are prepared at a preceding service. There are no so-called "silent
liturgies" or "private masses," and two liturgies are not allowed to be performed
in^the same church simultaneously, nor can a liturgy be performed by the same
priest, or on the same altar, twice a day. A "corporal," otherwise known as an
"antimms," a cloth with a particle of the holy remains of some saint sewed into it,
and especially blessed by a bishop for every church, is necessary to the performance
of the liturgy. Moreover, a priest may perform it only when he is fasting. Be-
sides the liturgy, the church has vespers, vigils, matins, hours, and special prayers
for various occasions and needs. The several services named consist of readings
from the Old and New Testaments, supplicatory prayers, thanksgiving, glorifying
hymns, etc.
Statistics. — The churches grouped under Eastern Orthodox Churches in 1936,
1926, 1916, and 1906, are listed in the following table, with the principal statistics as
reported for the four census periods. It will be noted that four churches presented
in 1936 — American Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Eastern, Apostolic Episco-
pal (The Holy Eastern Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox), Holy Orthodox Church
in America, and Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America — were not reported in
earlier census years.
Certain small groups or movements which have sprung from the Old Catholics
in America must not be confused with the Eastern Orthodox Churches. Some
of these Old Catholics use the word "Orthodox" in their names (e. g., African
Orthodox Church), but none of them has any relation with Eastern Orthodox
Catholic Churches either in orders or sacraments.
552
CIEN'SU'Si OF KELKHOTJS BODIES, 1936
SUMMAEY OF STATISTICS FOR THJ3 EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCHES, 1936, 1926,
1916, AND 1906
DENOMINATION AND CENSUS YEAR
Total number of
churches
B
1
03
»Q
a
z
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
II
A ft
o2
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
1936
Total, Eastern Orthodox Churches.
Albanian Orthodox _-
659
356, 638
526
$13, 704, 081
636
$1, 991, 039
24, 024
1,854
17, 029
8,544
1, 013, 132
5,020
65, 063
591, 353
81, 389
100, 480
83, 151
2, 044, 415
14, 850
5,230
958, 809
92, 124
838, 453
67, 978
66, 971
856, 968
2,482
5,051
230, 288
11, 520
549, 776
29, 353
28, 498
299
21, 549
13
4
12
5
241
4
35
229
27
61
28
446
3,137
1,420
6,389
969
189, 368
804
15,090
89, 510
20, 020
18, 451
11,480
259, 394
6
3
2
5
167
1
28
216
26
45
27
397
83, 600
31, 500
28, 900
51, 000
6, 688, 227
50, 000
293, 700
4, 936, 350
498, 765
555, 139
486, 900
11, 789, 108
13
3
8
5
240
1
33
226
27
52
28
423
4
1
3
2
129
1
8
101
10
24
16
198
226
35
181
70
13, 553
12
299
4,293
848
1,386
646
14, 195
American Holy Orthodox Catholic
Apostolic Eastern
Apostolic Episcopal (The Holy East-
ern Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox) .
Bulgarian Orthodox
Greek Orthodox (Hellenic)
Holy Orthodox Church in America
Roumanian Orthodox
Russian Orthodox
Serbian Orthodox
Syrian Antiochian Orthodox
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Amer-
ica _. _.
1926
Total, Eastern Orthodox Churches.
Albanian Orthodox
9
4
153
34
199
17
30
301
2~
4
87
2
169
12
25
411
1,993
937
119,495
18, 853
95, 134
13, 775
9,207
249, 840
i~io~
1,992
119,871
1,994
99, 681
14, 301
11, 591
129, 606
* 5
3
131
30
187
16
25
263
66, 000
32, 000
5,011,718
621, 500
4, 883, 515
272, 000
902, 375
3, 576, 884
9
3
145
32
195
15
24
283
Bulgarian Orthodox
1
73
18
90
7
9
151
55
5,796
1,370
5,770
497
707
9,118
Greek Orthodox (Hellenic)
Roumanian Orthodox
Russian Orthodox
Serbian Orthodox
Syrian Orthodox _ _ _
1916
Total, Eastern Orthodox Churches,
Albanian Orthodox
2
4
74
2
165
12
24
Bulgarian Orthodox
4
59
1
164
10
25
75
18, 500
1, 115, 464
18, 000
2, 137, 713
106, 700
180, 507
964, 791
Greek Orthodox (Hellenic)
17
2
116
8
8
r
1,088
123
6,739
653
515
509
Roumanian Orthodox
Russian Orthodox
Serbian Orthodox.
Syrian Orthodox .
1906
Total, Eastern. Orthodox Churches.
Greek Orthodox
334
59
10
8
90, 751
19, 111
15, 742
4,002
19
46
8
2
385, 800
484, 371
62, 460
32, 160
4
1
1
1
371
75
13
50
Russian Orthodox
Serbian Orthodox
Syrian Orthodox
ALBANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
STATISTICS
The data given for 1936 represent 13 active Albanian Orthodox churches, all
reported as being in urban territory. No parsonages were reported. These
statistics were compiled from schedules sent direct] y to the Bureau by the pastor
or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this body is of two types, communicant members, consisting
of all persons, including infants, baptized and confirmed in the church; and parish
members, consisting of the families of the congregation, the head of the family
being the voting member.
Comparative data, 1916-36, — Table 1 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of this church for the census years 1936,
1926, and 1916.
TABLE 1. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1916 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
Churches (local or anizations) number
13
4
9
7
2
Increase over preceding census:
Number __ _
Percent l _ - ._
Members, number __ „ „
3,137
1,144
57 4
241
10
6
$83, 600
$13, 933
4
$27, 500
13
$24, 024
$11, 370
$1, 655
$1, 224
$1, 570
$5, 770
$525
1,993
1,583
386 1
221
5
5
$66, 000
$13, 200
3
$19, 500
9
$14, 850
• $14, 650
$200
$1, 650
410
Increase over preceding census.
Number
Percont
205
Clmrch. edifices, number
Value — number reporting __.
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Am ^n Tit rflpnrtfloi
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number -
2
$2, 482
$2, 200
$282
$1,241
Amount reported -
Pastors' salaries - , ,
All other salaries _. _ - _
Repairs and improvements - __
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All" other current expenses, including interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution. _ _
$1, 340
$570
$1,848
4
17
226
All other purposes - --
Average expenditure per church.
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers andTteachers
Scholars
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for the Albanian
Orthodox Church by States. Table 2 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches, membership classified by sex, and data for
Sunday schools. Table 3 gives for Massachusetts and for other States in com-
bination, the number and membership of the churches for the three census years
1916 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years
of age7' and "13 years of age and over." Table 4 shows the value of church edifices
and the amount of debt on such property for 1936. Table 5 presents, for 1936,
553
554
CENSUS! OF KELIG'IOUS BODIES, 1936
the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improvements,
benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any
individual church, separate presentation in tables 4 and 5 is also limited to Massa-
chusetts, the only State in which three or more churches reported value and
expenditures.
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX,
AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
Total
Num-
M
EMBER3I
IIP BY SI
X
SUND
AY SCHO
OLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
number
of
churches
of
mem-
bers
Male
Female
Sex not
re-
ported
Males
per 100
females
Churches
re-
porting
Officers
and
teachers
Schol-
ars
United States
13
3,137
1,520
1,117
500
136.1
4
17
226
NEW ENGLAND:
M assachuset ts
9
2,378
1,073
805
500
133.3
3
13
186
Connecticut
1
49
49
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1
135
72
63
(i)
Pennsylvania
2
575
326
249
130.9
1
4
40
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1916 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, or 1916]
STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
1936
1936
19S6
1916
1936
1936
1916
Under
13
years
13 years
and
over
Percent
under
13
United States
13
9
2
3,137
1,993
410
1,163
1,974
37.1
Massachusetts
9
14
7
2
1
1
2,378
759
1,358
635
250
160
1,004
159
1,374
600
42.2
20.9
Other States
1 Includes: Connecticut, 1; New York, 1; and Pennsylvania, 2
TABLE 4=. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
13
10
i"
2
6
$83, 600
4
$27, 500
Massachusetts
9
14
4
2
69,000
14,600
3
1
25, 000
2,500
Other States
* Includes: Connecticut, 1; New York, 1; and Pennsylvania, 2.
ALBANIAN ORTHODOX CHUECH
555
TABLE 5. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
I
l
,XPENDI
TUBES
STATE
Total number of emir
Churches reporting
Total amount
§
a
I
"to
s
1
AH other salaries
Repairs and im-
provements
Payment on church
debt, excluding in-
terest
Other current ex-
penses, including
interest
Local relief and char-
ity .
To general headquar-
ters
All other purposes
United States
13
13
$24,024
$11,370
$1,655
$1,224
$1, 570
$5,770
$525
$1,340
$570
M assachusetts
9
9
18, 345
7,850
1,620
424
1,570
4,736
425
1,300
420
Other States
4
14
5,679
3,520
35
800
1,034
100
40
150
1 Includes: Connecticut, 1; New York, 1; and Pennsylvania, 2.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
HISTORY
The churches of this communion represent in America what is held to be the
oldest existing race in Europe, the descendants of the Macedonians, Illyrians,
and Epirotes, who were the offspring of the Pelasgians.
The various invasions by Romans, Goths, Huns, Serbians, Bulgars, Normans,
and Turks have made little change in social customs, language, or traditions, and
the present-day Albanians represent their early ancestors more exactly, probably,
than does any other nation in Europe. They are noted for their independence,
persistence, strong sense of honor, caution, hospitality, respect for womanhood,
bravery, loyalty, and keen appreciation of poetry; and they have produced some
of the most noted leaders of history: Alexander the Great, Pyrrhus, Scander-
beg, Ali Pasha of Janina, Mehmet Ali Pasha of Egypt, the Italian statesman,
Krispi, and others.
The Albanian language, belonging to the Indo-European group, is older than
the classical Greek, has many literary qualities, and is of great interest to scholars.
It is taught today at Columbia University.
The early religion of the Albanians had many features older even than the earli-
est traces of the Greeks and Romans. Christianity reached them in the first cen-
tury, but made little progress until the fourth. The church authorities, in the
Patriarchate of Constantinople, refused the use of the Albanian vernacular in
the services, with the result that the church had little hold on the people; and
when the Turks came, their conception of power and their military character
appealed to the mountaineers, and the great majority became Moslem. In the
north and south, along the Adriatic, portions became Christian, those in the north,
termed Gheg, being connected with the Roman Catholic Church, and those in the
south, termed Tosk, with the Orthodox Greek Church. In Albania, one-half of
the Albanians are Moslem (about 500,000), and the other half divided, 300,000
Orthodox Greek and 200,000 Roman Catholic. Both spiritually and ceremonially
the three classes have much in common. Under King Zog I Albania made great
progress. The Albanian Orthodox Church is now using the Albanian language in
the services, the church has been declared autocephalous, and has translated
all the church books in the Albanian language. The Autocephalous Albanian
Orthodox Church is merely a question of administration, implying no change in
dogmas, doctrines, rites, or ceremonies:
* This statement, which differs somewhat from that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious Bodies,
1926, has been revised by the Very Reverend Mark J. Zondili, archpriest, Albanian Orthodox Church,
Philadelphia, Pa., and approved by him in its present form.
556 CENSUS! OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Albanian emigration to America is of recent origin, the result of the unrest and
strife of the whole region before and after the World War. It is estimated that
there are about 20,000 Albanians in the United States who have come from
Albania, besides those of Albanian origin who have come from the settlements of
Greece and Italy. There were more, but after Albania gained her liberty and
independence many went back. In the United States they organized national,
educational, and musical societies and clubs, of which the most important is the
Albanian Federation — Vatra, the "Hearth" — which played a leading part in the
struggle for independence. They founded the Federation under the leadership
of His Excellency Faik Konitza, Minister of Albania in Washington, an exceedingly
preeminent man of letters.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
Churches of this group are — 3 in Boston, Mass.; 1 in Natick, Mass.; 1 in Wor-
cester, Mass.; 1 in Southbridge, Mass.; 1 in Bridgeport, Conn.; 2 in Philadelphia,
Pa.; and 1 in Jamestown, N. Y., with an attendance of about 5,000. There were
only 6 priests for the 10 churches. Lately, four priests were sent from Albania to fill
the vacancies. The Very Reverend Mark J. Kondili, mitered archpriest, Phila-
delphia, Pa., is in communication with the Holy Synod of Albania and also with all
the canonical authorities of the different nationalities of the Eastern Orthodox
Church in the United States. There is a movement to unite all these churches
under the spiritual jurisdiction of the Holy Synod of Albania with an administra-
tor who will officially be appointed by the Holy Synod.
AMERICAN HOLY ORTHODOX CATHOLIC
APOSTOLIC EASTERN CHURCH
STATISTICS
A general summary of the statistics for the American Holy Orthodox Catholic
Apostolic Eastern Church for the year 1936 is presented in the following table,
which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and rural
territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to the
Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate to
these churches only.
Membership is counted not by communicants, but by individuals, including
all those baptized and confirmed.
The American Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Eastern Church has been
organized since the census of 1926, and churches are reported only from the State
of New York, therefore, comparative data and State tables cannot be shown.
A GENEEAL SUMMARY OP STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL1
Urban
Kural
Chiirch.es (local organizations) number
4
1,420
355
585
835
70 1
437
983
30.8
3
3
$31, 500
$22, 000
$9, 500
$10, 500
2
$27, 200
1
2
1
$7, 500
3
$1, 854
$500
$350
$451
$153
$400
$618
1
1
35
3
1,220
407
505
715
70 6
362
868
29.7
2
2
$31, 000
$22, 000
$9, 000
$15, 500
2
$27, 200
1
200
200
80
120
66.7
75
125
37.5
1
1
$500
Members, number
85.9
14.1
Averaejo membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
86 3
85 6
13.7
14.4
Female - ~- --
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
82 8
87.3
17 2
12.7
13 years and over . -
Percent under 13 years
Church edifices, number - .
Value — number reporting _ _
Amount reported
98.4
100 0
94.7
1.6
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or m part, in 1936-
Average value per church
$500
$500
5.3
Debt-— -number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Number reporting "no debt"
1
1
1
$7, 500
Parsonages, number
1
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Expenditures:
Churches reporting number
2
$1,653
$500
$350
$250
$153
$400
$827
1
1
35
1
$201
Amount reported __ __ --
89.2
100.0
100 0
55 4
100.0
100.0
10 8
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest
All other current expenses, including
interest __ ~
$201
44 6
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
$201
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
557
558 CENSUS OF RELIOIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
HISTORY
This American church was instituted on May 20, 1932, and incorporated under
the Religious Corporation Laws of the State of New York on April 17, 1933, as
a National Church of the Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Faith and Rite for
all men indiscriminately.
DOCTRINE
In the provisions of our charter, it is plainly stated that the American Holy
Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Eastern Church, which spiritually owns no head
but the head of the Christian faith, Jesus Christ our Lord, is inseparably joined
in faith with the great church of Constantinople and with every other orthodox
eastern church of the same profession. In common, therefore, with all other
eastern orthodox we accept: The Holy Scriptures as the source of divine truth,
to be interpreted in accordance with the teachings of the holy fathers and the
ecumenical councils. We believe that Christ alone is the head of the church in
heaven and on earth. That the church is infallible and that this is given expres-
sion through her ecumenical councils, as it is in this body, the whole company of
true believers vest their authority — therefore this council alone can both bind
and speak for the whole church. We hold that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the
Father alone. That Mary is the mother of God, and that she was a perpetual
virgin, and honor her highly. We honor the nine orders of the angels and the
saints. We reverence the saints, pictures of holy subjects, and the cross.
We hold that there are seven sacraments, namely: Baptism, chrismation (or
confirmation), Holy Eucharist (or communion), penance, holy orders, marriage,
and holy unction. We practice and hold that the proper form of baptism is by
threefold immersion, but in cases of absolute necessity other forms are accepted.
In keeping with the practice of the primitive church chrismation (or confirma-
tion) is administered immediately after baptism and the infant or adult is there-
after admitted as a communicant of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is believed that the Holy Eucharist is the sacrament at which the believer,
under the forms of bread and wine, partakes of the very body and blood of Christ,
to everlasting life — that it is to be received after confession and absolution. We
hold that holy unction is for the sick as well as for those in danger of death. We
hold that those having departed with faith, but without having had time to bring
forth fruits worthy of repentance, may be aided toward the attainment of a
blessed resurrection by prayers offered in their behalf, especially such as are
offered in union with the oblation of the bloodless sacrifice of the body and
blood of Christ, and by works of mercy done in faith for their memory"; that
for justification, faith accompanied by works is necessary; and that the Niceo-
Constantinopolitan Creed in its original form to be the one authoritative symbol
of faith for the church.
We reject: The dogma that teaches that the Pope of Rome is the vice regent
of Christ on earth and that he is the supreme and infallible head of the church on
earth; the doctrine of the surplus merits of the saints and of indulgences; the
immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary; the "filioque" phrase as being a
Roman, or Latin, addition to the Nicene Creed; and the doctrine of purgatory.
Generally speaking, the worship of this church is conducted in the eastern rite,
commonly called the Greek Rite, more properly the Byzantine. However, it
receives into communion and affiliates other churches, who, while one in faith,
retain their own national and individual characteristics in the canonical order,
the office ritual, and the liturgy.
ORGANIZATION
This church is autocephalous, exercising its sovereign rights, independent of
every other church. We are> therefore, a church whose chief bishop does not
acknowledge the authority and jurisdiction of any other bishop. But is, together
with all other organs of church administration, responsible to the National Coun-
cil. This body is the supreme authority, legislative, administrative, judicial,
and supervisory. Its membership consists of bishops, clergy, and laity. The
* This statement was furnished by The Most Reverend Clement J. O. Sherwood, D. D.. primate and
patriarchal locum tenens, the American Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Eastern Church, New York
City, N. Y., and approved hy him in its present form.
AMERICAN HOLY ORTHODOX APOSTOL'IC EASTERN CHUKOH 559
head of the ecclesiastical administration is the primate. The council meets in
every third year on the Tuesday after the first Monday in September. Con-
jointly with the primate two elective bodies manage the affairs of the church be-
tween National Councils, namely: The Holy Synod and the Supreme Ecclesiastical
Council. The Holy Synod consists of the primate who is a permanent member and
its president and the primatial locum tenens and such other bishops as may be
elected by the National Council or designated and appointed by the primate, sub-
ject to confirmation by the National Council. Its function is hierarchical and pas-
toral in character. The Supreme Ecclesiastical Council, besides the primate-
president, consists of a definite number of bishops, clergy, and laity, selected by
the primate or the National Council. It is concerned mainly with the external
relations of the church, such as economics, finances, business concerns, and the
legal aspect of the life of the church. They meet either separately or jointly, at
the call of the primate.
The National Council of 1935 authorized the primate to federate Christian
bodies of other rites who accept or have adopted for themselves the confession of
faith of the Orthodox Catholic Eastern Church; to recognize by covenant that
such federated body is a sovereign power, retaining the management of its own
affairs or they may be affiliated by merger; and to designate and appoint bishops
of the federated churches with seat in the National Council, and with seat in the
Holy Synod of the American church. To further the purpose of developing a
united and efficient administration and work for the whole of the American church
and federated bodies, there was authorized and created a jurisdictional body,
possessing territorial and governing rights; this body being designated and
described as The American Holy Orthodox Catholic Patriarchate of Washington
D. C., and to be commonly known as The Patriarchate of Washington; that the
members of the Holy Synod of the American church, including the bishops of the
federated churches, should constitute the provisional patriarchal synod; and that
upon a membership of 13 bishops inclusive of the patriarchal locum tenens, the
synod will thereupon elect one of its members, by two-thirds vote, patriarch. The
National Council designated the primate of the American church to serve during
the interim as patriarchal locum tenens and vested him with patriarchal powers.
The Provisional Patriarchal Synod is gradually developing into a coordinating
synod representing all national groups of independent status and is a responsible
body with a unified program of work. The patriarch is a visible symbol of its
spiritual unity.
WORK
In every community wherein we are established we seek to serve our people and
all others who seek our ministrations through a threefold effort along not only
religious, but social and educational lines. Our relationship to other orthodox
bodies may be indicated thus: We claim and exercise spiritual jurisdiction only
over those who declare their acceptance of the doctrine, discipline, and worship of
this church, irrespective of their race, nationality, language, or previous form of
organization . or affiliation, and throughout any other part of the world where the
church shall establish any mission or engage in any other activity within its scope
and objects. Our growth since our institution indicates that there is a need for a
church of this type. Since 1932 we have grown to the extent that there are today
5 bishops, 16 clergy, 9 parishes and missions, with a membership of about 1,700.
Some of our people possess their own property, while others have to worship and
conduct their activities in rented or leased quarters. The executive office of the
church is located at Maspeth, New York, N. Y.
APOSTOLIC EPISCOPAL CHURCH
(The Holy Eastern Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox Church)
STATISTICS
A general summary of the statistics for the Apostolic Episcopal Church (The
Holy Eastern Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox Church) for the year 1936 is
presented in a table which follows, showing the distribution of these data between
urban and rural territory. These churches were reported from the State of
New York only; no parsonages were reported. These statistics were compiled
from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual
churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership consists of all persons who are admitted to the church through
the sacrament of baptism.
As this denomination was reported for the first time in 1936, no comparative
figures are available.
A GENERAL SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND BUBAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
12
6,389
532
2,869
3,520
81 5
3,004
3,385
47.0
2
2
$28, 900
$28, 000
$900
$14, 450
1
$960
1
8
$17, 029
$4, 602
$4, 607
$375
$285
$2, 565
$3, 699
$437
$200
$259
$2, 129
3
30
181
11
6,248
568
2,832
3,416
82 9
2,962
3, 286
47.4
2
2
$28, 900
$28, 000
$900
$14, 450
1
$960
1
8
$17, 029
$4, 602
$4, 607
$375
$285
$2, 565
$3, 699
$437
$200
$259
$2, 129
3
30
181
1
141
141
37
104
35 6
42
99
29 8
Members, number
97.8
2.2
Average membership per church.
Membership by sex:
Male _.
98 7
97.0
1.3
3.0
ITemale
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
98 6
97.1
1.4
2 9
13 years and over
Percent under 13 years
Church edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported -
100 0
100 0
100 0
Constructed prior to 193G
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936 _
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting _ _~
Amount reported _ -
100 0
Number reporting "no debt"
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
100 0
Pastors' salaries
100 0
All other salaries _ _
100 0
100 0
100 0
100 0
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding inter-
est ___
All other current expenses, including in-
terest --
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc._
Home missions __
100 0
100 0
100 0
100 0
To general headquarters for distribution .
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church __
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
100 0
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
560
APOSTOLIC EPISCOPAL CHURCH 561
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
HISTORY
This body is an English-speaking primitive Catholic Church of Apostolic
Eastern Orthodox faith and order, an American church free from all ecclesiastical
and political alliances. Its object is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to all man-
kind, regardless of race or nationality, and to administer the holy sacraments
according to the primitive religious rites and customs of the East to the American
people.
The organization of this church, as an independent American body, grew out
of a missionary movement on the part of a group of American churchmen to
provide spiritual ministrations for the scattered adherents of the ancient Eastern
Catholic (Chaldean) rite. The movement began in 1922, but it was not until
1924 that the group succeeded in forming a definite religious society which took
the title "Anglican Universal Church of Christ in the United States of America
(Chaldean)."
Through canonical authority, by representation and delegation from the
patriarchate of the ancient Chaldean Church and through the consecration of the
first American bishop of this rite, this church became an autonomous and in-
dependent church in America. Realizing that in this country the American
tradition requires separation of church and state, and that constitutional freedom
of religion is a great bulwark of American liberty, it was determined at the very
outset that this American church should be free and independent religiously, as
the Nation is free politically; and while this Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church
respects ancient traditions, nevertheless, it is a fundamental principle in this
church that a primitive Catholic Church in any nation may be free from all
foreign alliances. Such is the basic principle of our organization.
Naturally however, spiritually, this church is dependent upon a source for its
Orders in the ministry. On May 4, 1925, its episcopate was derived by the act of
consecration of Rev. Arthur Wolfort Brooks, under ecclesiastical name and
title Mar John Emmanuel, Titular Bishop of Sardis, according to the ancient
primitive Catholic (Chaldean) rite. The consecrator was Bishop Mar Antoine,
Bishops Mar James and Mar Evodius assisting. A French Canadian priest by
the name of Father Timothy participated. Bishop Brooks was at the time a
Eriest in Anglican orders, a former professor of the Greek Orthodox Seminary of
t. Athanasius. Thus, through Orders and the episcopal office and ancient
Chaldean rites, this infant church was spiritually united with the ancient church
of the East, which, according to tradition, had its origin before the end of the first
century as one of the early primitive churches founded by the Apostles.2
The Apostolic Episcopal Church is proud to acknowledge with gratitude the
source of its apostolic episcopate. The true Chaldean Church should not be
confused with the Nestorians. There is not the slightest trace of the condemned
Nestorian heresy in this ancient Eastern Church of primitive, true Catholic
heritage. It is an Orthodox Apostolic Church.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
In doctrine the Apostolic Episcopal Church differs very little from the other
Eastern churches of orthodoxy. In general it is thoroughly in accord with the
faith and order of the historic Catholic wing of Christendom, and similar in polity
and in worship. Its chief characteristic is that the liturgy — the Eucharist or
Mass — is generally in the English language, since that is the language of the
United States. However, as it is a fundamental principle to minister in the
language of the people, this church also provides for services in other tongues
where the need requires.
The ancient, historic divine liturgies of St. James, St. Mark, St. Clement, St.
Thaddaeus, and St. John are all authorized for use in this church.
i This statement was furnished by lit. Rev. Arthur Wolfort Brooks, Titular Bishop of Sardis, Apos-
tolic Episcopal Church, Hollis, Long Island, N. Y-, and approved by him in its present form.
a Tradition holds that the Chaldean Church was actually founded by the Apostle St. Thaddaeus, who,
with St. Thomas and St. Bartholomew, went out on the East Syrian mission to the gentiles from the church
in Antioch which was presided over by St. Peter, the Apostle, and the date is fixed at A. D. 51.
562 CENSUS OF KELMHOTJS BODIES, 1936
These are all translated into the English from their original language, or early
copies, which antedate the Ecumenical Council of Nice, 325 A. D. Ordinarily,
however, this church has a liturgy of its own, compiled from these and other early
church sources, a liturgy particularly adapted to American needs.
This body accepts seven sacraments — baptism, anointing (confirmation or
chrismation), communion, penance, holy orders, marriage, and holy unction.
The Eucharist (Mass or Divine Mystery), as it is referred to, is definitely regarded
as a sacrifice. The clergy may marry. The Nicene Creed is the symbol of the
faith. Divorced persons can only remarry, according to the religious rite, by dis-
pensation; but in order to do justice, the church has an ecclesiastical tribunal to
consider applications for dispensations in such cases, and any divorced baptized
person may apply to the church for dispensation. If dispensation is freely granted
by the tribunal the divorced person may marry again with the benediction of the
church, as though never married before, and one of the clergy may officiate.
Local parishes are under the care of an ordained priest, appointed either as
rector or vicar by the bishop. The bishop is the chief pastor, overseer, and shep-
herd of the church, and in every incorporated parish the bishop is by statute and
canon law one of the trustees. The Primate Bishop is the ecclesiastical adminis-
trator of the whole body. Each properly formed and incorporated congregation
is a unit of the synod, which is the governing ecclesiastical body. Each parish is
represented in the synod by the clergy and elected lay delegates. Provision is
made for the setting apart of women to the order of deaconess and office of mes-
senger. Religious orders may be formed and incorporated. The church is both
sacerdotal and evangelical, and provides for the ordination of men as readers and
preachers, teachers and evangelists, as well as the priesthood. The apostolic
constitutions are accepted as a guide in principles and tradition.
The organization of this body proceeded gradually. In 1927 Bishop Brooks
took under his jurisdiction a congregation located in Broad Channel (Far Rocka-
way), N. Y., at the request of the Brooklyn Federation of Churches. It was re-
organized, ecclesiastically constituted, and incorporated by the name of Christ's
Church By-the-Sea, and is now the see church of the bishop. In 1929 the Metro-
politan Synod was formed and on November 19, 1930, the first holy convocation
was held, at which time the Primate Bishop-Ecclesiastical Administrator was
rightly, canonically, and publicly enthroned at the loud acclaim of the people,
with Bishop Cornelius Nicholas, an orthodox bishop, and Archpriest John The-
opolus performing the rite at the request of the clergy and lay delegates.
In 1932 the legislature of the State of New York gave legal status to this body
by enacting a special article of the Religious Corporations Law (art. 3-A., chap.
597 of the Laws of 1932) which became a law on April 1, 1932, when it was signed by
the governor, Hon. Franklin D. Roosevelt, now President of the United States.
In 1933 the law was amended providing for granting of ecclesiastical degrees of
orders in theology, which became a law on April 3, 1933, when it was signed by
Gov. Herbert H. Lehman. Under this legislative charter, the Apostolic Episcopal
Church, its metropolitan synod, its several parishes in New York, and its religious
orders are incorporated.
WORK
This religious body is in its infancy, but it is gradually expanding. While it
began as a purely missionary movement aimed to provide spiritual ministrations
to a particular group, it knows no bounds whatsoever regarding race, color, or
nationality, and ministers to all who come to the church,- No longer is its work
confined to foreign-born Chaldeans, but it now ministers to Anglo-Saxon, Irish,
Germanic, Nordic, Armenian, Chaldean, and Syrian Christians — all Americans,
but whose ancestral lineage is traced to these various stocks. Also, this church
has several congregations made up of colored people of African lineage, and those
who have come to this country from the West Indies and the Caribbean islands.
This branch of the ancient historic primitive Catholic Church proclaims its
ideal as follows:
The brotherhood of man in the Fatherhood of God, in union with the Son,
Jesus Christ, true God and true man, bound in the true unity of the Holy
Spirit, is the only foundation of fellowship in the Universal Church; which
must be above all class, racial, and national differences, as the outward and
visible expression of the spirit of Christ. On this principle of Christian fellow-
ship we hope to build for the future, and trust we may prove to be worthy of
the noble heritage of the East, which has inspired this body to do its part to
uplift humanity.
BULGARIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
STATISTICS
The data given for 1936 represent five active Bulgarian Orthodox churches, all
reported as being in urban territory. These statistics were compiled from sched-
ules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches
and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this body is of two types, communicant members, or all
persons, including infants, baptized and confirmed in the church; and parish
members, or the families of the congregation, the head of the family being the
voting member.
Comparative data, 1916-36, — Table 1 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of this church for the census years
1936, 1926, and 1916. It is probable that the decrease in membership between
1916 and 1926 is accounted for in part by differences in the method of reporting
at the two censuses, as well as by decreasing immigration.
TABLE 1. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1916 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
Churclies (local organizations), number
5
1
4
4
Increase over preceding census:
Number „
Percent 1
Members, number
909
32
3 4
194
5
5
$51, 000
$10, 200
3
$13, 500
1
1
$1, 000
5
$8, 544
$4, 231
$874
$1, 449
$850
" $790
$350
937
-1, 055
-53.0
234
3
3
$32, 000
$10, 667
1,992
Increase a over preceding census:
NmTihAr
Percent .
Averagfi mp.mberfihip pp.r nhnrfih ^
498
4
4
$18, 500
$4, 625
2
$4, 000
Church, edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported *"
Parsonages, number __
Value — number reporting
Amount reported « _.
Expenditures :
Ohur^bos reporting, nnrubfir
3
$5, 230
• $4, 900
1 $330
$1, 743
1
1
55
4
$5, 051
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries _
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses including interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions _ » _ «
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution
$1,263
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
$1, 709
2
14
70
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers - «
Scholars - .-
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
State tables. — Tables 2 and 3 present the statistics for the Bulgarian Orthodox
Church by States. Table 2 gives for each State for 1936 the number and mem-
bership of the churches, the membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday
275318 — 41
3T
564
RET.TGTOU'S BOP'TES, 1036
schools. Table 3 gives the number and membership of the churches for the three
census years 1916 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as
"under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over."
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX,
AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES. 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
mem-
bers
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Male
Fe-
male
Males
per 100
fe-
males i
Churches
reporting
Officers
and
teach-
ers
Schol-
ars
Halted States
5
969
544
425
128 0
2
14
70
MIDDLE ATLANTIC*
Pennsylvania
]
1
2
1
136
503
180
150
60
268
110
100
70
235
70
50
1
12
40
EAST NOBTH CENTRAL:
Indiana
114 0
Illinois
I
2
30
Michigan
i Katio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBEBSHIP OF CHUECHES, 1916 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHUECHES
NUMBEE OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1086
1918
1036
1926
1916
1,992
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States _,_
5
4
4
969
937
221
598
150
27 0
Pennsylvania.
I
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
136
503
180
150
255
310
242
130
462
796
734
32
169
20
104
334
160
23. 5
33 6
11 1
Indiana _
"""l50"
Illinois-.- _
Michigan __
i Based an membership with age classification reported.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
HISTORY
With, the introduction of Christianity into Bulgaria as a state religion, in the
second half of the ninth century, during the reign of the Christianized Tsar, Boris,
a Bulgarian church organisation under an archbishop sent from Byzantium was
instituted. As the Bulgarian state grew in political importance and territorial
expansion, and the rulers of Bulgaria laid claim to the title of "tsar" or king, the
head of the Bulgarian Church also assumed the title of patriarch, as the chief
of an autonomous organization. This title was formally recognized by the patri-
arch of Constantinople, with the consent of the patriarchs of Antioch, Alexan-
dria, and Jerusalem, at a local church council held in the town of Lampsacus}
on the Hellespont, in 1235, and was borne by the subsequent heads of the Bul-
garian Church up to 1394, when Bulgaria lost her political independence to the
Turks and her ecclesiastical autonomy to the Greeks. But in Macedonia, at the
town of Ohrida, an archbishopric, founded in the latter part of the tenth century
under the name of "Bulgarian Archbishopric of Ohrida," subsisted until 1767,
when it also was abolished by a decree of the Turkish Sultan, and its dioceses
were incorporated with those of the Greek patriarchate of Constantinople. Thus
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published m vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been taten from the records of the Holy Synod m Sofia according to a report from the
Bulgarian Legation, and approved in its present form.
BULGARIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH 565
all jthe Bulgarians living in the Turkish Empire were placed under the spiritual
jurisdiction of the Greek patriarch, and, owing to the identity of religion, were
classed as Greeks.
_ The first movement of the Bulgarians to secure recognition of their ecclesiastical
rights as a national unit, distinct from the Greeks, started in 1859, when the de-
mand was made that all dioceses or districts where the Bulgarians were in the
majority should have Bulgarian bishops, that church services should be conducted
in Slavic and not in Greek, and that in the schools the Bulgarian language should
be the medium of instruction. On the refusal of the Greek patriarch to meet
these demands, on the ground that they were contrary to the canons of the church,
the Bulgarian people, through duly appointed delegates, pleaded their cause for
more than 10 years with the Turkish Government. Finally, in 1870, the Sultan
issued a decree or charter instituting a Bulgarian church organization under the
name of "Exarchate," and in 1872 the first Bulgarian Exarch was chosen by a
National Council. In the same year the Greek patriarch called together a local
church council in Constantinople, composed exclusively of Greek clericals, which
declared the newly instituted Bulgarian church schismatic, on the ground that it
introduced racial distinction as an innovation into the church. The patriarch of
Jerusalem alone, of those present at the council, refused to sign the decision, con-
sidering it unjust. _ As the Bulgarian Church organization was merely a question
of administration, implying no change in dogmas, doctrines, rites, or ceremonies,
the Russian, Serbian, and Roumanian churches likewise declined to accept the
charge of schism as legal or valid. The Bulgarian Exarchate, therefore, is not a
separatist body that has seceded from the Eastern Orthodox Church, to which
the Russian, Roumanian, and Serbian churches also belong, for it has not changed
in its beliefs, tenets, creed, and form of polity, which remain exactly what they
always have been and what they were when the Bulgarians were under the spiritual
jurisdiction of the Greek patriarch.
Prior to the Macedonian insurrection of 1903 there was very little Bulgarian
immigration to the United States. The immigrants who did come, however,
sent back such attractive stories of the situation and the opportunities in this
country that, when the conditions in Macedonia became intolerable, large numbers
from that section found homes in the United States. These in turn were followed
by considerable immigration from Bulgaria and Eastern Roumelia. No figures
are available, as the immigration reports give all these as coming from European
Turkey, but it has been claimed that as many as 10,000 a year came over in some
years prior to 1909. For a time there was very little done for their spiritual or
ecclesiastical care, but a few churches have been organized since 1907, and these,
since 1922, have been under the control of the Bulgarian Orthodox Mission of
America and Canada, which is itself under the state synod of Bulgaria. Since
the outbreak of the World War, there has been some return migration to Bulgaria,
but not so much as to other European countries.
The Bulgarians formerly belonged to the smaller national groups of Orthodox
in America who were under the Russian hierarchy and who had churches com-
posed strictly or chiefly of their countrymen. Today, the Bulgarian clergy in
the United States are attached directly to the synod of Bulgaria. The mem-
bership of the churches in the United States is composed of Bulgarians from the
kingdom of Bulgaria, and from Macedonia, Thrace, Dobrudja, and other parts
of the Balkan Peninsula.
The Holy Synod in Bulgaria established in January 1938 a bishopric in the
United States, and in July of the same year the first head of this bishopric was
appointed, in the person of His Grace, the Bishop of Velichky, with the seal of
his bishopric in New York City.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
The state religion of Bulgaria is that of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, but
all other denominations are allowed free exercise. According to statistics given
for 1934, the whole population was 6,077,939; and of these, 5,128,890 belonged
to the Eastern Orthodox Church; 831,200 were Mohammedans, and 45,000 were
Roman Catholics.
The Bulgarian Church is governed by a synod of which the Exarch, as primus
inter pares, is the president. The religious affairs of non-Orthodox Christians
(that is, not belonging to the Eastern Orthodox Church) and of adherents of other
faiths are managed by their own spiritual heads, under the supervision of the
Ministry of Public Worship.
A new translation of the Bible into modern Bulgarian was made by the Holy
Synod and put into circulation in 1925.
GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH (HELLENIC)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Greek Orthodox Church (Hellenic) for the year
1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures
between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules
sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and
the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination is of two types^ communicant members,
or all persons, including infants, baptized and confirmed in the church; and parish
members, or the families of the congregation, the head of the family being the
voting member.
TABLE 1. — SUMMAEY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEKCENT OF
TOTAL l
Urban
Eural
Churches (local organizations), number
241
189, 368
786
69, 718
52, 327
67, 323
133 2
28, 712
87, 027
73, 629
24.8
222
167
$6,688,227
$6, 454, 098
$234, 129
$40, 049
81
$1, 002, 758
18
15
$60, 950
240
$1, 013, 132
$393, 184
$202, 161
$83, 405
$108, 412
$156, 390
$35, 062
$2, 036
$1, 509
$9, 241
$21, 732
$4, 221
129
824
13, 553
235
186, 544
794
69, 466
52, 122
64, 956
133 3
28, 509
86, 773
71, 262
24.7
216
163
$6, 643, 227
$6, 419, 098
$224, 129
$40, 756
80
$1, 000, 458
42
17
14
$59, 450
234
$1, 004, 760
$385, 444
$202, 161
$82, 980
$108, 412
$156, 390
$34, 937
$2, 036
$1, 509
$9, 183
$21, 708
$4, 294
128
823
13, 514
6
2,824
471
252
205
2,367
122 9
203
254
2,367
44.4
6
4
$45, 000
$35, 000
$10, 000
$11, 250
I
$2, 300
2
1
1
$1, 500
6
$8, 372
$7, 740
97.5
98.5
2.5
1.5
Members, number
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
99 6
99 6
96.5
.4
.4
3.5
Female _. .
Sex not reported .
Males per 1 00 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years _ „
99 3
99 7
96.8
.7
.3
3.2
13 years and over ...
Age not reported . _
Percent under 13 years 2
Church edifices, number
973
97.6
99 3
99 5
95.7
2 7
2.4
.7
.5
4.3
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936. _.
Average value per church.
Debt — number reporting _.
Amount reported
99.8
.2
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number - . .
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
97.5
97 5
99 2
98 0
100 0
99 5
100 0
100 0
99.6
100 0
100 0
99 4
99 9
2 5
2 5
.8
2.0
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number _ - . ..
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries .»
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements __
$425
.5
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest
All other current expenses, including
interest
Local relief and charity, Eed Cross, etc
Home missions
$125
.4
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes -
$58
$24
$1, 395
1
1
39
.6
.1
Average expenditure per church.
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
99 2
99 9
99.7
.8
.1
.3
Officers and teachers
Scholars _
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
566
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
GKEEK ORTHODOX CHUKCH (HELLE2SIO)
567
TABLE 1. — SUMMAKY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN UEBAN AND RURAL TEKRI-
TOEY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Summer vacation Bible schools:
Churches reporting, number
13
71
938
64
283
5,476
138
501
12, 250
13
71
938
63
282
5,431
134
497
11,979
Officers and teachers
Scholars
100.0
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number _ .
1
1
45
4
4
271
Officers and teachers «
99.6
99.2
97 1
99 2
97.8
0 4
.8
2.9
.8
2.2
Scholars
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars..
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of the Greek Orthodox Church (Hellenic)
for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906. The number of organizations
given for 1906 included in some instances entire communities, but in 1916 and 1926
only well organized churches were reported. The decrease in members between
1916 and 1926 was probably due to the decrease in immigration.
TABLE 2. — COMPABATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
241
88
57.5
189, 368
69, 873
58 5
786
222
167
$6, 688, 227
$40, 049
81
$1, 002, 758
18
15
$60, 950
240
$1, 013, 132
$393, 184
$202, 161
$83, 405
$108, 412
$156, 390
$35, 062
$2, 036
$1,509
$9, 241
$23, 732
153
66
(2)
119, 495
-376
-0.3
781
138
131
$5, Oil, 718
$38, 257
85
$1, 457, 844
87
247
334
Increase i over preceding census:
Number
Percent
-74.0
119, 871
29, 120
32.1
1,378
59
59
$1, 115, 464
$18, 906
36
$322, 423
Members, number
90, 751
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number _ _
Percent . ». - - ._
Average TTioTTLbpTshlp p@r fihnrpb „ _,,.,,
272
29
19
$385,800
$20, 305
15
$139, 900
Church, edifices, number . _-
Value — number reporting
Amount reported -. _ _„
Average value per church-. .
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
Parsonages, number -
Value — number reporting
21
$151, 250
145
$958, 809
I $869,915
I $85, 394
$3, 500
$6, 612
73
188
5,796
6
$13, 200
74
$230, 288
$112, 917
$26, 523
$90, 848
$3, 112
17
27
1,088
2
$2,800
Amount reportsd
Expenditures :
Churches reporting number
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries _- -
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest —
Local relief and charity. Red Cross, etc
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes
Not classified
Average expenditure per church
$4, 221
129
824
13, 553
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
4
6
371
Officers and teachers _ -
Scholars
1 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
3 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
568
GEN'S ITS' OF KKLIGIOUS BO'D'IES, 1936
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Greek Orthodox
Church (Hellenic) by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4
gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four
census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as
"under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value
of church edifices and the amount of debt on such property for 1936. Table 6
presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses,
improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial
statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is
limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value and
expenditures.
TABLE 3, — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AKD STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
s
o
B
a
1
P
2
P5
3
g
fl
1
i5
2
S
O
•3
E
<D
1
O
&
05
jjT3
°§
do
a
M
®
CQ
8
%u
o,"3
jsl
<D
Ui
W>
S3
la
a
0
T3
•1
s $
i"
824
i
1
TO
United States
241
235
6
189, 368
929
3,643
22,252
805
3,741
32,627
6,587
17,573
14, 215
186, 544
2,824
69, 718
=====
270
1,076
8,178
330
1,128
12,360
1,087
7,195
5,476
244
4,946
3,382
905
1,800
1,017
374
502
52, 327
67, 323
133.2
129
13, 553
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine -
929
3,643
22,047
805
3,663
32,627
6,587
17,573
14, 215
209
987
7,324
275
1,063
9,727
945
4,708
3,275
176
3,596
3,596
695
600
1,100
323
389
450
1,580
6,750
200
1,550
10,540
4,555
5,670
5,464
2,378
11,011
580
1,858
""166
2,500
129.2
109.0
111 7
120 0
106 1
127.1
115.0
152.8
167.2
138.6
137.5
94.0
130.2
300.0
92.5
115. 8
129.0
1
4
18
2
c
13
3
10
8
1
6
5
4
2
3
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
3
2
2
2
4
15
109
18
32
138
25
47
78
4
37
18
31
10
9
16
4
1
19
17
8
9
8
7
4
15
25
251
2,543
150
386
2,598
465
870
935
75
935
347
314
110
205
87
46
30
170
340
166
85
110
120
70
240
New Hampshire —
Massachusetts
11
11
94
"""I
25
i
205
Rhode Island
Connecticut
11
26
11
10
26
11
1
78
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania. _„
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio.. .
24
17
24
17
Indiana
4
19
9
6
3
3
18
c
6
3
1
1
2,798
19,553
7,558
3,458
2,400
2,417
3,197
891
480
3,352
3,150
1,064
3,565
400
518
2,247
2,636
100
830
756
40
692
500
2,152
2,648
19,336
7,558
3,458
2,400
2,417
3,197
717
480
3,352
3,150
1,064
1,565
400
518
2,247
2,636
100
830
756
40
692
500
2,152
150
217
Illinois
Michigan . __
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
~~~174
Iowa „
Missouri
4
2
2
1
1
2
4
3
3
2
3
4
1
2
a
i
2
2
6
4
2
1
1
1
2
4
2
3
2
3
4
1
2
3
1
2
2
6
....
Nebraska
1
Kansas
480
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
3,352
District of Columbia-
Virginia
1,700
255
535
240
275
408
1,392
1,450
209
680
160
243
339
744
"""666
2,350
117.2
122.0
78.7
150.0
113.2
120.4
187.1
West Virginia
1
2,000
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia. --_
------
1,500
500
100
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee . .
403
416
427
340
40
94.4
122 4
2
3
14
19
103
120
Alabama
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas. . ._
Louisiana
394
260
815
298
240
537
""§66
132.2
108.3
151. 8
2
2
4
6
6
14
139
82
159
Oklahoma
....
Texas
GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH (HELLENIC)
569
TABLE 8.- — NUMBER ANX> MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN UBBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BT SEX, ANT> SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ST\TF«S, 1936— -
Continued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
3
g
I
5
3
£
rt
cs
,0
&
2
§
M
*3
3
Female
0
S~4
°4
X
<o
02
CO
£-2
p,«j
'«
S
Churches r e -
porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
MOUNTAIN-
Montana
i
i
2
2
1
2
2
1
1
1
2
2
1
2
2
1
120
362
325
737
217
3,744
1,282
2,125
13, 330
120
362
325
737
217
3,744
1,282
2,125
13,330
120
Idaho___
::::
208
145
297
127
2,446
572
1,280
7,280
154
5
140
90
1,298
390
845
4,750
135.1
0)
212.1
(i)
1
2
1
2
14
4
30
83
36
Wyoming .
175
300
Colorado
\riEona -
Utah
188.4
146.7
151.5
153 3
1
2
1
5
5
10
2
45
100
168
70
790
PACIFIC-
Washington
320
Oregon
California
S
8
....
1,300
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1930
241
4
11
25
3
11
26
11
24
17
4
19
9
6
3
4
2
1926
153
3
4
17
2
9
14
9
17
13
2
6
2
3
2
3
2
1916
87
1906
334
5
8
20
8
S
30
7
45
26
13
21
1936
1936
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
undor
I3i
UaitedStates
189, 368
119, 495
543
1,944
13,452
964
3,871
14,917
5,424
9,149
10,304
1,200
18,395
10,047
1,519
512
510
1,150
119, 871
525
4,250
19, 882
1,800
1,969
23,030
600
11, 590
8, 590
2,530
15, 050
90, 751
28, 712
87, 027
339
1,305
10,943
505
1,681
16, 922
1,238
8,841
6,234
327
5,971
5,715
940
310
1,269
550
73, 629
450
1,580
6,750
200
1,550
11, 220
4,717
6,797
5,939
2,378
11, 406
644
1,858
2,000
300
2,500
24.8
29.2
36.7
29.4
16.5
23.3
2LO
33.8
18.0
24 7
22 1
26.7
17.3
41.3
22.5
40.1
21.1
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
2
3
13
2
6
6
1
10
6
3
5
929
3,643
22, 252
805
3,741
32, 627
6,587
17, 573
14, 215
2,798
19, 553
7,558
3,458
2,400
2,417
3,197
780
5,210
12,475
1,105
1,575
15, 100
1,860
6,930
1,810
1, 155
13, 310
140
758
4,559
100
510
4,485
632
1,935
2,042
93
2,176
1,199
660
90
848
147
New Hampshire
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
KAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
2
1
1
1
7
3
2
6
4
2,700
100
175
1,650
960
650
325
2,455
230
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
South Dakota
Nebraska
2
1
4
3
3
2
3
4
2
3
2
1
4
3
2
1
3
3
2
1
1
1
2
1
~"~2
2
"""I
4
6
5
"1
5
10
5
4
10
891
3,352
1,064
3,565
400
518
2,247
2,636
830
756
430
1,530
1,798
3,875
315
300
1,192
1,122
539
1,700
300
600
1,840
800
1,985
400
756
~"~95
360
1,270
1,500
410
1,505
344
547
38.6
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
M]ar viand
3,352
600
2,350
104
Virginia
180
492
61
140
151
756
45
130
284
723
235
378
596
1,380
125
476
38.8
40.5
20.6
27.0
20.2
35,4
26.5
21.5
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
1,330
1,700
1,500
500
660
150
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee „
Alabama -
900
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
570
CENSUS1 OF KETjIGTEOTTS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 190HJ
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Un-
13
A 0.Q
Per-
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1936
1916
1906
der
13
years
years
and
over
not re-
ported
cent
under
13i
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL-
Texas
fi
3
?
2,152
972
420
230
1,112
810
17.1
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho . _.
1
1
8
362
300
3,200
173
189
47 8
Wyoming
0
1
4
325
114
900
55
270
16 9
Colorado
9
?
9
13
737
685
515
2,180
155
282
300
35.5
Utah
0
0
1
3,744
1,530
2,000
4,500
1,004
2,740
26.8
Nevada
1
<t
200
670
PACIFIC.
California
a
6
?
">8
13, 330
5,217
6,000
5,660
2,410
9,270
1,650
20 6
Other States
»14
9
6
6
8,706
4,275
8,525
1,430
2,012
5,330
1,364
27 4
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
3 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Washington, and the
District of Columbia; and 1 in each of the following— Kansas, Kentucky, Arkansas, Montana, Arizona,
and Oregon.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHUECH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States . _ _ .
241
222
167
86, 688, 227
81
$1,002,758
7,100
18, 120
193, 775
9,500
24, 950
247, 000
20, 500
110, 200
84, 500
18, 800
115, 375
12, 523
12, 500
30, 000
11, 100
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine _ _ - - . ...
4
11
25
3
11
26
11
24
17
4
19
9
6
3
4
4
3
6
8
43
4
10
24
3
11
22
11
20
17
4
18
9
5
3
4
4
3
5
6
39
3
6
18
3
8
17
5
16
13
3
9
8
4
3
3
4
3
4
5
132
73, 000
74, 000
790, 300
130, 000
99, 500
1, 259, 373
106, 000
703, 866
504, 700
125, 000
798, 659
211,329
92, 000
108, 000
142, 000
80, 000
39, 000
148, 000
38, 000
1, 165, 500
2
4
2
5
11
2
7
6
2
5
3
2
1
2
New Hampshire
Massachusetts __.
Rhode Island
Connecticut.,, --_ _
MIDDLE ATLANTIC
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
SOTTTH ATLANTIC:
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Alabama,
1
2
1
11
1,500
34, 000
1,200
50, 115
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Texas -
PACIFIC:
California
Other States
1 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Missouri, Nebraska, South Carolina, Georgia,
Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Utah, and Washington, and the District of Columbia; and 1
in each of the following— Kansas, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, Montana,
Idaho, Colorado, and Oregon.
GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH (HELLENIC)
571
TABLE 0. — CHUECH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and
improve-
ments
UnitedStates 241
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine 4
New Hampshire 11
Massachusetts 25
Rhode Island 3
Connecticut _ 11
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York.... 26
New Jersey— 11
Pennsylvania 24
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio. 17
Indiana 4
Illinois 19
Michigan 9
Wisconsin 6
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa 4
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia 4
West Virginia 3
North Carolina
Georgia 3
Florida _ 4
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Alabama 3
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Texas
PACIFIC'
California
Other States _ 30
240
SI, 013, 132
6,970
30, 145
139, 392
10, 401
149, 446
28,827
75, 205
63, 212
19, 574
98, 552
54, 875
17, 361
15, 358
15, 220
12, 110
6,500
13, 195
9,160
14, 548
17, 751
19, 801
38, 580
128, 141
8393, 184
5,460
14, 770
5,040
16, 920
43, 160
18, 600
33, 260
32, 520
15, 620
6,720
3,600
6,900
6,300
4,800
6,100
7,200
6,100
4,800
12, 278
15, 340
50, 420
$202, 161
144
3,407
27,938
2,940
2,490
32,961
6,360
8,792
11, 154
2,910
8,264
4,030
2,472
3,300
1,160
1,000
1,380
985
5,440
3,590
3,066
14,969
26,443
$83, 405
350
3,517
13, 581
925
1,300
8,513
1,400
2,941
3,056
900
11, 588
4,634
912
5,100
1,300
2,000
100
345
550
900
4,528
500
1,050
13, 415
1 Includes 2 churches m each of the following States—Missouri, Nebraska, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Louisiana, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Washington, and the District of Columbia; and 1
in each of the following— Kansas, Maryland, Kentucky, Arkansas, Montana, Idaho, and Oregon.
572 CMN'SU'S' Ol? KEJUIG10US BOD'lIflS, 1936
TABLE 6.— CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES^ 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To
general
head-
quarters
All other
purposes
TTnitedStates
$108,412
$156, 390
$35, 062
82, 036
$1, 509
$9, 241
821, 732
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
100
2,160
11,350
700
3,360
14, 500
880
10, 894
10, 649
4,000
7,600
20, 092
1,200
1,000
2,200
1,000
830
4,916
34, 916
495
2, 685
36, 480
557
13, 977
5,746
4,212
15, 849
3,473
2,844
2,300
970
1,100
400
1,101
25
520
3,415
85
1,045
6,430
880
1,376
4,070
500
2,356
2,075
920
300
300
500
200
327
250
525
115
717
2,710
5,421
36
24
380
25
New Hampshire
343
901
116
186
1, 575
488
2,790
100
586
4,767
150
3,231
1,070
Massachusetts » -
275
Rhode Island. .
Connecticut
136
525
100
535
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
55
154
45
36
634
707
192
1,048
362
390
236
150
50
EAST NOBTH CENTEAL:
Ohio
Indiana «.. -~
Illinois
625
250
270
350
100
Michigan
105
25
Wisconsin -~
50
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa „-
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina ._,
3.000
100
125
50
292
75
158
250
360
108
1,108
475
Georgia
Florida
1,300
2,463
650
2,553
16, 573
125
225
200
550
5,380
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Alabama
1,600
2,000
1,300
8,727
30
30
150
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Texas. __ _. .
PACIFIC:
California
Other States _
491
163
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
HISTORY
During the period from 1890 to the World War the number of Greeks immigrat-
ing to the United States increased greatly. Some came from Greece, some from
the Greek islands of the Aegean Sea, Dodecanese, and Cyprus, and others from
Constantinople, Smyrna, and other parts of Asia Minor. They were largely un-
married men, or, if married, they had left their families behind them and had
scattered over the country, those from the same section usually keeping together.
As they became to a certain extent permanent residents, and especially as they
were joined by their families, they felt the need of religious services, particularly
in case of marriage, sickness, and death. Accordingly, application was made by
the communities to the ecclesiastical authorities of their own sections, and priests
were sent to this country, sometimes by the Holy Synod of Greece and sometimes
by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. These priests formed
churches in the larger centers and also congregations in places within easy reach,
which they visited more or less regularly as convenient.
1 This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Mr. Demetrius B. Valakos, secretary, Greek Archdiocese of North and
South America, Astoria, Long Island, N. Y., and approved by him in its present form.
GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH (HELLENIC) 573
A** in the case of the early Russian churches, thorc was at first no central organi-
sation, each priest holding his ecclesiastical relation with the synod or patri-
archate which sent him to this country. In 1908 the Ecumenical Patriarchate of
Constantinople resigned its ecclesiastical relations to the Greeks in America in
favor of the Holy Synod of Greece, which had decided to send to America a Greek
(Hellenic) bishop.2
Yet the first serious effort to organize the Greek churches of America was made
only in 1918, when Bishop Alexander, of Rodpstolou, was sent to America by the
Synod of Greece as the first bishop and synodical delegate.
According, however, to the holy canons of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the
spiritual jurisdiction and supervision over the Orthodox Churches in the Diaspora
belong to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople; and the transfer of its
rights to the Church of Greece by an act, known as the Tome of 1908, was only
provisional and due only to certain special considerations. But, as soon as con-
ditions changed, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, in March 1922,
revoked the measure, took again the churches in the Diaspora under its direct
canonical supervision and, in May 1922, by a synodical and patriarchal act,
known as the Founding Tome of 1922, established the Greek (Orthodox) Arch-
diocese of North and South America, consisting of four bishoprics, and promoted
Bishop Alexander (formerly of Rodostolou) to the rank of Archbishop of North
and South America.
In August of the same year the Second General Convention of the Archdiocese
of America convened in New York and adopted the constitution of the Greek
Archdiocese of North and South America, based on the patriarchal Tome of 1922.
After_ this constitution was ratified by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Con-
stantinople, the bishops of Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco were elected by
the provincial conventions of each diocese.
In 1930, owing to certain dissatisfaction and divisions in the church, the
Greek bishops in America — with the exception of the bishop of San Francisco —
were translated to various dioceses in Greece, and a new Archbishop of America
was appointed, The Most Reverend Athenagoras, formerly Metropolitan of
Corfu, Greece, who came here in February 1931.
The Greek parishes in America have been all united under the new Archbishop.
The former dioceses were suspended and a new constitution, with slight changes,
was granted by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Archbishop Athenagoras retained
the Sight Reverend Callistos, Bishop of San Francisco, as his assistant bishop.
The Fourth General Convention of the Archdiocese, held in New York, in
Noyember 1931, adopted the new constitution and a number of bylaws for the
various activities and departments of the archdiocese.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
The Greek Archdiocese of North and South America is in accord with other
Eastern Orthodox churches in doctrine; its polity and worship, while in principle
the same as in those churches, vary somewhat in form to meet the peculiar needs.
There are about 250 organized congregations and churches under the jurisdic-
tion of the Greek Archdiocese of North and South America. There are also about
50 missions and parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Diocese, recognizing the
jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and affiliated with
the archdiocese, under Right Reverend Bishop Bohdan.
WORK
The entire organization of the Greek parishes is practically on a home mission-
ary basis. The priest in charge of a central church or congregation looks after
the social as well as the spiritual interests of his fellow countrymen, wherever
they may be.
The archdiocese supervises the function of about 450 parochial and 200 Sunday
schools, and maintains one theological preparatory school, situated at Pomfret,
Conn. There are also over 250 branches of the Greek Ladies Philoptochos So-
ciety, a benevolent organization for the care of the poor. The "Orthodox Ob-
server," a biweekly publication, is the official organ of the archdiocese.
2 See Eastern Orthodox Churches, p. 649. In view of the very genera] use of the term "Greek" to describe
the entire Eastern Orthodox Church in all its branches, the term "Hellenic" is used to designate specifically
the Eastern Orthodox Church of Greece, governed by the Holy Synod of Greece and to the Greeks of
Constantinople governed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
HOLY ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMERICA
STATISTICS
The data given for 1936 represent four active organizations of the Holy Ortho-
dox Church in America, all reported as being in urban territory. The total
membership reported was 804. Of the four active organizations, one reported
from New York, is the only organization having a church edifice and parsonage.
The other organizations, one each in Alabama, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, are
considered missions. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly
to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data
relate to these churches only.
The membership of the Holy Orthodox Church in America consists of all
persons who have been confirmed in this church.
This body was not reported prior to 1936, hence no comparative data are
available.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
The historical and doctrinal statement of the Eastern Orthodox Churches as
given in this publication is the general background of the Holy Orthodox Church
in America. This church endorses the canons of the Seven Oecumenical Councils
of the undivided church, the apostolical constitutions, and the teachings of the
early church fathers, and follows them insofar as it is possible to do so in the
present age.
It is obvious that many of these canons related to extant causes and conditions
and have become obsolete. Many of them are ignored by the Orthodox Church
as relating to matters which no longer exist. Some are interpreted in the light
of the progressive intelligence of the age. It is the intent of the Holy Orthodox
Church in America to keep alive the spirit that first brought them into being and
to use them as its guide in every way possible and practical.
The Holy Orthodox Church in America represents a movement. This movement
was instituted in 1924 for the purpose of emphasizing the mystical nature of the
sacrament?! in the light of the newer understanding of Christian mysticism, first,
as exemplified by the great mystics of the Universal Church at considerable time
periods; and second, as exemplified by the modern understanding of Christian
mysticism as a "personal experience of God," along the lines made so clear by
St. Francis, and the eminent writer on the subject, Evelyn Underbill.
For some 10 years this movement took the form of lectures, classes, and writings,
until it was felt that the church organization under which they had first been
propagated was insufficient for the purpose.
About 1927-28 Archbishop Aftimios was mandated by the Metropolitan
Platon to institute a work specifically for the offspring of Orthodox parents, born
in this country, and educated at American public schools; and, at the same time,
to introduce Orthodoxy to English-speaking peoples. In the ancient liturgies of
this "Mother of Churches," the group previously mentioned found the perfect
vehicle for its own purpose.
In 1927 the Patriarch Tikhon, of Moscow, authorized Archbishop Aftimios
"to found and head under a synodical constitution, an independent American
Orthodox Catholic Church." Under this authority, Archbishop Aftimios assisted
by Bishops Sophronms and Joseph consecrated Rev. William A. Nichols to the
episcopate, as titular bishop of Washington, D. C.
Somewhat later the retirement of Archbishop Aftimios prevented the prosecu-
tion of the original plans and Bishop Ignatius (the W. A. Nichols just mentioned),
consecrated the present Primus, George Winslow Plummer, instituting the new
Metropolitan Synod of the Holy Orthodox Church in America. The consecration
of Dr, Plummer (Georgius) was followed by the consecration of Bishops Patricius
and Irenaeus, forming the hierarchy of the new ecclesiastical body. This was
in 1934.
i This statement was furnished by Et. Kev. George Winslow Plummer, primate, the Holy Orthodox
Church m America, New York City.
574
HOLY ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AMEBIOA 575
On March 16, 1936, chapter 105, entitled "An act to amend the religious
corporations law, in relation to incorporation of parishes or churches of the Holy
Orthodox Church in America," was passed with the approval ot the Governor.
This^act^'of enablement" gives the new body wide powers relative to the creation
and institution of religious orders, seminaries, or religious societies established for
evangelical efforts, or the relief of the poor and needy, placing such power in the
hands of the Metropolitan Synod of the Holy Orthodox Church in America and
the archbishop-administrator thereof.
Since this act by the New York State Legislature the work of this church has
grown most encouragingly. It has not as yet undertaken any wide propaganda.
Instead, it has devoted the interval to the completion of its synodical boards, and
the preparation of the liturgies of St. Basil and St. John Chrysostom for use in
English-speaking congregations. It has also been occupied in "the preparation of
suitable canons applying to the necessities of American customs and usages.
It has made several concessions to the western usage by way of seats," in stead
of the older custom of standing; organ and instrumental music; mixed choirs; and
conformity to the Western Calendar (Gregorian), the use of the latter having
been authorized by the Patriarch of Constantinople for the Orthodox who desired
it, in 1923. The confusion between the times of the observance of the great
feasts of the church in this country has been a prime obstacle in the progress of
the Orthodox Church in the United States as well as elsewhere. Nevertheless,
it already has a rapidly growing membership, which is, of course, by Orthodox
baptism and chrismation.
The original intention to emphasize the mystical nature of the Christian sacra-
ments beyond the ordinary doctrinal catechisms has been amplified manyfold
by the adoption of Orthodox Orders and alignment with orthodoxy. The
Orthodox Church, despite its many national groups and consequent variety of
local customs, perpetuates so much of the usages of primitive Christianity and
preserves the unvaried usage of the ancient liturgies with their wealth of tradition
that the authorities of the Holy Orthodox Church in America firmly believe that
no better impetus can be given a better understanding of the essential mysteries
of the sacramental system than by a clear exposition of the liturgies and offices of
Orthodoxy in toto.
While carefully preserving the essentials of primitive catholicity, this church
encourages the utmost liberality of thought and action, believing and finding
that through an intelligent understanding of what the Catholic faith stands for
removes all possibilities of conflict between the two. Thus it seeks to bring to bear
the best findings of scientific, religious, and philosophic thought on matters which
have, in the past, been sources of wide controversy and contentious argument.
In its use of the ancient liturgies the^Holy Orthodox Church in America permits
no changes or variations. It does seeli to present them in a manner more readily
understandable to Americans. Like so many other national groups, the Holy
Orthodox Church in America is autonomous but fully recognizes the spiritual
supremacy of the Patriarch of Constantinople.
It is far from the intention of the authorities of the Holy Orthodox Church in
America to add another sect, or denomination, to the already overgenerous list.
It regards itself solely as a branch of the Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and
Apostolic Church with a definite mission to present the sacraments of the Catholic
Church in their true mystical nature through a progressive interpretation of the
offices of Orthodoxy.
ROUMANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
suinmary of the statistics for the Roumanian Orthodox Church for the year 1936
is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination is of two types, communicant members,
or all persons, including infants, baptized and confirmed in the church; and parish
members, or the families of the congregation, the head of the family being the
'voting member.
TAB IB
-SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
35
15,090
431
7,995
7,095
112.7
2,729
12, 082
279
18.4
28
28
$293t 700
$287, 700
$6, 000
$10, 489
8
$22, 830
18
15
14
$57, 890
33
$65, 063
$29, 545
$4, 526
$7, 994
$10, 209
$6, 950
$1, 176
$260
$28
$446
$3, 929
$1, 972
8
27
299
33
14, 041
425
7,383
6,658
110.9
2,508
11,319
214
18.1
26
26
$251, 700
$245, 700
$6, 000
$9, 681
7
$21, 450
17
15
14
$57,890
31
$61, 182
$27, 445
$4, 220
$6, 784
$10, 209
$6,867
$1, 166
$260
$28
$446
$3, 757
$1, 974
7
26
253
2
1,049
525
612
437
140.0
221
763
65
22.5
2
2
$42, 000
$42, 000
Members, number
93 0
7 0
Average membership per church
Membership by sex-
Male
92 3
93 8
7.7
G 2
[Female. . _
Males per 100 females _.
Membership by age:
Under 13 years . ___ _. _.,
91.9
93.7
76 7
8.1
6.3
23.3
13 years and over ._
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years s _
Char oil edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
85.7
85.4
100.0
14.3
14 6
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church _
$21, 000
I
$1, 380
1
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
94.0
6 0
ISTTTmber r^port'Tig "no d^bt"
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting. _ _
Amount reported . . „
2
$3,881
$2, 100
$306
$1, 210
100.0
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number _ __
Amount reported ""
94 0
92.9
93 2
84.9
100 0
6.0
7.1
6 8
15.1
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries. ._
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest ._ __ ______
All other current expenses, including
interest.
$83
$10
98.8
99.1
100.0
1.2
.9
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution. .
All other purposes..
100 0
95.6
$172
$1, 941
1
1
46
4.4
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number __ ___ _
Officers and teachers
Scholars
'84.6
15.4
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
J Based on membership with age classification reported.
576
KOUMAKIAN OKIHODOX OHUEOH
577
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
6
20
212
15
41
560
5
38
185
6
20
212
14
32
525
5
38
185
Officers and teachers .
Scholars
166 6
Weekday religious schools
Churches reporting, number
1
9
35
Officers and teachers. _
Scholars
93.8
6 2
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number _ _. _.
Officers and teachers -_
Scholars
100 0
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100
Comparative data, 1916-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Roumanian Orthodox Church
for the census years 1936r 1926, and 1916.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1916 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
Churches (local organizations), number _ .
35
34
2
Increase over preceding census:
Number
1
32
Percent*
Members* number ...
15, 090
18,853
1,994
Increase 2 over preceding census:
Number .« _
-3, 763
16, 859
Percent
-20.0
845.5
Average membership per church - --
431
555
997
Church edifices, number
28
32
1
Value — number reportin0"
28
30
1
Amount reported - -
$293, 700
$621, 500
$18, 000
Average value per church
$10, 489
$20, 717
$18, 000
Debt— 'number reporting
8
15
1
Amount reported. „-,.__ ,
$22, 830
$51, 105
$15, 000
Parsonages, number
15
Value — number reporting
14
15
1
Amount reported _.
$57, 890
$85, 500
$6, 500
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number .. .
33
32
2
Amount reported ,
$65, 063
$92, 124
$11, 520
P'istors' salaries
$29, 545
1'
<YI1 other salaries -
$4, 526
\
Repairs and improvements -
$7, 994
$88, 303
$6, 720
J'avment on church debt excluding interest _- »»„».
$10, 209
AJU* other current expenses including interest
$6, 950
Local relief and chanty, Hed Cross, etc - ,_.».
$1, 176
Home missions . _
$260
Foreign missions .. -
$28
1 $3,821
$4, 800
To general headquarters for distribution _„ ».
$446
All other purposes - ,. . ..- ---,-
$3, 929
Average expenditure per church
$1, 972
$2,879
$5, 760
Sunday schools :
Oliurches reporting number
8
18
3
Ollicers and teachers
21
2
Scholais „ .
299
1,370
122
!
1 Percent uot shown where base is less than 100.
2 A minus sign (—) denotes decrease.
578
' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Roumanian
Orthodox Church by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table
4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the
three census years 1916 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified
as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the
value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for
1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing
the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables
5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
3
e
£
•3
1
2
"i"
3
£
15, 090
§
•s
p
1
rj
tf
«
a
«
a
<D
h
7,095
110
183
159
34
18
625
2,426
1,285
1,325
461
251
164
48
s
%M
1*
S
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
II g Scholars
United States
35
33
14, 041
1,049
7,995
112.7
8
27
NEW ENGLAND-
Massachusetts
1
1
1
2
1
6
10
5
1
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
~"T
10
4
3
3
2
1
1
239
363
326
86
65
1,323
5,090
2,939
2,500
1,224
519
316
100
239
363
326
86
123
ISO
167
52
47
698
2,664
1,654
1,175
763
268
152
52
106 0
98.4
105.0
C1)
C1)
111.7
109 8
128 7
88.7
105. 5
106 8
92.7
0)
C onnecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New Y"ork
1
9
10
New Jersey
65
Pennsylvania
1,323
5,090
1 955
2,500
1,224
519
316
100
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
1
3
5
8
87
111
Indiana -
1
984
Illinois
Michigan
I
1
2
2
25
35
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
^Missouri
Nebraska
1
I
31
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4t. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1916 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1938, 1926, or 1916]
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHUECHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1906
1936
192S
1916
193G
1926
1916
Under
13
years
13 years
and
over
Age not
report-
ed
Percent
under
13i
United States
35
34
2
15, 090
18, 853
1,994
2,729
12, 082
—
4,246
2,212
949
3,723
279
49
65
18.4
253
15.5
24.7
22.5
14.4
Pennsylvania ...
6
10
5
3
»11
5
11
5
4
9
1
...
1,323
5,090
2,939
1, 22-1
4,514
922
5,879
2,271
7,817
1,964
644
322
779
727
275
626
Ohio
Indiana ._ „
Michigan. ._ .
1,350
Other States _ _ . _..
165
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
* Includes 2 churches each in the States of New York and Minnesota; and 1 in each of the following -
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Illinois, Missouri, and Nebraska.
ROUMANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
579
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
ST\TE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
35
28
28
$293, 700
8
$22, 830
14
$57, 890
Pennsylvania
6
10
5
3
11
4
9
4
3
8
4
9
4
3
28
41, 450
88, 500
55, 000
23, 000
85, 750
1
5
2
1
5
26, 090
(l)
C1)
31, 800
Ohio-
2
1
1
4
2,100
3,000
5,000
12, 730
Indiana
Michigan
Other States
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
2 Includes 2 churches in Minnesota; and 1 m each of the following States— Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
New Jeisey, Illinois, Missouri, and Nebraska.
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
fSeparate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
S
EXPENDITUBES
o
3
,
i
, ^
,
o
WJ
d
o P
S °
P.
T?
o
PI
ta
.s
3 be
-i
C3
fl
5
1
STATE
1
1
p
0
rSj
P ^
§1
ga
it
1
a""4
^|
3
ft
p
CD
1
«M
S
W O
"S ® ^
°s"i
^•s
a
p
PP
0) o1
S
3
0
3
3
5
O
*S»
III
«!•§
•a
§
3
bfl
o
0
fl
o
03
0
0
PW
<J
«
PH
o
^
tu
to
^
United States
35
33
$65. 063
S29, 545
$4, 526
$7, 994
S10, 209
$6, 950
$1, 176
S260
S28
S44S
$3, 929
Pennsylvania-
6
10
6
9
9,512
21, 870
5,080
8,884
756
1,719
2,403
2,349
528
3,569
513
171
60
140
40
55
132
3,120
Ohio
1,835
Indiana -
5
8,761
4, 935
1, 005
1,310
800
400
200
71
40
Michigan
3
8
8,572
1,800
262
200
5,861
30
113
215
91
Other States
11
i 10
16, 348
8,846
784
1,732
1,713
2,423
179
60
....
65
546
i Includes 2 churches each in the States of New York and Minnesota; and 1 in each of the following-
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Illinois, Missouri, and Nebraska.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION x
HISTORY
The great majority of the people of Roumania belong to the Roumanian Ortho-
dox Church, in communion with the Greek, Russian, Serbian and other Orthodox
churches. Until 1900-1902 there were few Roumanian immigrants in this
country, but today there are about 150,000. With very few exceptions they are
from the Roumanian Provinces of Transylvania, Banat, and Bukovina, which
before the World War were parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. They
settled first in the States of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and
Indiana. Most of them are railroad and factory workers or farmers, and the
great majority of them belong to the Roumanian Orthodox Church.
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Eeport on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by the Very Reverend John Trutia, dean and counselor of the Roumanian
Orthodox Episcopate of America, Cleveland, Ohio, and approved by him in its present form.
27531S-— 41 38
580 OKN'SUS' OF KELIGIOU'S BODIES, JM 0
DOCTRINE
The source of the doctrine of this church, like that of all the other Eastern
Orthodox Churches, is the divine revelation as it is contained in the Holy Scrip-
tures and in the Holy Traditions. The unchanged foundation of this doctrine
is the Niceo-Constantinopolitan Creed, together with all the decisions given in
matters of faith by the ecumenical and particular synods of the Holy Fathers of
the church.
ORGANIZATION
The Roumanian Orthodox Church of the United States and Canada, since April
1 929, is organized in "The Roumanian Orthodox Episcopate (Diocese) of America,"
presided over by a bishop, whose see is in Detroit, Mich.; 44 organized congrega-
tions and churches comprise the episcopate (diocese) .
In matters of faith and doctrine the Roumanian Orthodox Episcopate of America
recognizes the canonical and spiritual authority of "The Holy Synod" (House of
"Bishops) of the Roumanian Orthodox Church of Roumania of which body the
bishop of the American diocese is a de jure member.
In all administrative matters the episcopate (diocese) is an autonomous organi-
zation, canonically recognized as such by the Holy Synod of the Roumanian Ortho-
dox Church. The rules of church administration are contained and set in "The
Constitution and Bylaws" of the Roumanian Orthodox Episcopate of America
adopted and approved by the church-congresses (general conventions) of 1932 and
1936. The supreme administrative body is "The Church Congress" (convention)
consisting of one-third clergy and two-thirds lay delegates (representatives) of the
congregations (parishes) comprising the episcopate (diocese) . The church-congress
delegates are elected for 3-year terms, and meet in sessions every year under the
presidency of the bishop.
WORK
The principal work of the church, being Christian, consists of preaching the
Gospel of Christ, of propagating Christian, moral, and ethical principles, and caring
for the religious and spiritual needs of its members.
For the religious education of children and young people, weekday catechetical
and Sunday-school classes are maintained in every congregation (parish), the
priest doing the teaching.
The episcopate publishes, at Detroit, Mich., a weekly religious-educational
newspaper, "The Herald," and a yearly "Calendar" (almanac).
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with, urban-rural classification, — A general
summary of the statistics for the Russian Orthodox Church for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination is of two types, communicant members,
or all persons, including infants, baptized and confirmed in the church; and parish
members, or the families of the congregation, the head of the family being tbo vot-
ing member.
TABLE 1.-
-SlTMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Kural
Churches (local organizations) , number
229
89, 510
391
37, 114
3(5, 726
15, 670
101 1
18, 572
.54, 745
16, 193
25 3
218
216
$4, 936, 350
$4, 653, 500
$282, 850
$22, 853
128
$1,032,505
47
140
135
$685, 020
226
$591, 353
$203, 060
$80, 467
$72, 697
$64, 195
$131,800
$9, 436
$2, 991
$425
$5, 010
$21, 272
$2, 617
101
202
4, 298
169
75, 684
448
30, 966
30, 843
13, 875
100.4
15, 518
45, 868
14, 298
25.3
158
158
$4, 298, 050
$4, 023, 950
$274, 100
$27, 203
107
$931, 305
25
107
102
$573, 970
167
$501, 999
$165, 563
$71, 937
$58, 520
$57, 619
$118, 962
$8, 396
$2, 662
$360
$4, 215
$13, 765
$3, 006
80
167
3, 429
60
13,826
230
6,148
5,883
1,795
104.5
3,054
8,877
1,895
25.6
60
58
$638, 300
$629, 550
$8, 750
$11, 005
21
$101, 200
22
33
33
$111, 050
59
$89, 354
$37, 497
$8, 530
$14, 177
$6, 576
$12, 838
$1, 040
$329
$65
$795
$7, 507
$1, 514
21
35
8b4
73.8
84.6
26.2
15.4
Members, number __ -
Average membership per church
M em b ei ship by sex.
Male ... . _
83 4
84.0
88 5
16 6
16 0
11.5
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
Membership by age
Under 13 years __. __ __
83.6
83 8
88.3
16.4
16.2
11.7
13 years and over _„__ _ _- __
Age not repoited
Percent under 13 years ^
Church edifices, number
72.5
73 1
87.1
86.5
96.9
27.5
26.9
12,9
13.5
3 1
Value — number reporting
Amount reported -
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or m part, in 1936.
4.vorage value per church
Debt — number reporting
83.6
90.2
16 4
9 8
Amount reported
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number „ .. .
76.4
75. G
83.8
73 9
84.9
81.5
89.4
80 5
89.8
90.3
89.0
89.0
84 7
84.1
64.7
23.6
24 4
16 2
26 1
15.1
18.5
10.6
19.5
10.2
9.7
11.0
11.0
15.3
15.9
35.3
Value — number reporting
Amount reported ,. _.
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Hepairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest- _ __
All other current expenses, including in-
terest-
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc...
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution. ._
All other purposes
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number _ _
79.2
82 7
79 tt
20 8
17 3
20. i
Officers and teachers., __
Scholars
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
581
582
OF KELIG'IOTJS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RUKAL
TERKITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
terntoiy
PERCENT OF
TOTAL1
TJrban
Rural
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number -
39
74
1,609
105
241
5,093
18
51
817
28
47
1,085
91
210
4,420
13
42
60S
11
27
524
14
31
673
5
9
214
Officers and teachers
67 4
86.7
87.1
86.8
32.6
13.3
12.9
13.2
Weekday religious schools:
Scholars --
Parochial schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers -
73.8
26.2
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36.— Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son a summary of the available statistics of the Russian Orthodox Church for
the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906. Differences in the method of report-
ing as well as organic disturbances probably account, in part, for the decrease in
members.
TABLE 2, — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Clmrclies (local organizations) number «,«--
229
30
15 1
89, 510
-5, 624
-5 9
391
218
216
$4, 936, 350
$22, 853
128
$1, 032, 505
140
135
$G85, 020
226
$591, 353
$203, 060
$80, 467
$72, 697
$64, 195
$131, 800
$9, 436
$2, 991
$425
$5, 010
$21, 272
199
30
17.8
95, 134
-4, 547
-4.6
478
194
187
$4,883,515
$26, 115
136
$1,184,771
169
110
0
99,681
80, 570
421.6
590
164
164
$2, 137, 713
$13,035
132
$982, 048
59
Increase over preceding census.
Number
Percent. -
19,111
• Increase 2 over preee'ding census:
Number - ----
Percent --- ---
324
46
46
$484, 371
$10, 530
36
$131, 774
Value — -number reporting - -
Amount reported. -- -
Average value per church -- -
Debt- — number reporting ._ -
Amount reported -- --
157
$1, 140, 600
195
$838,453
• $746,196
i $50, 762
$41,495
96
$503, 614
165
$549, 776
$305,215
$244, 561
25
$112, 243
Expenditures :
Amount reported - -«• -----
Pastors' salaries -
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest —
All other current expenses, including interest- __
Local relief and. chanty £.ed Cross etc - -
Home missions -
Foreign missions ---- — -
To seneral headouarters for distribution
All other purposes - - -----
Average expenditure per church
$2, 617
101
202
4,293
$4,300
90
152
5,770
$3,332
116
150
6,739
Sunday schools :
Churehss reporting, number ~
1
2
75
Officers and teachers
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* A minus sign (—) denotes decrease.
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
583
State tables, — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Eussian
Orthodox Church by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the
number and membership of the churches classified according to their location in
urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the
churches for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for
1936 classified as "under 13 years of age77 and "13 years of age and over.'7 Table 5
shows the value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church
edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing
separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid
disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in
tables 5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported
value and expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES IN* URBAN AND BUBAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEM-
BERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
'c3
"o
&H
fl
1
(§
1
£H
Urban
2
$
1
s
o
CD
ft
2
T3
of
flo
ft
X
£
Males per 100
females
II _ | Churches re-
^ ,_, H- II 3 1 porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States
229
169
60
89, 510
75, 684
13, 826
37, 114
36,726
15, 670
101 1
202
4,293
46
10
71
NEW ENGLAND:
New Hampshire _ ._
3
1
7
1
3
1
7
""I
2
3
4
29
3
2
1
~"~4
2
707
150
1,726
315
7,227
11, 032
7,135
35,910
7,310
1,616
4,482
2,521
1,029
1,987
90
500
337
300
189
953
67
53
320
403
999
28
2,124
707
150
1,726
358
349
102.6
5
1
5
Vermont
Iso
Massachusetts
888
160
3,154
3,461
3,397
15, 121
3,327
506
2,030
753
283
1,040
43
838
155
3,273
3,771
3,663
14,839
3,208
430
1,902
768
246
947
47
106.0
103.2
Rhode Island
315
625
994
699
8,351
335
370
91
455
140
Connecticut
12
24
17
86
16
5
10
8
6
6
1
10
21
13
57
13
3
9
8
2
4
1
6,602
10, 038
6,436
27, 559
6,975
1,246
4,391
2,521
574
1,847
90
500
337
300
189
320
303
799
28
2,046
800
3,800
75
5,950
775
620
550
3,000
500
96.4
91.8
92.7
101.9
103,7
131 6
106.7
98.0
115.0
109.8
0)
4
9
8
34
10
3
3
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
2
2
7
22
18
72
13
3
5
4
2
8
1
1
1
1
4
3
138
332
540
1,873
404
45
100
73
20
185
24
30
44
20
33
85
MIDT>T.E ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey - . - __
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois _
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota/
Iowa
^Missouri
1
1
1
2
3
1
1
1
2
..._
1
1
1
1
"~2
500
Kansas
171
16$
300
103.0
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
D elaware
District of Columbia.
West Virginia
""953
67
53
100
200
""78
90
304
35
23
168
148
413
16
1,165
99
299
32
30
152
155
386
12
959
""350
0)
101.7
(i)
North Carolina
1
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Alatoania
1
(i)
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Teixas -
1
3
3
1
8
1
2
2
1
6
100
200
110.5
95.5
107.0
(l)
121.5
1
2
3
"~5
4
2
10
"16
35
30
48
......
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
PACIFTC:
Washington
Oregon
California
* Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
584
OENSXTS1 03? IVF/LIGIOTIS BODIES, 1936
TABLE -1. - NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHTWHKS, 190f> TO 1!WJ, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate prespubilum is limited to FJaf<\s hauug '> or m<>ro churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or IUIM>]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
DTUMBER OP
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
229
3
7
12
24
17
86
16
5
10
8
6
6
1936
199
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
un-
der
13i
United States
169
59
89, 510
95, 134
99, 681
19, 111
18, 572
99
267
1,231
1,929
1,772
8,439
1,826
161
967
282
108
557
54, 745
16, 193
25.3
NEW ENGLAND:
New Hampshire
3
5
11
24
12
79
16
3
6
6
3
5
3
3
8
11
18
12
70
10
1
6
6
3
3
707
1,726
7 227
11, 032
7,135
35, 910
7,310
1,616
4,482
2,521
1,029
1,987
655
1,591
7,075
19,980
9,783
34, 015
6,775
1,751
2,782
1,352
936
2,734
306
1,947
531
475
474
1,972
598
3,983
8,507
14,876
11, 308
34,877
6,168
900
4,090
5,509
190
3,279
608
1,459
5,196
5,303
5,288
21, 521
4,661
835
2,965
914
321
1,380
14.0
15.5
19.2
26.7
25 1
28.2
28.1
16.2
24.6
23.6
25 2
28 8
Massachusetts
1
4
4
3
22
3
"T
470
1,552
1,767
606
8,446
852
Connecticut
800
3,800
75
5,950
823
620
550
1,325
600
50
MIDDLE ATLANTIC
New York
New Jersey . . - . .
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL-
Ohio
Indiana. -
Illinois ... . . ...
1,226
Michigan _ .
Wisconsin
3
3
o
196
964
177
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
North Dakota
SOUTH ATLANTIC*
West Virginia, „ _.
3
4
1
953
403
999
2,124
2,349
149
981
565
123
82
137
217
375
480
221
662
1,907
1,024
350
100
200
20.4
27.1
17.1
10.2
26.8
MOUNTAIN*
Colorado
3
3
8
«12
3
2
2
12
3
3
3
2
725
574
PACIFIC:
Washington
California—, .
Other States
11
5
3,701
1,556
950
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
2 Includes 2 churches in the District of Columbia: and 1 in each of the following States— Vermont, Rhode
Island, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Delaware, North Carolina, Alabama. Texas, and Oregon.
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
585
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGR \PIIIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States. .
NEW ENGLAND
New Hampshire-
Massachusetts...
Connecticut
229
3
7
12
24
17
86
16
10
8
G
6
3
3
8
15
218
3
7
12
19
17
87
14
5
9
7
5
6
3
3
8
13
216
84, 936, 350
39, 300
79, 200
493, 025
733r 000
404, 125
1, 947, 300
317, 500
62, 000
229, 500
132, 500
59, 350
94, 000
43, 000
30, 100
83,450
189,000
128
2
5
8
13
14
53
8
2
5
4
2
3
$1, 032, 505
135
$685, 020
3
7
12
18
17
87
14
5
9
7
5
6
3
3
8
2 12
13, 147
22, 200
81, 268
243, 478
94, 200
417,431
45,618
8,757
36, 300
31,800
4,500
6,748
3
3
8
11
12
57
9
2
7
3
3
5
2
2
2
6
10, 240
11, 000
55, 730
77, 800
81,000
250, 450
38, 000
0)
44, 200
16, 000
5,600
29, 500
V)
(l)
0)
65, 500
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey _
Pennsylvania- . . .
E N CENTRAL:
Ohio ...
Indiana _
Illinois. .
Michigan ..
Wisconsin
w. N. CENTRAL:
Minnesota. _
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
West Virginia
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
1
5
3
3,000
15,608
8,450
PACIFIC:
California ,
Other States
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
2 Includes 2 churches in Washington; and 1 in each of the following States— Vermont, Rhode Island, Iowa,
Missouri, Kansas, Delaware, Noith Carolina, Texas, and Oregon, and the District of Columbia.
586
GKNSTJSf OF EELiaiOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHTJKCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States havine; 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
TJnitedStates 223
NEW ENGLAND:
New Hampshire 3
Massachusetts - 7
Connecticut- 12
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York 24
New Jersey 17
Pennsylvania - 86
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio 16
Indiana 5
Illinois 10
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota 6
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
West Virginia 3
MOUNTAIN*
Colorado.-. — 3
PACIFIC:
Washington _ 3
California. _
Other States 12
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
S591, 353
3,151
15, 508
37, 303
74, 720
58, 270
238, 162
37, 685
27, 832
17, 915
4,413
25, 058
6,571
3,887
4,168
10, 121
11, 751
Pastors'
salaries
S203, 060
1,070
0, 360
13, 300
23, 100
18, 560
78, 115
12, 230
3,680
8,030
6,295
2,820
3, 660
2,400
2,4fiO
3,400
7,990
All other
salaries
$80, 467
220
860
6,064
12, 203
12,402
29, 538
5, 557
780
4,100
1,490
151
2,040
1,056
205
60
3,305
436
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
$72, 697
413
2,834
962
4,635
5,357
33, 667
5,810
1,062
2,749
1,660
270
9,167
614
390
395
1,848
1,064
i Includes 2 churches in the District of Columbia; and 1 in each of the following States— Vermont, Ehode
Island, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Delaware, North Carolina, Alabama, Texas, and Oregon.
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
587
TABLE 6.— CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 193 6— Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on
church
debt, ex-
cludm?
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States...
$64, 195
$131,800
89, 436
120
236
1,451
1,494
1,040
2,740
350
120
257
485
5
662
50
$2, 991
$425
85,010
$21, 272
NEW ENGLAND-
New Hampshire, ..,
440
759
2,779
4 5""3
838
3.960
11,461
25,032
13, 863
51, 197
3,554
116
6,687
5,108
407
2,436
1,017
524
980
3,533
1,087
50
243
299
1,379
98
1,701
305
Massachusetts
170
25
600
390
1,145
201
15
71
962
1,489
585
10, 781
1,390
1,980
659
890
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC.
New York
215
60
25
10
New Jersey
5, 915
29, 253
8,278
1,100
5,033
1,755
750
369
Pennsylvania.
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
159
25
158
182
10
148
74
30
60
175
98
Michigan
25
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
75
50
38
28
5
25
626
25
300
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
West Virginia.
MOUNTAIN*
Colorado
PACIFIC-
Washington
300
2,201
750
40
177
209
45
California -
1,482
32
Other States
85
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION
HISTORY
Russia first came into definite relations wich Christianity on the visit of Princess
Olgast04 Constantinople, where she was baptized about A. D. 957. Subsequently,
Vladimir the Great sent emissaries to the different churches, Eastern and Western,
to learn of their doctrines and rituals, with a view to adopting those which they
liked best. The emissaries returned and reported in favor of the Eastern Ortho-
dox Catholic Church, whose ceremonial in the Cathedral of the Holy Wisdom at
Constantinople seemed to them to excel all others. Thereupon, Vladimir was
baptized in 988 A. D. and the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church became the
church of the state.
During the succeeding centuries the church was governed, first, by metropoli-
tans looking to the patriarch of Constantinople as their titular head; from about
1589 to 1720 by patriarchs equal to the other Eastern Patriarchs of Antioch,
Alexandria, Jerusalem, and Constantinople; and from 1721 to 1917 by the Holy
Synod. This synod was a collegiate institution consisting of severarmetropoli-
tans and bishops from all parts of Russia, who were invited to take a temporary or
permanent part in its sessions. To see that the civil laws and interests of the
country were complied with, a representative of the monarch safe in the synod as
a civil officer, with the title of Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod. To his pres-
588 CENSUS' OF KEMGIOU'S BODIES, 10 ?> 6
once in the synod is due the incorrect opinion, widely extended outbide of Hua^ia,
that the Emperor was really the head of the Russian Church, under the Czarisi
regime.
For many years previous to the World War the Russian Church had been pre-
paring for a great council or conclave of representatives of all the Russian dioceses
and missions, to determine many questions of policy, organization, and adminis-
tration that had arisen and persisted since 1720. "The very constitution of its
organization as laid down under Peter the Great was outgrown and obsolete.
Preliminary committees, councils, and conventions between 1900 and 1915 had
prepared the way and the program for the work of the great Pan- Russian Church
conclave, or Sobor, as it is called in Russian. The World War was not permitted
to interfere with the holding of the Greai Sobor. In 1917 delegates from all
Russia, from Siberia, from Alaska and other parts of North America, and from
China and Japan, representing every part of the Russian Church and its missions,
assembled in Moscow for what has since been known as the Great Sobor of 1917.
The Great Sobor revised the constitution and administrative enactments of
the Russian Church. It determined upon a return to the patriarchal form of
supreme government for the church. While it was meeting, the Kerensky pro-
visional government was overthrown by the Red Revolution of October. Under
the gunfire of the Soviet revolutionists the Great Sobor elected and enthroned a
Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, in succession to that sainted Nikon whose
power had made Peter the Great tremble and decree the end of the office of
Patriarch.
With the reestablishment of the Patriarchate and the installation of the Patri-
arch Tikhon at its head, the Great Sobor closed its sessions. Unfortunately
for both church and state, the Patriarchate and Patriarch Tikhon became at once
and inevitably the symbol of the old vanished r6gime, and the church was set in
opposition to the Soviet State on purely political as well as religious questions.
In the ensuing convict Patriarch Tikhon was imprisoned and his assistants
exiled, imprisoned, or executed. The administration of the church was totally
disrupted. In these chaotic conditions reformist groups, sometimes sponsored
by those fighting against the church, arose and divided the church into rival
factions.
Finally, in 1923, a coalition of these reformist groups, favored by and favorable
to the Soviet Government in Its fight against Patriarch Tikhon and the church,
organized a new church administration, forcibly removed the bishops that would
not submit to their will, appointed bishops and clergy favorable to their reform
ideas, and to the Soviet regime, established a married episcopate (hitherto un-
known and uncanoiiical in the Russian Church, as in all the Orthodox Catholic
Churches since the Council of Chalcedon), and summoned a Russian Church
Convention.
This convention, called the Sobor or pseudo-Sobor of 1923, without the presence
or authority of the Patriarch, proceeded to depose the Patriarch Tikhon and un-
frock him in his absence and without trial. It then abolished the Patriarchate of
Moscow and all Russia; reversed the canon law of the Orthodox Catholic Church
in matters of the clergy and marriage; abolished monasticism in the Russian
Church; established a Synodist administration; and finally declared the commu-
nism of Karl Marx and Lenin essential to the salvation of all Christians, and
adherence to the Soviet State obligatory upon all Russian Orthodox people.
The reaction against the extremes of the Synodist group and its 1923 conven-
tion was so great in Russia that the Soviet Government sought peace with the
Patriarchal party by releasing Patriarch Tikhon and permitting him to reorganize
the Patriarchal administration. While in the midst of this work Patriarch
Tikhon died. It has been impossible for the Russian Patriarchate to hold a
Sobor for the election of his successor. His office has been held by a number of
substitutes, each in turn acting as locum tenens, or Guardian, of the Patriarchal
Throne.
To these, and to the Patriarchate, the vast majority of Russian clergy and
parishes in Russia have remained faithful, while the Synodist group has lost influ-
ence and adherents steadily. The situation is still unsettled, and it is impossible
to make definite statements about the present condition or the future of the
Russian Church.
The Russian Church is the only branch of the Eastern Orthodox Church that
has undertaken in recent years any foreign missionary enterprise. It has de-
veloped quite extensive missions in Siberia, Japan, and China, but its great
work has been the care of the churches in America.
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH 589
In 1759 a Russian merchant, named Glotoff, baptized several Aleuts of Umriak
Island. Fifteen years later Sehelehoff, the organizer of a company for fur trading
in Alaska, baptized 40 Aleuts of Kodiak Island. In 1792, at his request, the
Holy Synod sent to Alaska a special mission consisting of eight monks, who estab-
lished their headquarters at Kodiak and built the first Eastern Orthodox Church
in America. In the course of 2 years 12,000 natives were baptized, and almost
every hamlet had its church or chapel. During succeeding years a number of
additional missionaries were sent from Russia, both to care for the Russians and
to do missionary work among the natives. Of these, John Veniammoff, after-
wards Bishop Innocent, accomplished the most. Coming to Unalaska Island in
1824, he spent 10 years among the Aleuts, and then went to Sitka to teach the
Kolosh. Until he left for Siberia in 1855 he was an indefatigable worker for the
Alaskans. He prepared an alphabet and grammar of the Aleutian language;
translated the catechism, the more important divine services of the church, and
some books of the Bible, and did much for general education and the improve-
ment of civil and social life. In Sitka he built the cathedral which is still an
ornament to the city and founded an ecclesiastical consistory for the government
of the churches.
After the change of political rule, accompanying the sale of Alaska to the
United States, many Russians returned to their own country, and with them a
large number of priests or missionaries. As a result, there was a loss of interest
in the country on the part of the people of Russia and an attendant loss^ of the
means for carrying on the missionary work. Furthermore, as traders of different
nationalities multiplied and missionaries of different creeds came to the country,
many natives were drawn away from the church. Nevertheless, the Russian
Church did not give up its work in the country, but continued to do whatever was
within its means.
In 1872 the see was removed from Sitka to San Francisco, where there were
already quite a number of Russians, Serbians, and Greeks. In 1888 Bishop
Vladimir came from Russia, remaining until 1891, when he was succeeded by
Bishop Nicholas, whose stay was noted for two important features: (1) An excep-
tional development of religious activity in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, which
found expression in the building of new churches, chapels, and schools^ in the
increase in the number of missionaries; in the founding of various societies and
fraternities for charitable purposes and for the improvement of the moral condi-
tion of the natives; in the opening of asylums for children, etc.: (2) the enlarging
of the eparchy to include Canada and the Eastern States of the United States,
thus opening a new period in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church in the
United States.
In the more recent immigration, large numbers have come from the old Austria-
Hungary, especially from the former Galicia and Poland, who belonged to what
are known as the Uniat churches. When those sections, once a^part of Russian
territory, came under the control of Poland, and later of Austria-Hungary, and
thus under the general influence of the Roman Catholic Church, an arrangement
was effected, called the Unia, by which members of the Eastern Orthodox Churches,
while recognizing the supremacy of the Pope, were permitted _to retain most of
their liturgy and have their own special bishops. These provisions, however, did
not hold outside of Austria-Hungary and, on coming to America, the members of
these churches found themselves compelled to use the liturgy of the Roman
Catholic Church and be under the jurisdiction of local _ bishops, who in general
either knew nothing about the Unia or did not take it into ^ account.
In seeking relief from this position, one of the Uniat parishes in Minneapolis
became aware of the existence in the United States of a see of the Russian Ortho-
dox Church and, in 1891, under the leadership of Rev. Alexis G. Toth, petitioned
the Russian Bishop Vladimir to take them all under his jurisdiction within
the pale of the Russian Church. Bishop Vladimir willingly complied with the
request and, during the time of Bishop Nicholas, who succeeded him^the example
of the parish in Minneapolis was followed by a number of Uniat parishes.
About the same time the immigration from Russia proper increased, and soon
purely Russian parishes were formed in New York and Chicago, although in the
former city there was an Orthodox Russian Church in existence as far back as
1876. In 1905 the episcopal see was transferred from San Francisco to New York
City and the mission was elevated to the rank of an archdiocese with an arch-
bishop and two vicar bishops, one for the diocese of Alaska and the other for the
Syrian Mission having its headquarters in the Diocese of Brooklyn, headed by an
Arabic-speaking bishop of the Russian jurisdiction.
590 CENSUS1 OF BELIGIOU'S BODIES, 1936
With the growth of the archdiocese, two additional vicar bishoprics — Pitts-
burgh and Canada — were added, and the church remained under the adminis-
tration of these five prelates until after the World War.
The history of the Russian Church in America since the World War and the
Russian Revolution, has reflected the uncertainty and persecutions characteristic
of this period in the church of Russia. As already mentioned, the pseudo-Sober
of 1923 in Moscow had declared communism essential to Christianity, and the
adherence to the Soviets obligatory; it then had appointed a pseudo synod, which
delegated to America an unfrocked priest, formerly of the Russian- American
clergy, with the title of metropolitan-archbishop, head of the Russian Church in
America. That man, armed with all credentials of the pseudo synod, instituted
legal proceedings and obtained possession of the Russian St. Nicholas Cathedral,
New York City, which was the see of the ruling bishop. At that time in Russia,
Patriarch. Tikhon and his lawful administration were imprisoned and otherwise
isolated by the Soviets; therefore no direct legal evidence could be obtained from
them as to the authority or even the existence of the regular church administra-
tion in America, which remained faithful to the rules and canons of the Russian
Orthodox Church, This is how an agent of the Soviet supporting faction of the
church won possession of the Russian Cathedral in America. He has, however,
virtually no followers either among the clergy or the laity.
Metropolitan Platon, the then actual ruling bishop of the Russian Church in
America, was forced to move his see from the Cathedral, New York City, to the
new cathedral, which was offered to him by Trinity Parish of the Protestant
Episcopal Church, New York City. It was one of Trinity's chapels which was
rebuilt and transformed into a Russian Cathedral, and now houses also the office
of tlie Metropolitan Council, governing body of the church.
Seeing the impossibility of any further connections with Moscow controlled
by Communism, Metropolitan Platon, in an epistle published in 1933, proclaimed
the Russian Orthodox Church in North America to be temporarily autonomous.
It so remains now.
In 1934, after the death of Metropolitan Platon, an all-American Sobor of the
church was convoked in Cleveland, Ohio. Theophilus, Archbishop of San
Francisco, was elected Metropolitan and head of the Russian Church in America
and Canada. He occupies that office today.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
The general doctrine of the Russian Orthodox Church is in accord with that
of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, as given in the General Statement of this
publication.
In the United* States the Autonomous Russian Orthodox Church is governed
by a metropolitan elected to that office for life by an all- American Conclave, or
Sobor. That Sobor is convened periodically to pass upon matters of the internal
organization of the church. It consists of all bishops and of delegates elected
from all parishes (one clerical and one lay from each) . The last Sobor was held
in New York City in October 1937.
The 10 Russian bishops in America form a council of bishops, with power to
rule upon matters of doctrine. That council is also being convened periodically.
The permanent governing body is the Metropolitan Council, consisting of
clerical and lay members elected, by the all- American Sobor, and/or appointed by
the Metropolitan. That council, however, has but consultative power, its de-
cisions becoming effective only after they are approved by the Metropolitan. It
has a permanent secretary with offices in New York City.
The whole territory of the United States, Canada, and Alaska is divided into
11 bishoprics, and into 25 districts under district deans, periodically elected by the
clergy of the districts. They exercise local supervision.
Previous to the fall of the old regime of Imperial Russia the Holy Synod of
Russia allowed $77,850 annually for the maintenance of the eparchy, besides
which the Missionary Society of Russia gave for its purely missionary work
$1,481. The bishops, the official institutions, and the officers of the eparchy
were supported by these appropriations, other expenses were met partly from the
same funds and partly from parish fees. Since 1918, however, the missionary
work and all the clergy have been supported, of necessity, by the contributions
from the local congregations, since the present Russian regime does not permit
funds to be provided from Russia.
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH 591
WORK
While originally the archdiocese was a mission, at present almost the only
strictly missionary work is that carried on by the clergy of Alaska among the
Indians and Eskimos, and each year sees Alaskan and Indian converts brought
into the Russian Church. In the United States the clergy are almost entirely oc-
cupied with caring for the religious needs of immigrants from Europe who are
members of the Russian Church by birth or have returned to it from the Uniat
churches.
There are also converts in increasing numbers who come unsought from
Americans of other denominational allegiance or of none, but of non-Orthodox
ancestry. These are increasing as the church services and literature become
available in the English language.
The educational work of the archdiocese consists in the maintenance of schools
of various types, taught mostly by priests or readers. The Sunday schools are
few in number, more attention being paid to the parish schools, which are held
in some places only on Saturday, while in others they are held three times a
week, and in still others every evening, after the sessions of the public schools
are over. In these schools instruction is given in the Russian language, Russian
history, Bible history, the catechism, prayers, and church singing.
In 1938 a Russian Orthodox Seminary was organized in New York in coopera-
tion with Columbia University. High school graduates are given special courses
of preparation for priesthood, simultaneously with their regular studies for B. A.
and B. S. degrees at Columbia. During the same year another pastoral school
was opened in South Canaan, Pa.
A number of publications are devoted to the religious education of the members
of the church. The archiepiscopal cathedra of New York publishes a monthly
magazine entitled the Russian Orthodox American Messenger. The Bishop
of Chicago publishes for his diocese a monthly Russian journal called Our Way.
The Russian Orthodox Journal is published monthly in English in Binghamton,
N. Y., as the organ of a nation-wide association of young people's societies known
as the Federated Russian Orthodox Clubs. A weekly paper, called the Light, is
published in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. The Russian Archdiocese also publishes books
and pamphlets in various languages, chiefly Russian.
SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
STATISTICS
Summary for the "United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Serbian Orthodox Church for the year 1936
is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination is of two types, communicant members,
or all persons, including infants, baptized and confirmed in the church; and parish
members, or the families of the congregation, the head of the family being the
voting member.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Cimrclies (locdl organizations) number
27
20,020
741
10, 297
8,803
920
117 0
4,084
15, 936
20.4
26
26
$498, 7B5
$492, 850
$5, 915
$19, 183
14
$93, 558
12
15
14
$59,800
oy
$81,389
$28,773
$8,867
$12, 739
$10, 270
$17, 315
$1, 715
$45
$25
$1, 634
$3, 014
10
33
848
5
9
251
26
19,840
763
10, 197
8,723
920
116 9
4,034
15, 806
20 3
25
25
$483, 765
$477, 850
$5, 915
$19, 351
14
$93, 558
11
14
13
$56, 800
2G
$80, 389
$28, 473
$8, 867
$12, 439
$10, 276
$17,115
$1, 715
$45
$25
$1, 434
$3, 092
9
32
808
5
9
251
1
180
180
100
80
Members, number
99.1
0.9
^Yoraco membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
99.0
99.1
100.0
1 0
.9
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
00
50
130
27.8
1
1
$15,000
$15, 000
Membership by age
Under 13 years _
98 8
99.2
1.2
.8
13 years and over. . .
Percent tinder 13 years
Church, edifices, number
Value — Dumber reporting
Amount reported
97.0
97.0
100 0
3 0
3.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or m part, in 1936-
Average value per church
$15,000
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Number reporting "no debt"
1
1
1
$3,000
1
$1,000
$300
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
95.0
5 0
Expenditures •
Churches reporting number
Amount reported. _. . _ _.
98 8
99 0
100.0
1 2
1.0
Pastors' salaries . _ .
All other salaries
Kepairs and improvements
$300
97 6
100.0
2.4
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest
All other current expenses, including
interest
$200
98.8
100.0
1.2
Local relief and chanty. Red Cross, etc. ..
Home missions
Foreign missions
All other purposes
$200
$1,000
1
1
40
87.8
12 2
Average expenditure per church" _
Sun day schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers _ , .
Scholars
95 3
4.7
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number
0 05 cers and teachers
Scholars
166 6
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Ratio not shown ^ here number of females is less than 100,
592
SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
593
Comparative data, 1906-36.- -Table 2 presents, in eomenienfc form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Serbian Orthodox Church
for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906. It is probable that the decrease
in membership in 1926 and 1916 is accounted for in part by differences in the
method of reporting, as well as by a decrease in immigration.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
27
10
17
5
12
2
10
Increase over prededmg census:
N'mnhpjr
Percent x__ _ _ , .
Members, number
20, 020
6,245
45 3
741
26
26
$498, 765
$19, 183
14
$93, 558
15
14
$59, 800
27
$81, 389
$28, 773
$8, 867
$12,739
$10, 276
$17, 315
$1, 715
$45
$25
$1, 634
$3, 014
10
33
848
13, 775
-526
-3 7
810
17
16
$272, 000
$17, 000
5
$72, 000
14, 301
— 1,441
15,742
Increase 2 over preceding census:
Number. _
Percent
9 2
Average membership per church
1,192
10
10
$106, 700
$10, 670
5
$21, 112
1,574
8
8
$62, 460
$7, 808
7
$19, 000
Church edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported _..
Average value per church. , ._ ._
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
Parsonages, number
Value — nirrphp.r reporting
10
$50, 000
15
$67, 978
• $63, 885
$4, 093
$4, 532
7
10
497
5
$15, 300
12
$29, 353
$19, 013
$10, 340
$2,446
8
11
653
2
$2, 100
Amount reported
Expenditures :
Oburfih^s reporting, nnrnhfir
Amount reported _ _
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements __ __
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest,.
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc _ .
TTornfi missions
.Foreign missions
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
1
1
13
Officers and teachers __ _ _ __
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
3 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
State tables. — Tables 3. 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Serbian Ortho-
dox Church by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural
territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4
gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four
census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as
"under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the
value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for
1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing
the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables
5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
594
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS LOD'IES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OP
CHURCHES
NUMBER OP
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP
BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
13
1
1
p
Is
«
1
IS
o
gn
Urban
*S
tj
«
0
OS
3
Female
Sex not re-
ported
Males per
100 females
Churches
reporting
Officers and
teachers
to
<s
"o
•g
CO
848
United States
27
26
20, 020
19, 840
180
10, 297
8,803
920
117,0
10
33
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1
1
750
8,038
2,970
3,132
1,750
140
2,338
112
345
445
750
8,038
2,970
2,952
1,750
140
2,338
112
345
445
460
3,847
1,520
1,542
950
136
1,257
108
180
297
290
3,271
1,450
1,590
800
4
1,081
4
165
148
158 6
117.6
104 8
97.0
118 8
0)
116 3
0
109 1
Pennsylvania
10
4
3
2
1
2
1
1
2
10
4
2
2
1
2
1
1
2
....
920
5
1
1
1
1
26
2
1
1
1
522
80
40
75
56
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio _ _ _ .
Indiana
180
Illinois _..
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
PACIFIC:
California
200 7
1
2
75
i Ratio not shown where number of females m less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
AGE, 1936
1936
1936
1916
1906
1936
1936
1916
1906
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Per-
cent
under
13
United States
37
17
12
10
20,020
13, 775
14, 301
15, 742
4,084
15, 936
20.4
Pennsylvania
10
4
3
2
4
4
4
1
8,038
2,970
3,132
5,880
1,100
4,211
3,688
6,652
1,190
1,750
345
866
1,123
6,288
2.625
2,266
4,757
21 8
11.6
27.7
19.1
Ohio
Indiana
Other States . .
MO
11
8
5
8,434
10, 613
7,900
1 Includes- New York, 1; Illinois, 2, Wisconsin, 1; Minnesota, 2; Missouri, 1; Nebraska, 1; and California, 2,
SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
595
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PAESONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT
BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OP CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
27
26
28
$498, 765
14
$93, 558
14
$59, 800
Pennsylvania
10
4
3
10
9
4
3
10
9
4
3
210
111,000
58, 750
49, 500
279, 515
4
4
1
5
15, 900
20, 850
500
56, 308
6
3
1
4
23, 800
9,000
0)
27, 000
Ohio
Indiana
Other States
* Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid diselosingfthe statistics of any individual
church.
2 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States — Illinois, Minnesota, and California; and 1 in each
of the following — New York, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Nebraska.
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
1
EXFEN]
DITURES
1
§
Us
1
S
"o
pf
S iyj
SS
o
CO
STATE
1
o
8
.2
SOT
-Ss
Sl
fl
n
fl
o
I
a-
a
OS
"ce
TD a
§5
"S"^
03 >»
.2
S3
3
73
o-S
n
1
s
I
D
CCS
13
i
1
"o
i
s||
il
"S
me mi
a
"o
EH
a
o
o
o
o
o
EH
PH
<!
PH
PH
0
H
PR
<1
Unite d States. _
27
27
$81, 389
$28, 773
$8, 867
$12, 739
$10, 276
$17, 315
$1, 715
$45
$25
$1, 634
Pennsylvania
10
10
28,879
8,667
4,207
4,580
1,211
8,645
565
45
25
934
Ohio
4
4
12 355
4 930
820
900
3 005
2 700
Indiana
3
3
6,540
3,480
1,160
450
1,250
200
Other States
10
33, 615
11, 696
2,680
6,809
6,060
4,720
1,150
500
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States — Illinois, Minnesota, and California; and 1 in each
of the following— New York, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Nebraska.
275318 — 41-
-39
596 OBNSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 3936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AMD ORGANIZATION l
The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of the United States of America and Canada is a
part of the Serbian Patriarchate in Yugoslavia (Europe), which in its turn is a
branch of the Eastern Orthodox Church, although independent of the same in
its government.
The introduction of Christianity among the Serbians began in the seventh
century. It was first preached by the Greek Church of Constantinople. But
Christianity finally came to rule only in the ninth century, after the Slavs' first
apostles, St. Cyril and St. Methodius, translated gospel and liturgical books into
the Slavonic language, which has been up to the present time the official church
language of the Serbs, the Russians, and the Bulgarians.
Up until the thirteenth century, the Serbian Church was under the juris-
diction of the Greek Patriarchate of Constantinople; only in the year 1219, under
the leadership of St. Sava, the first Archbishop, the Serbian Church became inde-
pendent, organized into the National Serbian Church, and as such, we see her
playing a very important role in the national life of the Serbian people.
In the middle of the fourteenth century, the Serbian Church was heightened
to the grade of a Patriarchate, with its center at the city of Ipee (today called
Pech) . This was the period of the greatest height and glory of this church, the
time when the Serbian-Byzantine architecture and art reached its culmination, as
the following period, after the invasion of the Turks (1389 to 1815), was the time
of suffering and martyrdom for the faith. Even up to the present day one can
see the important and beautiful remains of the brilliant past of this church, espe-
cially the architecture and church art, which is evident, even today, in the many
old monasteries built in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
Today the Serbian Patriarchate consists of 26 dioceses, one of which is the
Diocese of the United States of America and Canada. The church is governed
by the Patriarch and the Holy Synod, whose sole members are the bishops. The
residence of both the Patriarch and the Holy Synod is in Belgrade, the capital of
Yugoslavia.
The Serbian people began to immigrate to the United States about the year
1890. The majority came from the territories which were under the Austro-
Hungarian rule, and the main reason, evidently, for leaving their native land, was
not merely economic, but more of a political nature, because conditions in pre-
war Austria-Hungary were very intolerable toward Slavs in general, and toward
the Serbians in particular.
Beginning their new life in the adopted country (the United States) they used
to attend Russian Churches and call upon Russian priests for services, because the
Russian Church here was the closest to them, not only in teaching and form, but
in language as well. In the beginning of the twentieth century, we see the first
organized Serbian parishes in Jackson, Calif.; Douglas, Alaska; McKeesport, Pa.;
Steelton, Pa.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Chicago, 111. They were also under the
supervision of the Russian bishops.
In 1921 the Serbian Patriarchate founded a special diocese for the United
States and Canada, which received its first own bishop in 1926. Headquarters
and offices were established at St. Sava's Serbian Monastery, Liberty ville, 111.
Now this diocese has 36 parishes (church congregations). The bishop's residence
and church consistory for this diocese are now in Chicago, 111.
* Tnis statement was furnished by Rev. M. Stefanovich, secretary to Bt. Bev. Dr. Damaskin, Serbian
Orthodox Bishop for the United States of America and Canada, Chicago, 111.
SYRIAN ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with, urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Syrian Antiochian Orthodox Church for the year
1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures
between urban and rural territory. There were four parsonages reported — one
each in the States of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Iowa. These
statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor
or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination is of two types, communicant members,
or all persons, including infants, baptized and confirmed in the church; and
parish members, or the families of the congregation, the head of the family being
the voting member.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND HURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
Clrurclies (local organizations), number
61
18,451
302
9,340
8,385
726
111.4
5,200
11, 651
1,600
30.9
45
45
$555, 139
$486, 639
$68. 500
$12, 336
22
$91,416
21
7
4
$21, 000
52
$100,480
$39,911
$4,062
$12, 549
$22,552
$11,973
$4,448
$1,260
$125
$2,323
$1, 277
$1,932
60
18,381
306
9,305
8,350
726
111.4
5,186
11, 595
1,600
30.9
45
45
$555, 139
$486, 639
$68, 500
$12,336
22
$91, 416
21
7
4
$21,000
51
$100,345
$39,883
$4,047
$12, 549
$22,552
$11, 963
$4,428
$1, 260
$75
$2,323
$1, 265
$1,968
1
70
70
35
35
Members, number
99.6
0.4
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
99.6
99.6
100.0
.4
.4
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
(2)
14
56
Membership by age:
Under 13 years .. _ .
99.7
99.5
100.0
.3
.5
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 3
0)
Ch,jiTCh fcdific^s, 7111 Tiber
Vftlnfl — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936
100.0
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936 .
Average value per church
100.0
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Number reporting "no debt". . _
Pn.fHnTifl.gAR, TJ timber
Valne— ->niirnb<M* report fng
Amount reported "
165.6
Expenditures:
nhnrc.'hft? reporting, number
1
$135
$28
$15
Amount reported
99.9
99.9
99.6
100.0
.1
.1
.4
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, exduding inter-
est
100.0
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
$10
$20
99.9
99.6
100.0
.1
.4
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc.__
TTOTn$ -missions
Foreign missions
$50
60.0
100.0
40.0
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes u, ^
$12
$135
99.1
.9
Average expenditure per church__
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
» Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
597
598
CENSUS OF KELKHOTJS BODIES, 1936
TABLE !»• — SUMMARY OP STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL »
Urban
Rural
Sunday schools :
Cnurehes reporting number
24
155
1,386
3
11
123
2
18
90
24
155
1,386
3
11
123
2
18
90
Officers and teachers
100,0
Scholars
100 0
Weekday religious schools:
Churches reporting number
Officers and'teachers
Scholars
100 0
Parochial schools J
C hurches rep ort ID g numb8r
Officers and teachers
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Syrian Antiochian Orthodox
Church for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number -
61
30
25
8
Increase over preceding census:
Number
31
5
17
Percent l — .. -. — -
Members, number - .
18, 451
9,207
11, 591
4,002
Increase 2 over preceding census:
Nimih&r
9.244
-2, 384
7,589
Percent
100.4
—20.6
189 6
Average membership per church ,
302
307
464
500
Church edifices, number ... „ _ . . ..
45
29
26
2
Value — number reporting- -
45
25
25
2
Amount reported
$555, 139
$902, 375
$180 507
$32, 160
Average value per church
$12, 336
$36, 095
$7, 220
$16, 080
Debt — number reporting ~ ~_ _
22
*>>U17
16
Auiowit r^portQCl
$91, 416
$122, 550
$70, 779
Parsonages, number
7
Value — number reporting
4
7
6
Amount reported -
$21, 000
$37, 200
$14, 500
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number .
52
24
24
Amount reported . „ -
$100, 480
$66, 971
$28, 498
Pastors' salaries -
$39,911
All other salaries. __
$4, 062
Repairs and improvements
$12, 549
$59, 268
$24, 288
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest...
Local relief and charity, Hed Cross, etc
$22, 552
$11, 973
$4,448
Home missions
$1, 260
Foreign missions. . __
$125
$7, 703
$4, 210
To general headquarters for distribution
$2, 323
All other purposes
$1, 277
Average expenditure per church __ .
$1, 932
$2, 790
$1, 187
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number _ .
P"24
9
8
1
Officers and teachers
P155
31
31
1
Scholars . .
1,386
707
515
50
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
SYRIAN ANTIOOHIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
599
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Syrian Antio-
chian Orthodox Church by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the
number and membership of the churches, membership classified by sex, and data
for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives for selected States the number and member-
ship of the churches for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the
membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age
and over." Table 5 shows the value of church edifices and the amount of debt
on such property for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures,
showing separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order
to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, separate
presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more
churches reported value and expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX,
AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber
of
mem-
bers
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Male
Fe-
male
Sex not
re-
ported
Males
per 100
fe-
males1
Churches
re-
porting
Offi-
cers
and
teach-
ers
Schol-
ars
United States
61
18, 451
9,340
64
1,172
199
687
125
1,749
897
276
99
1,995
50
133
60
144
93
84
235
411
32
42
793
8,385
72
1,134
118
704
200
1,554
958
307
82
1,368
50
135
60
139
89
82
215
355
19
40
704
726
111.4
24
155
1,388
NEW ENGLAND:
New Hampshire
1
5
3
5
1
14
4
4
2
4
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
3
2
1
4
136
2,306
317
1,391
325
3,429
1,855
583
181
3,363
100
268
120
283
182
166
450
766
651
82
1,497
Massachusetts
103.4
168.6
97.6
62.5
112.5
03.6
89.9
3
1
2
1
4
2
1
1
I
1
1
1
2
1
1
13
12
7
4
20
18
5
2
9
2
12
7
15
20
6
151
70
115
40
232
127
35
20
120
30
135
70
75
96
30
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
P ennsyl vania
126
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
145.8
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa _ _ _ -
98.5
Nebraska
Kansas _
103.6
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
West Virginia
Georgia
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
109.3
115.8
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
OlrlfVhnmft
Texas
600
PACIFIC:
Oregon
1
3
40
California
112.6
* Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
600
OENSUS) OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHUECHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBEESHIP BY AGE,
1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1936
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13 1
TTnitedStates
61
30
25
8
18, 451
9,207
11,591
4,002
5,200
11,651
1,600
30 9
26.8
25.9
36.3
36.6
26.3
23 8
28.5
29.1
25.1
34.9
Massachusetts.
5
3
3
4
3
2,306
317
1,391
3,429
1,855
1,218
3,930
1,200
617
82
505
1,256
225
139
958
223
376
819
1,689
235
886
2,173
630
444
2,405
543
1,121
1,525
Connecticut __
New York
5
14
4
3
9
3
7
2
1
1,506
2,603
2,720
2,496
2,435
95
Pennsylvania -
Ohio
1,000
Indiana -
4
583
3,363
Michigan
4
Oklahoma
3
766
1 497
California
4
Other States
215
15
11
2
2,944
3,880
2,445
272
600
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
* Includes 2 churches in each of the following States — Illinois, Kansas, and Texas; and 1 in each of the fol-
lowing— New Hampshire, New Jersey, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, West Virginia, Georgia, Kentucky,
and Oregon.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHUECHES AND AMOUNT OF CHUECH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHUBCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHUECH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States. _.„__..
61
45
._.
3
12
3
3
3
3
13
45
_
3
12
3
3
3
3
US
$555, 139
127, 700
44,500
99,800
89,534
20,000
52,500
20,500
100, 605
22
3~
1
6
1
1
2
3
5
$91, 416
23,200
2,500
16,000
15,000
300
11,000
5,250
18, 166
Massachusetts . . . _ ,
5
5
14
4
4
4
4
21
New York . . .
Pennsylvania _ ..
Ohio
Indiana _ ......
Michigan
California . „
Other States. ._
1 Includes 2 churches in Kansas; and 1 in each of the following States—Connecticut, New Jersey, Illinois,
Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Georgia, Kentucky, Oklahoma. Texas, and Oregon.
SYEIAN ANTIOOHIAN ORTHODOX OHUECH
601
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to Slates having 3 or more churches reporting]
STATE
Total number of churches ||
EXPENDITURES
Churches reporting
Total amount
Pastors' salaries
S
1
~o
I
1
I
Payment on church
debt, excluding in-
terest
« M
o
Local relief and char-
ity
Home missions
Foreign missions
&
e
All other purposes
United States-
Massachusetts
61
5
5
14
4
4
4
4
21
52
$100,480
$39,911
84,062
$12,549
$22, 552
811,973
$4,448
$1,260
$125
$2,823
$1, 277
5
5
13
3
3
117
14, 583
5,570
27, 517
10,360
3,545
8,630
4,497
25, 778
5,998
2,628
9,976
5,341
1,000
2,740
600
11, 628
300
75
1,460
100
625
650
240
612
1,525
420
3,477
1,200
815
750
500
2,800
100
6,200
1,550
400
2,890
2,952
5,660
2,785
1,830
3,229
1,119
410
850
525
45
1,755
200
210
325
150
1,238
650
New York
50
110
605
500
312
465
100
Pennsylvania.
325
250
85
100
Ohio
Indiana
Michigan
325
55
78
California
50
Other States
1,750
500
400
1 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Connecticut, Kansas, and Texas; and. 1 in each
of the following— New Hampshire, New Jersey, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, West Virginia, Geor-
gia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Oregon.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
The churches of this body represent the immigration into the United States
of communities from Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and Iraq, connected with the
Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. Before the World War, although they all
had priests of their own, the great majority of these were under the general super-
vision of a Syrian coadjutor bishop under the jurisdiction of the Russian Church,
Their history is included in that of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and in doctrine
and polity they are in harmony with the other bodies of the Eastern Church.
Up to 1934 the Syrian Antiochian Orthodox parishes in America were divided
in their spiritual allegiance into five groups, with five bishops, each at the head of a
group. Between 1933 and 1934 three of the five bishops passed away, and two
were excommunicated by the church. During the month of September 1934, the
Patriarchate of Antioch appointed the Very Reverend Archimandrite Antony
Bashir as patriarchal vicar for all the Syrian Orthodox people in North America
with full authority to unite all the parishes in America in one organization, to be
known as the Syrian Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of New York and all North
America.
Under the leadership of the new patriarchal vicar, all the Syrian Orthodox
Churches and people in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America
were united in one organization known today as the Syrian Antiochian Orthodox
Archdiocese of New York and all North America, with headquarters in Brooklyn,
N. Y.
In February 1936, at the request of the clergy and the people of the said
Syrian Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of New York and all North America,
the House of Bishops of the Patriarchate of Antioch, presided over by the supreme
head of the Syrian Orthodox Church, the Patriarch of Antioch, Alexander III,
elected Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Antony Bashir as an archbishop of New York and
all North America and head of the Syrian Antiochian Orthodox Church in North
America. Archbishop Bashir was consecrated in April 1936 in Brooklyn, N. Y.
i This statement, which differs somewhat from that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by the Most Reverend Archbishop Antony Bashir, Syrian Antiochian Ortho-
dox Archdiocese of New York and all North America, Brooklyn, N. Y., and approved by him in its present
form.
UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF AMERICA
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America for
the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these
figures between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from
schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual
churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination is of two types, communicant members,
or all persons, including infants, baptized and confirmed in the church; and
parish members, or the families of the congregation, the head of the family
being the voting member.
As the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America was reported for the first
time in 1936, no comparative figures are available.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL I
Urban
Rural
C h.urc]ies (local organizations) number
28
11, 480
410
4,911
5, 269
1,300
93 2
2,120
9,304
56
18 5
27
27
$486, 900
$369, 000
$117,900
$13, 535
21
$182, 150
6
11
10
$61, 200
28
$83, 151
$25, 781
$8, 808
$9, 088
$14, 077
$21, 050
$1, 610
$829
$60
$935
$913
$2, 970
16
38
646
13
33
724
22
10, 284
467
4,319
4, 665
1.300
92 6
1,951
8,333
6
1,196
199
592
604
Members, number - . -_
89.6
10.4
A-Yerage momborship por church
Membership by sev.
Male
87.9
88 5
100 0
12 1
11.5
Female -
Sex not reported
\Tales per 100 females
98.0
169
971
56
14 8
5
5
$26, 600
$26, 000
$600
$5, 320
4
$14, 695
1
1
1
$1, 500
6
$8, 375
$4, 161
$540
$413
$750
$2, 112
$140
$84
Membership by age:
Under 13 years - ..
92 0
89.6
8.0
10.4
13 years and over -
A°"e not reported
Percent under 13 years 2
18.9
22
22
$460, 300
$343, 000
$117, 300
$15, 490
17
$167, 455
5
10
9
$59, 700
22
$74, 776
$21, 620
$8, 268
$8, 675
$13, 327
$18, 938
$1, 470
$745
$60
$800
$873
$3, 399
14
36
607
11
31
636
Church edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported - _, _.
94 5
92.9
99 4
5.5
7.1
.6
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936
\verajje value per church.
Debt— -number reporting
Amount reported
91 9
8.1
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number
Value — -number reporting
Amount reported
97 5
2.5
Expenditures:
Churches reporting number
Amount reported .. . __
89.9
83.9
93 9
95.0
94.7
90.0
91.3
89.9
10 1
16 1
G 1
5.0
5.3
10 0
8.7
10.1
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries .
JRepairs and improvements . ,
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
ter est
All other current expenses, including in-
terest-. _.
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc-.
Uome missions
Foreign missions... _„____
To general headquarters for distribution __
All other purposes
$135
$40
$1, 396
2
2
39
2
2
68
85.6
95.6
14.4
4.4
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting number .
Officers and. teachers
Scholars
93 9
G.1
Weekday religions schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
90.6
9.4
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
602
> Based on membership with age classification reported.
UKRAINIAN O'RT'HOD'OX OH'TPRiOH OF AMERICA
603
State tables. — Tables 2, 3, and 4 present the statistics for 1936 for the Ukrainian
Orthodox Church of America by States. Table 2 gives for each State the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban
or rural territory, membership classified by sex and age, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 3 shows the value of churches and parsonages and the amount
of debt on church edifices. Table 4 presents the church expenditures, showing
separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to
avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, separate pres-
entation in tables 3 and 4 is limited to those States in which three or more
churches reported value and expenditures.
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX AND AGE, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY
STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEM-
BERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
MEMBERSHIP BY
AGE
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVI-
1
a
emales
<u
„
CO
9
cs
w
1
SION AND STATE
r
8
OS
0
ft
•§
£
o
eo
§
2
j-j
to
§
1
9
£
1
3
1
1
1
*C3
a
x
1
I
•s
d
o
a
?
.S3
O
1
03
8
&
P
rt
&
53
rt
%
fc
eg
s
iS
CO
Jf
£
O
0
0
United States,
28
22
6
11,480
10, 284
1,196
4,911
5,269
1,300
93.2
2,120
9,304
56
18.5
16
38
646
NEW ENGLAND:
Connecticut
2
1
1
281
225
56
134
147
91.2
40
185
56
17.8
...
...
....
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
10
^
3
4,369
4,115
254
1, 542
1,527
1,300
101.0
588
3,781
13.5
8
18
310
New Jersey. __
2
1
1
1, 560
1, 385
175
680
880
77.3
375
1,185
24.0
2
5
138
Pennsylvania.
8
7
1
3,274
2,563
711
1,572
1,702
92 4
823
2,451
...
25 1
3
11
115
E. N. CENTRAL:
Ohio
2
2
320
320
137
183
74 9
41
279
12 8
2
9
R8
Indiana
1
1
400
400
200
200
100 0
400
1
fl
Illinois
1
1
564
564
279
285
97,9
127
437
W, 5
Wisconsin
1
1
216
216
108
108
100.0
41
175
1Q 0
SOUTH ATLANTIC-
Delaware
1
1
...
496
496
259
237
109.3
85
411
—
17.1
—
—
...
i Based on membership with age classification reported.
TABLE 3. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
28
„_
8
10
27
27
$486,900
21
$182,150
10
$81,200
New York
10
8
9
10
8
19
267,900
124,000
95,000
8
6
107,295
50,480
24,375
3
5
2
22, 700
21, 000
17,500
Pennsylvania...
Other States
1 Includes 2 churches each in the States of Connecticut and New Jersey; and 1 in each of the following-
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Delaware.
604 CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BOWES, 1936
TABLE 4. — CHUECH EXPENDITTJKES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
KJ
0
EXPENDITUBES
ss
0
to
^
^
3
fl
•§
1
f3
O
s
T34J
§1n
^
•§
STATE
o
g
0
o
"o o
tf "a
"fl
1
n
§
1
0
£5
O
•n
a
"o be
RbD
n
0
ca
fi<
ft
ft
$•4
0 fl
g
*to
a
a
2
§
o
1
T3
p
cj
o-S
11
.2
1
43
a
•3
ft
CJ
"3
1
s
CS
'es
I
"S
J3
"3
D<
o g
«-g
ja
g
d
a
.£?
1
"o
o
o
C§
0
o
-<
M
^
O
Hi
w
PR
H
<
United States
28
28
$83, 151
$25, 781
S8, 808
89, 088
814,077
$21, 050
SI, 610
$829
$60
$935
S91S
New York
10
in
30, 157
8,281
3,316
2,685
5,181
8,881
918
an?,
r»(!-q
334
Pennsylvania
8
8
23,320
8,523
2,750
3,223
3,271
4,419
252
170
29S
417
Other States
10
110
29, 674
8,977
2,742
3^180
5,625
7,750
440
357
60
381
ir>2
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Connecticut, New Jersey, and Ohio; and 1 in each
of the following— Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Delaware.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGATOZATION '
HISTORY
Ukraine first came into definite relation with Christianity through the visit
of Princess Olga to Constantinople, where she was baptized about the year 957.
Subsequently the Ukrainian ruler of Kiev, Wolodimir the Great, sent emissaries
to the different churches, Eastern and Western, to learn of their doctrine and
rituals, with a view to adopting those which they liked best. The emissaries
returned and reported in favor of the Eastern Orthodox Church, whose ceremonial
in the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Sophia seemed to them to excel all
others. Thereupon Wolodimir was baptized, and the Eastern Orthodox Church
became the church of the state of Ukraine. In the year 988 the whole Ukraine
accepted Christianity.
During the succeeding centuries the Ukrainian Church was governed by
metropolitans under the supreme jurisdiction of the Oecumenical Patriarchate of
Constantinople. From 1686 the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was under the
jurisdiction of the Russian Patriarch of Moscow.
After the World War the Ukrainians in the United States of America started
to form their own church, and in 1928 the first Ukrainian Orthodox Church was
organized. In July 1931 the first church convention was called. In September
1932 Dr. Joseph Zuk was consecrated as the first bishop On February 23, 1934,
Dr. Zuk died. On February 28, 1937, Archimandrite Theodore Shpylka was
consecrated as the second bishop of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America,
accepting the name Bohdan, by the Greek Archbishop, Most Reverend Athena-
goras, of New York City.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America, while recognizing the supreme
spiritual authority of the Oecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, is prac-
tically an autonomous and independent organization in all matters of adminis-
tration. It is canonically recognized as such by the Orthodox Churches every-
where.
In general, the Ukrainian churches are in accord with other Eastern Orthodox
Churches in doctrine; their polity and worship, while in principle the same as in
those churches, vary somewhat in form to meet the peculiar needs.
1 This statement was furnished by Re v. N. Pidhoreeky, vicar-general of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
of America, New York City, N. Y.
EVANGELICAL AND REFORMED CHURCH
(A UNION OF THE EVANGELICAL SYNOD OF NOETH AMEEICA AND THE REFOKMED
CHUECH IN THE UNITED STATES)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general sum-
mary of the statistics for the Evangelical and .Reformed Church for the year 1936
is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination comprises all persons who have been
confirmed and enrolled in the official congregational records as "communicant
members." Baptism is administered to infants, but confirmation does not
usually take place before the thirteenth or fourteenth year.
TABLE 1. — SUMMAEY OF STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN UEBAN AND RUEAL TEEEI-
TOEY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEBCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number _ . ..
2,875
723, 877
252
256, 419
311, 517
155, 941
82.3
55, 493
490, 046
178, 338
10.2
2,746
2,697
$77,581,798
$76, 280, 281
$1, 301, 517
$28, 766
991
$11, 599, 251
1,138
1,922
1,803
$8,957,368
2,822
$9,325,381
$2,587,031
$891, 866
$646,458
$672, 226
$2, 917, 570
$170, 249
$102, 295
$112, 795
$746, 660
$478, 231
$3, 305
2,661
42,488
480,909
1,121
450, 194
402
154, 123
197, 810
98, 261
77.9
32, 759
304, 971
112, 464
9.7
1,086
1,066
$56, 197, 459
$55, 239, 968
$957, 491
$52, 718
665
$10, 013, 922
277
872
850
$5, 597, 393
1,112
$6,640,291
$1, 584, 001
$718,515
$452, 453
$530,454
$2, 252, 616
$115,790
$68, 641
$83,078
$511, 575
$323, 168
$5,971
1,072
24,116
279, 832
1,754
273,683
156
102, 296
113, 707
57, 680
.90.0
22,734
185, 075
65, 874
10.9
1,660
1,631
$21, 384, 339
$21, 040, 313
$344, 026
$13, 111
326
$1, 585, 329
861
1,050
953
$3, 359, 975
1,710
$2,685,090
$lr 003, 030
$173, 351
$194,005
$141, 772
$664, 954
$54, 459
$33, 654
$29, 717
$235. 085
$155, 063
$1,570
1,589
18, 372
201,077
39.0
62.2
61.0
37.8
Members, number .. _ - _
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male--
60.1
63.5
63.0
39.9
36.5
37.0
Female ,_ -
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
59.0
62.2
63.1
41.0
37.8
36.9
13 years and over. . , _.
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years l
C'hTir'rh ftdififies, rniTnhp.r
39.5
39.5
72.4
72.4
73.6
60.5
60.5
27.6
27.6
26.4
Value — number reporting- „ _ „
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church .. ..
I^ftbt — Tinmb^r rfiporfa'Tig
67.1
86.3
24.3
45.4
47.1
62.5
39.4
71.2
61,2
80.6
70.0
78.9
77.2
68.0
67.1
73.7
68.5
67.6
32.9
13.7
75.7
54.6
52.9
37.5
60.6
28.8
38.8
19.4
30.0
21.1
22.8
32.0
32.9
26.3
31.5
32.4
Amount reported, .. .
Number reporting ''no debt"
Parsonages, number _ -
Value — number reporting
Amount reported,
Expenditures :
f hur^ti^s reporting, THiTnbw
Afn OTI r>t. reported.
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries - ,-
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding inter-
est
All other current expenses, including in-
terest ,—
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc__.
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution--
All other purposes - , ,
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, iniimbBr
40.3
56.8
58.2
59.7
43.2
41.8
Officers and teachers
Scholars
» Based on membership with age classification reported.
605
606
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1930
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL TERRI-
TORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number.
488
3,271
29, 535
389
755
10, 603
21
418
3,105
227
1,873
17,826
190
429
7,583
12
342
2,556
261
1,398
11, 709
199
326
3,020
9
76
549
46 5
57.3
60.4
48.8
56.8
71.5
(2)
81 8
82.3
53 5
42.7
39.6
51.2
43.2
28.5
(z>
18.2
17.7
Officers and teachers
Scholars
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number - ,_
Officers and teachers
Scholars -
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1936 and 1926. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for
comparison, a summary of the available statistics of the Evangelical and Reformed
Church for the census years 1936 and 1926. This denomination was reported in
previous census years as two separate denominations, namely, "Reformed Church
in the United States'7 and the "Evangelical Synod of North America."
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1936 AND 1926
ITEM
1936
19261
Churches (lorRl organizations), number «.
2,875
2 996
Increase 2 over preceding census:
Number
—121
Percent
—4.0
Members, number . „ - - , -
723, 877
675, 804
Increase over preceding census:
"NTnmhftr
48, 073
Percent
7.1
Average membership per church
252
226
Church edifices, number _ , ._. _.
2,746
3,209
Value — number reporting «
2,697
2,933
Amount reported _ - _____ __ __
$77, 681, 798
$80 452,456
Average value per church— _ , „ _ _
$28, 766
$27, 430
Debt — number reporting _.
991
735
Amount reported __ _
$11,599,251
$8, 524, 822
Parsonages, number
1,922
Value — number reporting _
1,803
1,867
Amount reported
$8, 957, 368
$11 825 346
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
2,822
2 966
Amount reported-
$9 325,381
$13 491 346
Pastors' salaries _„ __
$2, 587, 031
All other salaries.. _____ _
$891 866
Repairs and Improvements __
$646, 458
\ $10 806 739
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
$672, 226
All other current expenses, including interest
$2, 917, 570
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc __ _
$170 249
Home missions
$102, 295
Foreign missions __
$112, 795
• $2 678 054
To general headquarters for distribution
$746 660
All other purposes
$478 231
Not classified _
$6 553
Average expenditure per church __
$3 305
$4 549
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number _ _._
2,661
2,760
Officers and teachers __ _
42,488
46, 317
Scholars .
480, 909
486, 745
1 Statistics for 1926 represent the combined data for the Reformed Church in the United States and the
Evangelical Synod of North America.
2 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Evangelical and
Reformed Church by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
EVANGELICAL AND REFORMED CHURCH
607
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table
4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the
census years 1936 and 1926, together with the membership for 1936 classified as
"under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value
of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936.
Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current
expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the
financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6
is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value and
expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each synod and classis in the
Evangelical and Reformed Church, the more important statistical data for 1936
shown by States in the preceding tables, including number of churches, member-
ship, value and debt on church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION" AND STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
Total
Urban
Rural
Total
Urban
Rural
United States
2,875
2
10
90
18
896
361
138
241
78
179
72
103
164'
28
44
44
39
84
3
25
10
56
1
4
33
2
2
2
3
10
8
59
4
4
4
12
1
7
11
23
1,121
1,754
723, 877
450, 194
273, 683
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
2
8
71
16
288
162
61
109
47
58
19
20
57
260
1,348
34, 333
3,693
230, 666
100, 356
37, 276
79,417
22, 137
42,525
11, 497
18, 975
39, 231
3,021
5,003
8,761
5,239
22, 638
1,359
3,327
2,533
10, 430
163
272
13, 024
354
526
171
241
4,633
621
11, 236
304
315
574
2,557
15
863
1,292
2,691
260
1,161
32,466
3,656
127, 141
71,594
26,308
52,449
16, 934
24,482
4,439
4,503
23,657
Connecticut
2
19
2
608
199
77
132
31
121
53
83
107
28
44
31
26
48
187
1,867
37
103, 525
28, 762
10, 968
26, 968
5,203
18, 043
7,058
14, 472
15, 574
3,021
5,003
5,011
3,570
5,704
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania -_ _
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin _ _
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota -
Iowa _ _ _
Missouri--
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
13
13
36
3
4
7
19
1
2
29
1
2
2
1
9
4
14
1
1
1
9
3,750
1,669
16,934
1,359
1,301
2,259
5,231
163
214
12, 599
153
526
171
181
4,573
277
3,775
30
67
144
1,554
Kansas . _-
SOUTH ATLANTIC-
Maryland _
District of Columbia
Virginia.
21
3
37
2,026
274
5,199
West Virginia
North Carolina _ _ ._
Georgia - -
Florida
2
4
1
58
425
201
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
2
1
4
45
3
3
3
3
1
1
5
60
60
344
7,461
274
248
430
1,003
15
43
313
276
Louisiana
Oklahoma..-
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho.-
Wyoming _ __ _.
Colorado.-
Arizona _
PACIFIC:
Washington
6
7
18
820
979
2,415
Oregon. _ . _
California _
608
CENSUS1 OF KBLIOIOITS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936 —
Continued
MEMBERSE
HP BY SEX
SUJ
fPAY SCHO
OLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Male
Female
Sex not
reported
Males
per 100
females *
Churches
reporting
Officers
and
teachers
Scholars
United States
258, 419
311,517
155,941
82.3
2,661
42, 488
480, 909
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts _
97
163
59.5
2
25
160
Connecticut „
192
236
920
81.4
9
8
681
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
9,780
11, 875
12,678
82.4
76
1,649
15, 377
New Jersey - --
1,576
1.936
181
81.4
15
244
2,024
Pennsylvania
79, 576
98,967
52, 123
80 4
837
15, 671
191, 074
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
35,781
45, 181
19, 394
79.2
346
6,276
73, 111
Indiana
13, 715
16, 547
7,014
82.9
132
2,143
26, 479
Illinois
29,046
34, 615
15, 756
83.9
219
3,704
38, 130
Michigan
7,612
8,790
5,735
86.6
70
1,028
10, 186
Wisconsin
15 427
18 188
8,910
84 8
166
1,812
16, 767
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
4,517
4,909
2,071
92.0
57
409
3,640
Iowa
7 023
7,632
4,320
92.0
95
977
9,824
Missouri
14, 290
17,223
7,718
83.0
152
2,550
26, 666
North Dakota-
1,628
1,393
116.9
26
160
1,463
South Dakota. .
2,280
2,343
380
97.3
41
187
1,610
Nebraska
3,788
3,952
1,021
95.9
42
432
4,181
iKansas
2,068
2,330
841
88.8
37
385
4,179
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
6 975
8,974
6,689
77 7
78
1,286
15 520
District of Columbia, __ -
558
801
69.7
3
82
927
Virginia _ „
1,260
1,583
484
79.6
24
286
2,606
West Virginia
1,048
1,447
38
72.4
10
173
1,487
North Carolina
4 240
5,074
1,116
83.6
55
755
11, 314
Georgia ._
79
84
1
13
109
Florida- __
68
104
100
65.4
2
12
253
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
5,174
6,650
1,200
77.8
31
850
9 455
Tennessee
146
208
70 2
2
32
288
Alabama
251
275
91.3
2
28
229
Mississippi -,
171
1
5
171
WEST Soura: CENTRAL:
Arkansas
84
97
60
2
12
165
Louisiana
1,745
2,678
210
65.2
10
312
2,642
Oklahoma - ~
113
127
381
89.0
4
25
394
Texas
3,367
3,737
4 132
90.1
55
488
5 587
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
86
86
132
2
6
57
Idaho-.
151
164
92 1
4
27
210
Wyoming ._ __ _
126
133
315
94.7
4
22
253
Colorado
624
642
1,291
97 2
10
71
874
Arizona.
6
9
1
2
18
PACIFIC:
Washington
394
469
84 0
7
71
490
Oregon _„ .
595
697
85.4
11
115
718
California » .
933
1 198
560
77 9
20
155
1 590
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
EVANGELICAL, AND BEFOBMED CHURCH
609
TABLE 4. — NTTMBEB AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1936 AND 1926,1 AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936 or 1926]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCF^S
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1936
1936
1936
Under 13
years
13 years
and over
Age not
reported
Percent
under
132
United States
2,875
2,996
723, 877
675, 804
55,493
490, 046
178, 338
10 2
NEW ENGLAND:
Connecticut
10
90
18
896
361
138
241
78
179
72
103
164
28
44
44
39
84
3
25
10
56
4
33
2
3
10
8
59
4
4
4
12
7
11
23
*8
6
91
15
918
380
142
254
85
185
79
111
169
35
43
49
40
89
3
27
12
56
4
31
3
4
7
12
60
6
4
3
17
5
11
24
7
1,348
34, 333
3,693
230, 666
100, 356
37, 276
79, 417
22, 137
4,2,525
11,497
18, 975
39, 231
3,021
5,003
8,761
5,239
22,638
1,359
3,327
2,533
10,430
272
13,024
354
241
4,633
621
11,236
304
315
574
2,557
863
1,292
2,691
1,135
1,664
30, 697
2,961
223, 454
101,087
35, 108
68, 043
22, 070
37,653
11,629
17,028
35,653
3,287
2,790
7,319
4,364
20,926
1,191
3,355
2,258
8,002
318
10, 316
393
459
3,573
656
11, 137
391
223
453
2,541
374
1,091
2,327
1,013
75
2,137
141
12, 458
6,192
2,997
7,397
2,698
4,581
1,224
2,684
3,268
572
1,214
907
787
1,157
353
22, 015
2,839
158, 988
71, 549
24, 888
51,669
14,324
27,811
7,784
11, 916
25,828
2,205
3,452
4.933
3£477
14,391
1,359
2,598
2,146
7,793
124
11,074
354
181
3,972
212
5,875
24
190
469
980
722
1,106
1,631
814
920
10, 181
713
59, 220
22, 615
9,391
20, 351
5,115
10, 133
2,489
4,375
10, 135
244
337
2,921
975
7,090
17.5
8.8
4.7
7.3
8 0
10.7
12.5
15.9
.14.1
13 6
18.4
11.2
20.6
26.0
15.5
18.5
7.4
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio- _.
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin __
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri -
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
District of Columbia...
Virginia
195
349
1,032
48
509
534
38
1,605
100
1,441
7.0
14.0
11.7
27.9
4.4
West Virginia .
North Carolina
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
"5Ce:Rtti<Vk"Y
Tennessee
Arkansas
60
375
381
4,030
274
125
85
1,291
Louisiana
286
28
1,331
6
6.7
11.7
18.5
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
Wyoming _
20
286
141
136
487
150
4.1
22.6
16.3
11.0
23.0
15 6
Colorado -. .,
PACIFIC:
Washington.
Oregon __
50
573
171
California
Other States
i Statistics for 1926 represent the combined data for the Reformed Church in the United States and the,
E vangelical Synod of North America.
3 Basod on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States — Massachusetts, Alabama, and Mississippi; and 1
each in Georgia and Arizona.
610
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHUECHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total number of
churches
1
lg
"oa
I1
1
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PARSON-
AGES
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
United States
2,875
2,746
2,697
6
84
18
856
346
131
222
70
163
65
92
154
28
40
41
1 36
1 82
1 3
I 25
I 9
1 54
! 4
32
10
4
56
3
4
10
7
11
18
ns
$77, 581, 798
991
$11, 599, 251
63, 096
596, 476
156, 405
3,788,129
1,760,300
531, 382
1, 401, 758
606, 429
429, 035
49, 358
115, 359
696, 931
1,803
$8, 957, 368
NEW ENGLAND:
Connecticut. —
10
90
18
896
361
138
241
78
179
72
103
164
28
44
44
39
84
3
25
10
66
4
33
10
8
59
4
4
12
7
11
23
17
6
85
18
870
353
133
228
73
16S
65
94
357
28
40
42
38
82
3
25
9
54
4
32
10
5
56
3
4
10
7
11
20
13
257, 000
3, 898, 315
604,000
27, 931, 691
11, 803, 424
3,814,051
8, 049, 212
2, 556, 085
2,900,770
725, 950
1, 149, 775
4,115,877
124, 550
94, 100
317, 242
445,850
2,929,850
302, 000
559, 700
313, 500
918,000
88,500
1,505,000
399, 500
24, 200
773, 805
12, 000
19,000
114, 500
46, 750
106,700
381, 001
299,900
5
49
14
293
109
47
108
42
69
15
25
55
6
53
13
447
233
103
190
57
124
45
82
122
20
20
32
29
50
2
16
5
32
2
24
6
5
38
1
3
8
6
10
11
8
52, 000
435, 900
77, 500
2, 780, 800
1, 122, 793
427, 525
934, 050
296, 650
514, 550
169, 850
275,600
516, 000
59, 500
69, 300
98, 100
80,850
363, 750
(')
54, 000
28,200
127, 400
I1)
126, 850
37, 300
9,700
118, 200
8,500
18, 000
23, 500
31, 000
39, 500
60,500
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey . __
Pennsylvania
EAST NOKTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CJENTEAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota. ..
4
12
9
25
2
5
3
15
3
18
9
1
20
8,480
38, 640
29,388
488, 175
33,000
41, 500
15,400
111,819
27,378
228,631
95,349
100
72, 715
Nebraska-
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
Florida _ „ .
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Louisiana ..._._..
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
Wyoming ._
3
6
4
3
11
7
8,642
31, 789
15,550
28,000
99,649
30,388
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Washington. ._
Oregon.
California
Other States
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States,'* to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
3 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Massachusetts, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas,
and Montana; and 1 in each of the following— Geonria, Mississippi, and Arizona.
EVANGELICAL AND REFORMED CHUKCH
TABLE 6. — CHUKCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting}
611
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISON AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
United States
2,875
2,822
$9, 325, 381
82, 587, 031
S891, 866
$646,458
NEW ENGLAND:
Connecticut .
10
90
18
896
361
138
241
78
179
72
103
164
28
44
44
39
84
3
25
10
56
4
33
3
10
8
59
4
4
12
7
11
23
14
10
88
18
880
356
134
236
76
178
70
99
163
28
42
43
39
83
3
25
10
55
4
33
3
10
5
59
4
4
11
7
11
23
U2
32, 310
503, 319
74, 479
2, 966, 023
1, 463, 514
503, 350
898, 323
295, 000
470, 313
113, 119
184, 991
556, 608
20, 174
27, 738
82, 131
71, 334
305, 435
29, 368
44,638
36, 552
108, 272
5,203
212, 703
3,395
60, 655
7, 443
89, 118
2,758
7,108
19, 018
13, 115
28, 397
63, 775
25, 702
2,350
120, 510
21, 106
739, 342
379, 350
126, 237
262, 869
81, 312
147, 413
49, 925
73, 762
156, 296
11,402
14, 717
38, 343
29, 437
73, 069
8,200
15, 910
13, 950
39, 058
870
57, 663
815
17, 556
2,600
35, 930
1,525
2,910
6,259
6,815
17, 742
20, 500
11,288
140
74, 409
8,809
284, 828
132, 203
47, 223
96, 757
30, 753
37,869
8,231
8,017
60, 776
1,420
1,349
4,052
2,605
30, 309
3,460
5,136
3,810
4, 689
400
26, 857
58
7,607
235
2,278
85
120
1,258
232
599
3,389
1,903
74
69t 503
4,996
175, 410
121, 756
37, 497
46, 900
23, 120
39, 405
7,379
12, 764
23, 196
1,401
1,787
5,641
5,218
20, 295
3,630
1,263
1,664
10, 135
200
18, 614
37
3,803
255
3,870
650
489
245
779
604
2,580
1,298
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York _
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana _
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota . __ .
Iowa - « _ .- _ .
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska -
TTfvnsas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia ._ _____
West Virginia ... _
North Carolina
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Arkansas
Louisiana _
Oklahoma.
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
Wyoming
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
Other States
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Massachusetts, Tennessee, Mississippi, Montana,
and Alabama; and 1 each in Georgia and Arizona.
275318—41-
612 C'&N&U'S1 OF KELIGitOUS BOD-IBS, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHTJKCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — -Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES — continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States.
$672, 226
$2,917,570
28,254
145,773
27,457
981,267
439, 159
162,532
306, 034
105, 029
128, 655
25,521
49, 543
156, 905
1,658
5,356
15, 457
17, 251
112, 164
3,937
11, 125
8,301
22,137
2,459
60,976
2,172
16,520
3,245
32, 199
212
1,080
7,870
1,542
5,221
24, 621
5,938
8170, 249
$102, 295
$112, 795
$746, 660
$478, 231
NEW ENGLAND:
Connecticut
10
27, 575
5, 966
224, 698
135, 035
44,732
58,492
18,097
31, 461
4,663
7,839
37,437
150
272
2,420
1,851
21,339
2,600
1,450
226
9,304
1,000
14,267
193
7,890
50
3,337
488
8, 137
473
53,371
24,759
9,397
20,444
5,658
6,785
1,254
1,889
9,075
312
704
2,420
S63
5,239
766
1,720
2,457
2,885
160
3,334
872
52, 679
11,492
4,867
3,882
598
8,037
897
1,499
1,830
254
475
632
699
3,416
760
573
150
1,967
90
5, 140
718
50,444
13,819
7,956
4,158
654
6,441
278
475
8,875
214
194
608
656
3,703
927
277
345
3,010
34
35,477
2,930
211,059
128,840
43,379
67, 699
20, 055
36,500
10,603
16,467
76,908
2,608
1,834
7,541
6,303
20, 542
2,438
4,961
4,400
5,469
120
20,406
32
5,447
459
5,509
239
461
1,058
846
612
3,077
2,347
710
13,461
1,152
192,925
77, 101
19, 530
31,088
9,724
27,747
4,368
12,736
25,310
755
1,050
5, 017
6,451
15,359
2,650
2,223
1,249
9,618
154
6, 558
88
288
464
4,208
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New Y"ork „.. _„ __
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio -
Indiana,
Illinois _ ....
Michigan _
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota.- -
Iowa
Missouri - - --
North "Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas . -
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
District of Columbia
Virginia .- .
West Virginia
North Carolina
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
4,074
1,249
2,039
Arkansas _
Louisiana
1,544
25
1,412
47
178
395
1,049
290
1,336
803
Oklahoma _
86
228
25
147
Texas _
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
Wyoming .
1,293
400
1,39*
848
4,781
1, 152
577
1,318
52
816
2,981
503
Colorado
215
230
712
273
230
PACIFIC:
Washington
172
953
237
240
Oregon ., .
California _
Other States
EVANGELICAL AND KEFORMED CHURCH
613
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ECCLESIASTICAL
DIVISIONS, 1936
SYNOD, CLASSIS, AND
DISTRICT
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHOECH EDI-
FICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
9$
n
at
o
"fl
E3
O
4
bJD
s. a
& •**
a
•g
rj
O
-<
be
It
Jt
1
If
|l
£
r2
*o
•s
02
Total
2,875
723, 877
2,697
877, 581, 798
991
24
12
24
21
12
6
14
8
27
12
14
23
11
12
6
7
9
11
14
14
3
10
14
9
5
$11, 599, 251
2,822
$9, 325, 381
2,661
480, 909
Eastern:
East Pennsylvania. .
Lebanon.,
62
49
40
50
53
60
37
30
68
38
43
31
16
15
15
40
55
46
43
38
25
15
41
29
19
10
13
23
9
35
9
36
27
17
37
25
15
13
35
48
19
28
56
33
20
46
16
21
15
12
6
22
21
14
13
18, 559
13, 931
11, 863
13, 988
9,762
7,297
10, 123
9,582
25,441
10,334
10,068
16, 636
2,021
3,643
4,568
7,420
15,049
15, 792
10, 838
8,877
3,733
3,304
9,876
6,656
3,788
1,695
2,304
2,598
1,091
2,611
970
9,444
3,605
3,891
5,154
6,054
2,669
5,236
9,290
8,756
3,910
3,898
10,430
8,947
2,188
7,662
5,076
4,929
2,492
1,243
520
5,667
2,673
2,798
1,853
62
48
37
50
48
60
37
29
63
38
41
29
12
15
15
39
55
42
43
37
25
14
41
26
17
8
13
21
9
33
7
35
24
17
33
25
11
13
35
48
18
28
54
26
20
46
16
18
15
12
4
20
19
13
12
2,053,020
1,442,500
2, 777, 800
1, 707, 792
827, 700
862,500
991,800
1, 524, 500
3,124,029
1,349,000
1,064,250
2, 556, 500
377,000
788,000
588,000
810,300
1,211,300
2, 014, 111
1,476,950
1, 220, 500
404,200
446,000
488,100
438, 100
194,020
51, 172
92,800
45,800
87,700
57,650
192,000
707,925
319,400
295,500
485, 500
913, 500
194,500
695, 400
1, 271, 700
934, 650
411,000
618,700
918, 000
650,700
389,875
845,500
1,104,200
525,500
335,500
88,000
33,000
570,900
244,000
147, 325
253,500
246,592
78, 950
581,899
226, 019
353, 660
156,606
148, 025
102,415
436, 884
169, 515
156, 987
508, 204
161, 875
93,471
61,900
117r 718
98,250
527,639
246, 142
186, 260
76,800
101, 645
88,482
52, 105
15, 350
62
49
40
50
53
60
37
30
64
38
41
31
16
15
15
40
54
45
42
37
24
15
41
29
19
10
13
23
9
33
9
35
26
16
35
25
15
13
35
48
19
28
55
27
19
46
16
20
15
11
6
22
21
12
13
220, 725
160, 191
271,054
242, 415
95,896
74, 630
141, 051
111, 130
227, 594
121, 556
127,280
197,950
53,556
86, 700
73, 713
79,478
181,418
203, 386
147, 709
160, 687
52,507
61, 620
100, 216
71, 212
44,735
14,967
21,847
14,354
23,863
15,275
24,834
117, 831
43, 992
70, 215
53,090
94,385
21, 365
70,841
129, 429
106, 619
56,042
53,329
108, 272
94,942
36, 521
98, 521
88,679
66,866
40, 954
10, 530
6,572
95,090
37,007
42,003
51, 182
59
44
39
45
47
55
37
30
63
36
39
30
15
15
13
40
53
44
41
37
23
12
40
26
19
9
13
22
9
33
8
34
25
15
35
25
11
12
35
44
19
27
55
27
18
44
15
20
15
12
6
21
20
10
10
16, 024
11,753
9,419
11,879
7,664
8,983
9,688
8,060
18, 773
8,884
8,300
11,003
901
2,177
3,291
5,697
13, 133
11, 948
7,423
7,644
3,379
1,100
3,429
2,658
1,669
884
1,012
865
629
1,198
792
6,407
3,408
2,690
4,410
4,749
650
2,524
11,935
7,419
3,629
3,136
11, 314
8,123
2, 082
6,334
3,107
4,107
2,196
984
513
3,825
2,367
2,165
1,263
Philadelphia
Lancaster .
East Snsquehanna _ _
West Susquehanna. .
Tohiekon
Goshenhoppen_
Lehigh.. „
Schuylkill
Wyoming
Reading
Eastern Hungarian..
New York
German Philadelphia-
Ohio:
Central Ohio
East Ohio
Northeast Ohio.
Northwest Ohio
Southwest Ohio
West Ohio
Lakeside Hungarian-
Northwest:
Sheboygan_.«
Milwaukee
Minnesota _ _
Nebraska
Ursinus .
2
2,292
South Dakota
Portland-Oregon
Eureka
1
1
5
10
4
5
7
13
7
10
12
5
3
5
15
5
3
10
9
5
5
3
13,000
400
58, 649
65,644
28,450
10,244
23,350
219,285
43, 170
164,399
137, 880
8,850
24,400
41,500
111, 819
7,000
26,465
102,460
251,025
57,225
62,225
8,743
California
Pittsburgh:
Westmoreland
Clarion
St. Paul's.-.
Somerset
Allegheny
Central Hungarian..
West New York .
Potoma-c:
Zion's
Maryland
Mercersburg
Virginia
North Carolina
Gettysburg
Carlisle .
.Tr»T»iftta -_„ ^_
Baltimore-Washing-
ton.
Midwest:
Fort Wayne
Chicago
Iowa.. . . —
Lincoln
Indianapolis
Missouri-Kansas
Kentucky .
7
1
3
d
182, 159
18,965
15,900
122,950
Zion Hungarian
614
S1 OF RELJG'IOTJ'S BODIES, 1936
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY ECCLESIASTICAL
DIVISIONS, 1936— Continued
SYNOD, CLASSIS, AND
DISTRICT
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH EDI-
FICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
District:
Atlantic
41
15
14
109
76
37
83
82
118
36
58
125
76
13
30
19
97
59
34
96
15,198
1,736
2,936
40, 707
15, 704
4,558
24,075
13,284
29, 828
T, 450
26,230
49, 207
26, 120
1,379
6,310
5,765
26, 966
11,236
7,609
24, 357
419
39
12
12
103
67
30
78
75
111
35
51
116
71
12
28
18
87
56
32
85
3
$1,819,200
191, 201
126, 500
4,850,741
1,054,175
392,050
2, 659, 670
826, 650
3,084,627
276, 570
2,409,915
5,402,212
2,886,093
77, 750
866,470
634, 000
2,281,800
773, 805
871, 750
1,866,050
11, 700
26
7
7
56
22
10
41
15
45
15
28
69
26
6
10
15
34
20
10
40
2
$362,201
41, 573
36,431
649,399
146,324
29,488
514, 365
50,838
653,063
47,640
306, 422
1, 016, 039
226, 865
30, 550
56, 559
124, 827
319, 044
72, 715
43, 868
262, 198
7,000
41
15
13
106
73
35
82
80
117
35
57
125
76
13
30
18
93
59
34
95
3
$230, 376
39, 238
23, 775
666, 771
144, 553
63, 960
304, 889
120, 021
443, 025
" 70,202
349, 325
583, 756
354, 568
20, 407
91, 972
73,451
270, 231
89, 098
89, 437
275, 670
2,830
38
13
12
104
68
31
79
64
110
35
48
117
72
13
28
16
84
55
30
90
3
8,549
816
1,064
27,919
7,711
3,276
11, 154
4,434
20, 176
3, 351
10, 956
22, 200
17, 145
789
3,930
3,404
13, 526
5,587
5,113
10, 108
105
California
Colorado
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas - -
Michigan
Minnesota - -
Missouri
Nebraska _ .
New York
North Dlinois
Ohio
Pacific-Northwest. . _
Pennsylvania
Southern
South Illinois . -
Texas
West Missouri
Wisconsin
Montana Mission.. .
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
HISTORY
The Evangelical and Reformed Church was established on June 26, 1934, at
Cleveland, Ohio. As such it has a very brief history, but since it was formed by
the union of two denominations, each of which had a long and honored history,
we must briefly trace these two streams as they moved on their separate ways
prior to the union.
The older of these two bodies is the Reformed Church in the United States.
It dates back to October 15, 1725, when the first communion was celebrated at
Falkner Swamp, about 40 miles north of Philadelphia, Pa. Prior to that date,
however, scattered congregations existed in eastern Pennsylvania and even as
far south as Virginia. Ministers were scarce and these groups of Reformed people
sometimes engaged the services of school teachers to conduct religious services.
There was as yet no organization to hold the widely scattered congregations
together. In September 1747 Michael Schlatter, who "had been sent to America
by the Synod of South and North Holland, organized the Coetus in Philadelphia.
This is a Latin term and means practically the same as the word Synod. It was,
however, subject to the Synod in Holland and made regular reports to that body,
from which it also received periodical aid. In 1793 the Coetus declared its
independence from Holland and reorganized itself under the name of The Synod
cf the German Reformed Church.
The church had no educational institutions, no boards, and no organized mis-
sionary work. These things came later in its history. The first missionary,
however, had been sent west of the Allegheny Mountains in 1783. Early in the
nineteenth centurv missionaries were sent to North Carolina and to Ohio, People
began to settle in new parts of the country which had been offered for occupancy
and the church sent pastors to minister to these new settlements on the frontier.
In 1819 the Synod divided itself into eight districts known as Classes. In 1824
i TMs statement was furnished by Rev. Charles E. Schaeffer, D. D., general secretary of the Board of
Home Missions, Evangelical and Reformed Church, Philadelphia, Pa.
EVANGELICAL AND REFORMED CHURCH 615
the Ohio Classis organized itself into the Ohio Synod, with powers similar to those
belonging to the mother Synod in the East. In 1825 a theological seminary was
opened in Carlisle, Pa., which later was moved to York, Pa., and in 1836 to Mer-
cersburg, Pa. In 1871 the seminary was moved to Lancaster, Pa., where it is
now located. In 1826 the American Missionary Society of the German Reformed
Church was organized in Frederick, Md., and the Missionary Magazine was
started. A few years later this came to be known as the Reformed Church
Messenger. In 1838 the Board of Foreign Missions was organized in Lancaster,
Pa. The Ohio Synod patterned its work somewhat after that of the mother
Synod. It formed a Board of Missions, published a paper known as The Western
Missionary and founded a theological seminary which was first located in Canton,
Ohio, and later was moved to Tiffin, Ohio, and still later, after the union with
the Ursinus School of Theology, came to be known as Central Theological Semi-
nary at Dayton, Ohio. This "seminary in 1934 united with Eden Theological
Seminary of the Evangelical Synod in Webster Groves, Mo. In 1863 the mother
Synod and the Ohio Synod united in forming the General Synod, which, after an
honored history of 70 years, ceased to function when the union of the Reformed
Church in the United States and the Evangelical Synod of North America took
place.
During its long history of over 200 years the Reformed Church developed its
missionary work at home and abroad; founded educational institutions; estab-
lished homes for orphans, for old folks, and hospitals; and thus took its place
among the leading denominations of the country.
The Evangelical Synod of North America has also an interesting history to its
credit. It traces its origin in this country to a group of six ministers who met at
Gravois Settlement near St. Louis, Mo., on October 15, 1840, and formed the
Evangelical Union of the West. It will be observed that both the Reformed
Church and the Evangelical Synod have the same birthday, October 15, although
the former is 115 years older than the latter.
At first, the Evangelical Union partook largely of the nature of a ministerial
association, and it was not until 1849 that the first congregation affiliated itself with
the same. Similar associations had sprung up in Ohio and further east, as also in
the northwest. All of these eventually, by 1872, joined themselves to the original
union with its center in St. Louis, and in 1877 adopted the name of the German
Evangelical Synod of North America. Many independent congregations of
German-speaking people, of either Lutheran or Reformed backgrounds, identified
themselves with the denomination, and thus during the course of a century, the
Evangelical Synod developed into a strong and virile body. It followed the gen-
eral plan and program of all denominations in America and established a theologi-
cal seminary, first at Marthas ville, then in St. Louis, and later at Webster Groves,
Mo. ; a college at Evansville, Ind., which in 1872 was moved to Elmhurst, 111. ; and
boards for home and foreign missions, for Christian education, for ministerial
pensions, and for other activities in the church. It likewise made adequate provi-
sion for its orphans, its old folks, and its sick, in the form of homes and hospitals.
During the hundred years of its separate history it extended its borders into many
States of the Union, and came to occupy an honorable place among the denomina-
tions in America.
These two historic churches, in June 1934, after several years of friendly nego-
tiations, formed a new denomination under the name of Evangelical and Reformed
Church, each bringing into the union the rich heritage of the history of the past,
with the conviction that by so doing they were following the leadings of Providence
and were answering the prayer of Christ that "they may all be one," and thus
would be equipped to render a greater service in the interests of the kingdom of
God.
Through this union the Evangelical and Reformed Church has 2,900 congrega-
tions which are distributed throughout the United States and in 2 provinces of
Canada, with a total membership of 652,000. It has church property valued as
follows:
Churches and parsonages $70, 000, 000
Educational institutions and endowments 20, 000, 000
Benevolent institutions (including hospitals, orphanages,
old folks' homes, deaconess homes) 10, 000, 000
Total property value 100, 000, 000
616 J GEK'SU'S1 OF KELIGIOU'S BODIES, 1936
DOCTRINE
The Evangelical and Reformed Church, true to its name, believes in the Bible.
It believes that the Bible is the Word of God, that God hath spoken and revealed
Himself in His word, and in Jesus Christ the Word made flesh. Early in Protes-
tantism certain doctrinal statements were formulated to express what the respective
churches which emerged through the Reformation believed. One of these was
the Augsburg Confession, formulated in 1530 at Augsburg, Germany. Later on
this was somewhat modified under the influence of Melanchthon, and John Calvin
himself subscribed to this altered form of the Augsburg Confession. The Luth-
erans generally accepted this Confession either in its original or altered form.
Martin Luther wrote a brief catechism in which some of these Protestant doctrines
were set forth in the form of question and answer.
In 1563 the Heidelberg Catechism was issued at Heidelberg, Germany. It was
prepared by two young theologians named Olevianus and Ursinus. This, too,
was influenced by John Calvin and Melanchthon. It became the standard of
doctrine for the reformed branch of the Reformation. When in 1817 the Evan-
gelical Union in Prussia under Frederick William III was formed, which sought to
bring together the Lutheran and Reformed groups, the matter of the doctrinal
standards of the two bodies was not raised. It was presumed that each group
might continue to believe in its own confessions and to use the same catechisms
it had formerly used.
Those who came to America and represented the Reformed Church naturally
held to the doctrines set forth in the Heidelberg Catechism, while those who came
to America at a later date and organized the Evangelical Synod of North America
adhered not only to the Heidelberg Catechism, but also to the Augsburg Confession
and Luther's Catechism, as interpretations of the essential truths of the Bible.
They accepted all of them so far as they agreed, but wherein they differed they
reserved the right to go to the Bible and find the final and ultimate truth.
When the Evangelical and Reformed Church was formed, these three standards
of faith were thus brought into the union. Consequently, in formulating the
doctrinal statement of the Evangelical and Reformed Church, there were written
into the constitution these words:
The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are recognized as the
Word of God and the ultimate rule of Christian faith and practice.
The doctrinal standards of the Evangelical and Reformed Church are the
Heidelberg Catechism, Luther's Catechism, and the Augsburg Confession.
They are accepted as an authoritative interpretation of the essential truth
taught in the Holy Scriptures.
Wherever these doctrinal standards differ, ministers, members, and congre-
gations, in accordance with the liberty of conscience inherent in the Gospel,
are allowed to adhere to the interpretation of one of these confessions.
However, in each case the final norm is the Word of God.
The Evangelical and Reformed Church, therefore, continues as the church of
the Word. On this rock it has built its house. And in so doing it is true to its
traditions and to the spirit of Luther, Zwingli, Melanchthon, Calvin, and all of
the reformers.
Like all Protestant churches it accepts the two sacraments of Holy Baptism
and the Lord's Supper and adheres to the rites of confirmation, ordination, con-
secration, marriage, and burial. It allows freedom of worship, but in the interest
of unity and harmony, it prescribes forms of worship and hymns for common use.
ORGANIZATION
The Evangelical and Reformed Church has a presbyterial form of government.
The members elect their representatives, so that each congregation is governed
by a consistory or church council, A "charge" is composed of one or more con-
gregations constituting a pastorate. A number of contiguous charges form a
Synod. There are 34 such Synods. These Synods, however, are constituted, not
by all the members of the congregations in a given territory, but by their repre-
sentatives, viz: The pastor and a delegate from each pastoral charge, preferably
an elder. The Synod has certain distinct duties and functions to perform. • ft
has jurisdiction over its ministers and congregations; it examines, licenses, and
ordains candidates for the ministry, and performs such other functions as may
be assigned to it. It elects its own officers for the administration of its work,
and meets twice a year — in the spring for legislative purposes and in the fall in
EVANGELICAL AND REFORMED CHURCH 617
the nature of a workers' conference, at which a larger representation of the
congregation drawn from its organizations are expected to attend. The Synod
appoints numerous committees through whom the work of the church is being
carried forward.
Beyond the Synod comes the General Synod. This body represents the whole
church and consists of delegates chosen by the synods, an equal number of
ministers and lay members, together with certain officials definitely named.
The General Synod is the highest body of the church. It meets regularly
every 2 years and has definite functions reserved to it. It elects its own officers
of which the president, secretary, and treasurer are full-time officers. It elects
a smaller group known as the General Council, consisting of 21 members, to super-
vise and direct the work of the church and to act for the church when the General
Synod is not in session. The General Council functions principally through com-
mittees charged with specific tasks.
The General Synod also elects boards and commissions and prosecutes its
kingdom work through these and certain auxiliary organizations such as the
Churchmen's Brotherhood and the Women's Guild.
There are eight boards of the church operating in different fields of service,
and four commissions with definite responsibilities, as follows: Board of National
Missions, Board of International Missions, Board of Christian Education and
Publication, Board of Business Management, Board, of Pensions and Relief,
Board of Investments, Board of Theological Seminaries, Board of Directors of
Elmhurst College, and such others as may be created by the General Synod; and
Commission on Evangelism, Commission on Christian Social Action, Commission
on Higher Education, and Commission on Benevolent Institutions.
The General Synod, the Synod, and the consistory or church council are called
"judicatories." The boards and other organizations are called "agencies."
These judicatories and agencies have mutual relationships. The judicatories
create the agencies and use them as instruments to carry the work into effect,
while the agencies in turn use the organizations set up in or by the judicatories
as avenues through which to work. The whole organization of the church is so
integrated that each particular part does its work in relation to the whole. This
scheme enlists the activity of every individual member in the whole task of the
church.
WORK
To make its contribution to the Christianizing of America is one of its specific
tasks. Apart from what each congregation in its local community is doing in this
Christianizing process, the Evangelical and Reformed Church, through its Board
of National Missions, is working in the frontier sections of the country, among the
less privileged types of population, such as the Ozarkians, the fishermen at Biloxi,
the sojourners in Madaline Island, and such national groups as the Indians, the
Volga Germans, the Hungarians, the Czechs, the Japanese and, in large centers
of population, such as the Caroline Mission in St. Louis, and in rural communities
where conditions require guidance, aid, and readjustment.
In the fields outside the United States and Canada the Evangelical and
Reformed Church, through its Board of International Missions, maintains missions
in India, Japan, China, Honduras, Iraq, and Africa. The work in these distant
lands partakes largely of an evangelistic, educational, industrial, and medical
nature -whereby the kingdom, of God is to be established among these peoples.
The teaching function of the church includes such activities as are carried for-
ward in the Sunday school, the weekday school of religion, the vacation Bible
school, the catechetical class, the leadership training school, the summer camp,
the adult school of Christian living and the general church-related schools^ col-
leges, and theological seminaries. It includes the publication of Christian periodi-
cals, church school hymnals, general Christian education books, and other liter-
ature for the instruction of our people in the work of the church and in the art of
Christian living.
Most of these educational activities are administered by the Board of Christian
Education and Publication, whose administrative headquarters are in Philadelphia
and whose editorial offices are located in St. Louis.
The educational institutions of the church, of which there are 14, operate in the
field of higher education. These institutions consist of three theological seminaries
for the training of men for the ministry, of eight colleges, and three academies.
These institutions are related to each" other and to the church through a com-
mission on higher education.
618 OENSOT Off KEL-IQIOUS BODIES, 1936
The Boards of Missions, the Board of Christian Education and Publication, the
Women's Guild, and the Churchmen's Brotherhood have formed the Cooperative
Council of Missionary Education which coordinates the educational features in
the field of missions.
Chief among pur educational publications carrying news of the church is "The
Messenger" which is the weekly paper for the denomination. There are also
two papers issued in the German language, "Der Friedensbote," published in
St. Louis, and "Die Kirchenzeitung," published in Cleveland.
Most of the printing of our literature is being done by our two printing establish-
ments, one located in St. Louis, the other in Cleveland.
The Board of Business Management has under its supervision the Schaff
Building in Philadelphia, Eden Publishing House in St. Louis, and Central Pub-
lishing House in Cleveland, all of which places maintain up-to-date book stores
and supply houses where material can be procured for the further instruction of
our people.
The Board of Ministerial Relief and Pensions concerns itself with the relief
of aged ministers and the widows of deceased ministers. Then there are the
numerous benevolent i nstitutions which care for the orphans, the aged, and
the sick.
EVANGELICAL CHURCH
STATISTICS
Summary for the TJnited States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Evangelical Church for the year 1936 is pre-
sented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND BUBAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
In rural
PERCE
TOS
NT OP
\iL
territory
territory
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
1,695
551
1,144
32.5
67.5
Members, number
212 446
118 075
94 371
55 6
44 4
Average membership per church . _ __
125
214
82
Membership by sex:
Male
87 901
48 062
39 839
54 7
45 3
Female
123 964
69 945
54 019
56 4
43 6
Sex not reported _.->_
581
68
513
11 7
88.3
Males per 100 females
70.9
68 7
73 7
Membership by age:
Under 13 years .. . * . _.
10, 197
6 053
4 144
59 4
40.6
13 years and over
194 697
109 244
85 453
56 1
43.9
Age not reported - - -
7,552
2 778
4 774
36 8
63.2
Percent under 13 years 1
5 0
5 2
4 6
nhnreli edifices, niTmb^r
1,679
550
3,129
32 8
67.2
Value — number reporting
1 660
543
1,117
32 7
67.3
Amount reported
$21 043 229
$14 547, 973
$6 495 256
69 1
30 9
Constructed prior to 1936 _
$20, 683 , 1 47
$14 268, 747
$6,414,400
69 0
31.0
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church - ..
$360,082
$12,677
$279, 226
$26 792
$80,856
$5 815
77.5
22.5
Debt — number reporting
441
304
137
68.9
31.1
Amount reported . . _.
$3, 984, 972
$3 652,778
$332, 194
91.7
8.3
Number reporting "no debt" - - .
657
145
512
22.1
77.9
Parsonages, number
1,303
483
820
37.1
62.9
Value — number reporting . _
1,193
473
720
39 6
60.4
Amount reported - _ _ « --
$4 032,896
$2 143 604
$1, 889, 292
53 2
46.8
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number -
1,687
551
1,136
32.7
67.3
Amount reported
$4, 057, 521
$2, 537, 010
$1 520,511
62.5
37.5
Pastors' salaries -
$1, 438, 804
$780, 446
$658, 358
54.2
45.8
All other salaries _ *.
$250, 727
$182, 671
$68, 056
72 9
27.1
Repairs and improvements - _ ~
$305, 808
$184, 599
$121, 209
60.4
39.6
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest .._ _
$260, 824
$204, 698
$56, 126
78.5
21.5
All other current expenses, including
interest
$760, 271
$557, 901
$202, 370
73.4
26.6
Local relief and charity, Eed Cross, etc
Home missions
$88, 765
$202, 462
$56, 756
$121, 313
$32,009
$81, 149
63.9
59.9
36.1
40.1
Foreign missions
$140, 037
$82,929
$57, 108
59.2
40.8
To general headquarters for distribution—
All other purposes __
$234, 377
$375, 446
$134, 135
$231, 562
$100,242
$143, 884
57.2
61.7
42.8
38.3
Average expenditure per church
$2, 405
$4, 604
$1, 338
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
1,559
534
1,025
34.3
65.7
Officers and teachers » . . __
28, 543
13,119
15, 424
46.0
54.0
Scholars
248, 666
132, 803
115, 863
53.4
46.6
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
385
165
220
42.9
57.1
Officers and teachers -
2, 651
1,306
1, 345
49.3
50.7
Scholars _ -
18, 866
10, 447
8,419
55.4
44.6
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number - -- -~
97
51
46
(2)
C2)
Officers and teachers
284
148
136
52 1
47.0
Scholars
3,171
1,872
1,299
59.0
41.0
Parochial schools :
Ohnrohft?? rApryrtlnjr, nfjTr|h@r
5
1
4
(2)
(2)
Officers and teachers ----- - - -
45
20
25
(2)
C2)
Scholars
525
303
222
57.7
42.3
* Based on membership with age classification reported. 3 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
619
620
OF KELIGIOUS BODIES, 1 9 J t>
The membership of this denomination consists of persons who are on the
register of communicants in each local church, having subscribed to the doctrine
of the church.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Evangelical Church for the
census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906. The figures are^not entirely comparable
for the various periods, however, by reason of the division between this church
and the United Evangelical Church and their merger at a subsequent date.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
JTEM
1936
1936
19161
19061
Churches (local organizations), number -- -~
1,695
2,054
1,635
1,755
Increase 2 over preceding census
Number
—359
-120
Percent
-17.5
-6.8
Members number
212,446
206f 080
120, 756
104, 898
Increase over preceding census:
Number
6,366
15, 858
Percent
3.1
15 1
AvGrstsrs membership per church
125
100
74
60
Church, ftiifices, number _
1,679
2,036
1,582
1,617
Value — number reporting
1,660,
1,989
1,565
1,609
Amount reported
$21, 043, 229
$25, 380, 761
$8, 317, 978
$5, 819, 620
Avsrsge value per church .. . _
$12, 677
$12, 761
$5,315
$3, 617
Debt — number reporting
441
411
271
204
Amount reported
$3, 984, 972
$3, 872, 447
$771, 943
$374, 969
Parsonages, number
1,303
Value — number reporting
1,193
1,165
762
680
Amount reported
$4, 032, 896
$5, 299, 245
$1, 932, 269
$1, 297, 666
Expenditures :
Churcties reporting;, number - - -
1,687
2,036
1,615
Amount reported
$4, 057, 521
$5,951,009
$1, 939, 368
Pastors' salaries
$1 438,804
F"
All other salaries ._ _ ... «
$250, 727
Repairs and Improvements - -
$305, 808
636, 483
$1, 197, 884
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, Including interest. --
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$260, 824
$760, 271
$S8, 765
!"
Home missions
$202, 462
Foreign missions
,$140, 037
$1, 303, 462
$717, 151
To general headquarters for distribution
$234, 377
All other purposes . -
$375,446
Not classified
$11,064
$24, 333
Average expenditure per church
$2, 405
$2,923
$1, 201
Sunday schools
Churches reporting, number
1,559
2,000
1, 535
1,571
Officers and teachers
28. 543
30,041
19.897
19, 977
Scholars
248, 666
280, 195
172, 129
121, 822
1 Figures given are those for the Evangelical Association as then constituted. Because of this fact, the
increase m churches and members from 191G to 1926 is not shown, as the data are not comparable.
2 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and G present the statistics for the Evangelical
Church by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and member-
ship of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory,
membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives for
selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four census yeans
1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years
of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of churches and
parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents,
for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improve-
ments, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of
any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those
States in which three or more churches reported value and expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each conference in the Evangel-
ical Church, the more important statistical data for 1936 shown by States in the
preceding tables, including number of churches, membership, value and debt on
church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
EVANGELICAL CHURCH.
621
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEM-
BERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
3
o
B
S
1
551
S
S
1
9
rO
3
(D
"5
S
1
S
8
"0.2
:*
&
581
Males per 100
females
Churches re-
porting
ls
0
Scholars
United States....
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York...
1,695
1,144
212, 446
118, 075
469
107
5,916
733
37, 351
14, 488
7,922
10, 585
7,351
8,323
3,871
3,749
827
587
460
1,573
2,818
2,322
470
94, 371
87, 901
=====
176
40
2,985
332
25, 603
8,942
5,288
7,623
4,875
7,405
3,544
4,994
594
1,341
884
2,841
3,487
1,352
183
163
200
470
189
341
1,055
705
1,382
847
123, 964
70.9
1,559
28, 543
248, 666
7
1
54
7
470
147
84
115
106
143
80
86
10
53
35
69
65
24
1
7
2
10
6
13
23
18
42
17
6
1
36
6
135
54
29
46
40
47
23
18
4
4
4
10
14
13
1
2
4
3
3
10
8
14
16
1
18
1
335
93
55
69
66
96
57
68
6
49
31
59
51
11
502
107
7, 555
911
63, 107
22, 452
12, 853
18, 270
11, 979
16, 353
8,112
11, 547
1,348
3,126
2,001
6,728
8,252
3,264
470
423
479
1,169
523
887
2,546
1,626
3,802
2,054
33
326
67
4,484
579
37, 434
13, 510
7,565
10, 384
7,104
8,928
4,558
6,468
754
1,785
1,117
3,887
4,765
1,912
287
260
279
699
334
478
1,491
882
2,420
1,207
86
54.0
0)
66.6
57.3
68.6
66.2
69.9
73.4
68.6
82.9
77.8
77.2
78.8
75.1
79.1
73.1
73.2
70.7
63.8
62.7
71.7
67.2
56.6
71.3
70.8
79.9
57.1
70.2
7
1
53
7
429
135
79
112
100
117
73
82
9
46
29
62
63
24
1
7
2
10
5
10
23
17
39
17
106
14
932
131
8,653
2,801
1,571
2,249
1,817
1,973
1,174
1,303
150
577
416
1,004
1,080
501
63
73
59
159
82
128
349
255
653
270
816
91
7,749
1,012
80,734
26,598
13,883
19,853
15,988
15, 707
8,477
11, 132
1,336
4,661
3,101
7,432
9,186
4,136
620
470
590
1,492
698
1,077
2,780
2,059
4,533
2,455
1,639
178
25, 756
7,964
4,931
7,685
4,628
8,030
4,241
7,798
521
2,539
1,541
5,155
5,434
942
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
E. N CENTRAL-
Ohio
10
Indiana,. _
Illinois
263
"20
10
85
Michigan
Wisconsin
W. N\ CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
District of Co-
lumbia
li-
West Virginia
7
423
E. S. CENTRAL:
Kentucky
479
707
297
303
1,347
944:
2,115
1,961
W. S. CENTRAL;
Oklahoma
6
3
10
13
10
28
1
462
226
584
1,199
682
1,687
93
es
39
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon _
California
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
622
H OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 3936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Ase
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
IS'
United States....
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts —
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1,695
2,054
1,635
1,755
212,446
206, 080
120, 756
104, 898
10, 197
194, 697
7,552
5.0
7
54
470
147
84
115
106
143
80
86
10
53
35
69
65
24
7
10
6
13
23
18
42
17
24
10
62
6
544
171
98
136
128
176
107
116
15
68
47
88
77
28
7
15
11
14
28
21
54
19
8
11
65
7
208
164
111
106
137
214
121
85
19
63
42
59
81
6
7
12
12
8
15
32
24
18
8
10
64
Cj
233
186
111
126
139
222
126
110
22
53
51
66
88
8
7
18
14
.....
22
37
15
9
502
7,555
911
63, 107
22,452
12, 853
18, 270
11,979
16,353
8,112
11,547
1,348
3,126
2,001
6,728
8,252
3, 264
423
1,169
523
887
2,546
1,626
3,802
2,054
1, 056
711
7,762
811
59, 971
22, 990
12, 208
16, 951
11, 529
16, 107
8,671
11, 185
1,344
3,103
2,350
6,669
7,431
3,141
349
914
995
660
2,306
1,573
3,181
2,218
890
602
6,420
751
14, 674
18, 029
10, 876
9,408
9,599
14, 076
7,864
5,847
1,416
2,290
1,752
2,944
6,210
520
232
491
683
95
868
1,586
1,480
1,389
654
590
5,597
762
13, 294
14,932
8,787
8,660
7,575
13, 280
7,450
5,429
1,081
1, 68S
1,642
3,200
4,841
540
189
386
611
8
244
37
3,176
1,011
855
1,147
513
357
243
571
195
67
27
250
552
124
37
115
23
56
164
106
164
98
57
494
7.311
874
57, 576
20, 022
11,938
16, 567
11,466
14, 540
7,630
10, 298
1,153
2,761
1,788
6,478
7,700
3,140
165
1,054
500
831
2,382
1,520
3, 551
1,956
999
1.6
3.2
4.1
5.2
4.8
6.7
6.5
4.3
2.4
3.1
5.3
14 5
2 4
1.5
3.7
6 7
3 8
18.3
9.8
4.4
6.3
6.4
6.5
4.4
4.8
5.4
New Jersey
"2," 355
1,419
60
556
~"l(~456
239
678
""""298
186
Pennsylvania
E. NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
W. NORTH CENTRAL
Minnesota -
Iowa
Missouri. ,_,
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
West Virginia
W. SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma
221
Texas
MOUNT VEST:
Montana
Colorado
345
942
1,601
872
604
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
84
California , „.
Other States
1 Based on membership with a?e classification reported.
2 Includes: Rhode Island, 1; District of Columbia, 1; and Kentucky, 2.
EVANGELICAL CHURCH
623
TABLE 5. — VALUE OP CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGKAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total number of
churches
Number of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Churches
reporting
•^
a
1
•<
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1,695
1,679
1,660
$21, 043, ?29
441
S3, 984, 972
1,193
$4, 032, 896
7
54
7
470
147
84
115
106
143
80
86
10
53
35
69
65
24
7
10
6
13
23
18
42
17
4
7
53
7
464
147
84
115
104
141
80
86
10
53
34
69
65
24
7
9
5
13
23
18
40
17
4
7
52
7
460
145
83
114
104
140
78
85
84,000
1,051,550
159,000
6, 342, 650
2, 197, 624
1, 077, 500
2, 037, 762
1, 353, 000
1, 764, 650
707, 750
941, 650
133, 130
284, 550
263, 056
562, 450
530, 626
369, 700
21, 100
96, 200
29,400
78, 500
157, 700
113,350
244,331
257,000
185, 000
5
29
6
114
31
25
32
25
38
15
16
3
9
3
20
11
13
1
3
2
7
11
7
10
4
1
17, 557
371, 117
76, 695
1,492,591
497, 278
217, 492
194, 538
310, 637
208, 447
27, 836
61, 664
37, 843
17, 725
39, 375
£2, 689
40, 695
103, 458
5,300
23, 072
4,500
35, 861
56, 315
21,345
35, 507
26, 699
8,136
2
45
6
293
107
64
98
80
88
58
74
8
29
18
54
50
16
2
8
4
10
17
13
29
17
3
0)
203, 960
44, 500
984, 616
338, 050
174, 650
345, 745
305, 900
369, 650
199, 725
264, 200
25,200
93,000
48,800
154, 100
127, 050
74,000
0)
14,100
9,900
37, 650
39, 800
28,400
61,800
63,500
24,600
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTJR AL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois —
Michigan
Wisconsin „ .
W. NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
10
53
34
69
65
23
6
9
5
13
23
18
37
16
34
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas _ _
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland-
West Virginia
W LSouTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
Other States
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing; the statistics of any individualchurch.
2 Includes: Rhode Island, 1; District of Columbia, 1; and Kentucky, 2.
624 OBN&Ufcl OF KEIMIOXJS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States haying 3 or more churches reporting]
rn-itol
E3
CBENDITURES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and
improve-
ments
United States
1,695
1,687
$4,057,521
$1,438,804
$250,727
$305,808
NEW ENGLAND:
M assachusetts
7
7
16,689
8,639
549
392
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
54
54
208, 082
73,647
16, 685
14,020
New Jersey
7
7
35, 489
11,000
2,416
3,014
Pennsylvania
470
469
1,117,701
353, 325
73,427
$9, 647
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio . _ „ __
147
146
416, 142
137,285
21,893
28,445
Indiana .
84
84
219, 139
75,985
15,912
18, 122
Illinois
115
115
371,915
127,690
28,852
29, 291
Michigan-
106
106
258,842
89,680
15, 211
17,709
Wisconsin- .-
143
142
336,639
124,251
17,928
27,424
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
80
80
180,921
70,934
11,489
15, 749
Iowa ,.
86
85
177,730
80,333
8,536
11, 425
Missouri
10
10
25,958
7,964
608
1,867
North Dakota _
53
53
62,403
27,011
3,752
4,857
South Dakota. -
35
34
' 33,861
16, 970
2,077
1,210
Nebraska
69
68
100,722
38,354
5,010
4,873
Kansas
65
65
120, 748
52, 246
6,518
8,691
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland --. . -
24
24
81,301
27,033
5,921
9,879
West Virginia
7
7
2,696
1,404
90
10
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma _
10
10
24,097
8,116
1,084
1,710
Texas
6
6
10,975
3,984
601
492
MOUNTAIN:
Montana . . _ _ .
13
13
21, 768
10, 322
612
2,672
Colorado .
23
21
33,962
14,758
722
1,557
PACIFIC:
Washington _
18
18
41, 372
15,248
1,427
3,483
Oregon.. ... . .
42
42
75, 914
30,126
2,216
4,644
California . .
17
17
58,373
24,743
4,306
2,383
Other States .
4
*4
24,082
7,756
2,885
2,242
* Includes: Bhode Island, 1; District of Columbia, 1; and Kentucky, 2.
EVANGELICAL OHUKOH
625
TABLE 6.— CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
EXPEND
ITURES— CO
ntinued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Payment
on
church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
includ-
ing
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To
general
head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
$260, 824
$760, 271
$88, 765
$202, 462
$140, 037
$234, 377
$375 446
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts ..
638
2,382
304
670
796
554
1 765
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York.. ..
8,987
54, 330
5 274
7,624
4,036
9,257
14, 222
New Jersey
900
12, 610
418
2,490
610
1,365
666
Pennsylvania _. __.
86, 675
231, 694
27, 359
41, 532
34, 341
81, 938
97, 763
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
20,294
96, 373
8,298
19, 343
14, 402
28, 281
41,528
Indiana..
19, 789
39, 555
7,053
8,786
7,612
10, 470
15 855
Illinois
25, 993
69,048
8 086
16 192
13,236
16 053
37 474
Michigan __ .
19,229
46, 589
4,318
13, 086
8,211
12, 031
32, 778
Wisconsin
21, 912
54,772
6,236
22, 796
9 313
19,888
32 119
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
7,691
23,290
2 935
12 031
7,199
12, 481
17, 122
Iowa-
5,631
22, 297
4,530
10, 276
8,651
7,848
18, 203
Missouri
1,694
7,578
132
2,286
1,075
1,059
1,695
North Dakota
1,785
7.515
1,869
6,301
2,019
1,873
5,421
South Dakota
298
3,833
536
2,330
922
2,267
3,418
Nebraska „
9,966
14,506
1,663
4,845
4,509
7,412
9,584
Kansas .
2,422
17, 856
2,381
7,253
6,215
5,911
11, 255
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland-
7.594
16,086
1,337
3,345
2,548
2,943
4,615
West Virginia
200
270
97
470
155
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma
1,417
2,531
250
931
5,486
661
1,911
Texas
439
2,151
786
672
429
100
1,321
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
1,013
2,468
78
1,328
404
1,161
1,710
Colorado
1,375
5,843
341
1,505
861
2,216
4,784
PACIFIC:
Washington
4,984
4,975
562
805
1,408
2,441
6,039
Oregon ._
6,155
9,641
901
9,864
1,513
3,248
7,600
California
2,780
8,319
1,954
5,283
3,080
1,269
4,256
Other States
963
3,759
1,164
888
1,064
1,180
2,181
G26
OT KELIOIOUS BODIES, 193G
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY CONFERENCES,
1936
CONFERENCE
Total number of
churches J!
2
M
§
"o
|
1
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH EDI-
FICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAT
SCHOOLS
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Scholars
Total
1,695
212, 448
1,680
$21, 043, 229
766,950
257, 000
2,905,400
157, 700
2, 160, 100
1, 987, 912
1, 280, 150
940, 650
761,556
1, 405, 400
707, 750
78,500
560, 850
104, 000
668, 800
284, 550
2,080,924
357, 681
1, 520, 750
263, 056
29,400
1, 764, 150
441
S3, 984, 972
423,755
26, 699
647, 009
56, 315
590, 886
196,655
215,375
61,664
102,210
317,837
27,836
35,861
52, 689
25, 693
125,353
17,725
490,078
56,852
262, 158
39,375
4,500
208,447
1,687
S4, 057, 521
1,559
248,668
Atlantic
26
17
231
23
111
108
106
85
84
115
79
13
70
8
43
54
129
60
149
35
6
143
4,377
2,054
30, 246
2,546
17, 291
17, 368
15, 947
11, 517
10, 840
12, 454
8,092
887
6,657
609
5,659
3,146
20, 694
5,428
17, 763
2,001
523
16, 347
26
16
225
23
107
107
105
84
83
113
78
13
70
8
41
53
127
55
147
34
5
140
20
4
57
11
40
30
27
16
17
28
15
7
20
6
21
9
28
17
25
3
2
38
26
17
231
21
111
108
106
84
84
115
79
13
69
8
43
54
128
60
148
34
6
142
140, 403
58,373
495, 895
33,962
394, 148
363,708
265, 009
176,950
174, 084
266, 583
180,436
21, 768
97,441
19,816
146,420
62,888
393, 181
117, 286
267,381
33,861
10, 975
336, 953
26
17
210
23
103
105
99
81
81
108
72
10
63
8
42
47
120
56
137
29
5
117
4,939
2,455
40, 273
2,780
20, 118
19, 013
16, 948
11, 101
11, 933
16, 538
8,449
1,077
7,513
907
5,659
4,689
24,770
6,592
23,413
3,101
698
15, 700
California
Central Pennsylvania.
Colorado
East Pennsylvania...
Illinois -
Indiana
Iowa. .
Kansas
Michigan..
Minnesota
Montana
Nebraska. .
3STew England
New York
North Dakota
Ohio .
Oregon-Washington. »
Pittsburgh
South Dakota
Texas
Wisconsin
HISTOBY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The great religious awakening which took place in the United States at the
close of the eighteenth century was at first largely confined to the English-speak-
ing communities. It was Inevitable, however, that others should feel the effect
of the new spirit; and a number of leaders arose, through whose influence varying
types of religious life developed, eventuating in different church organizations.
Among them was Jacob Albright, who was born in Pottstown, Pa., in 1759,
and died in 1808. Baptized in infancy, and confirmed in the Lutheran com-
munion, he was later COD verted under the influence of a Reformed minister;
but coming into connection with the Methodists, he declared his adherence
to them and was licensed to exhort. Albright, who had begr.n to preach in 1796,
felt called upon to devote himself particularly to work among the German people.
It had not been his purpose to found a new church.
It was not until 1803 that an ecclesiastical organization was effected at a
general assembly held in eastern Pennsylvania, when Mr. Albright was set
apart as a minister of the gospel and ordained as an elder.
His training in the Methodist Episcopal Church influenced him in organizing
the new movement, and many characteristic Methodist features, such as the cir-
cuit system and the itinerancy, were adopted. The first field of operations in-
cluded the counties of Bucks, Berks, and Northampton, and extended into por-
tions of Northumberland and Centre counties. The first annual conference was
held in Lebanon County, Pa., in November 1807. Albright was elected bishop,
1 This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. n of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Rev. J. Raphael Dallas, general statistician of the Evangelical Church,
Cleveland, Ohio, and approved by him in its present form.
EVANGELICAL. CHURCH 627
and articles of faith and the book of discipline were adopted, but a full form of
church government was not devised for some years. The first general conference
convened in Buffalo Valley, Union County, Pa., in October 1816, at which time
the denomination took the name Evangelical Association.
Although, in the beginning, the activities of the church were carried on in the
German language only, the scope was soon widened by taking up work in the
English language also; and of late years English has become the dominant lan-
guage, practically displacing the German. The denomination spread into the
Central States, and throughout the Northern and Western States from New
England to the Pacific coast, and north into Canada.
For some years the missionary idea, which has always been a dominant purpose
of ^ the denomination, found its expression in local work; but in 1839 a general
missionary society was organized, and a woman's society followed in 1883. In
1854 the church first reached out to Europe, and commenced an important work
both in Germany and Switzerland. In 1876 Japan was occupied, and since then
missions have been established in China, Russia, Poland-Latvia, and Africa. As
early as 1815, a church publishing house was founded, and what is said to be the
oldest German religious paper in the United States, Der Christliche Botschafter,
was founded in 1836.
A division, in 1891, resulting in the organization of the United Evangelical
Church, took from the denomination a large number of ministers and members.
Both denominations continued their separate existence until the end of the
second decade of the separation when the growing conviction that the two
churches should be reunited began to find articulate expression. The General
Conference of the Evangelical Association of 1907 and that of the United Evan-
gelical Church in 1910 took definite steps toward a reapproachment by the
appointment of commissions on church union and federation. These commis-
sions, after a series of meetings, agreed upon a partial basis of union in 1918,
which basis was ratified by the General Conference of the United Evangelical
Church in 1918 and by the General Conference of the Evangelical Association in
1919.
Commissions were again appointed which, in joint session in 1921, completed
the basis of union; it was submitted to the annual conferences of both denomina-
tions, receiving the required constitutional majority in both churches. At a
special session of the General Conference of the Evangelical Association, and at
a regular session of the General Conference of the United Evangelical Church,
meeting simultaneously during the month of October 1922, the adoption of the
Discipline and the Basis of Union was consummated, and on October 14, 1922, in
the General Conference of the Evangelical Church, the two churches were united
under the name of the Evangelical Church. This church is not one of the
Lutheran bodies.
DOCTRINE
In doctrine the Evangelical Church is Armmian, and its articles of faith corre-
spond very closely to those of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They emphasize
the divinity as well as perfect humanity of the Son of God and the true divinity
of the Holy Ghost; and hold that the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New
Testaments reveal the will of God so far as is necessary for salvation. Christian
perfection is defined as "a state of grace in which we are so firmly rooted in God
that we have instant ^victory over every temptation the moment it presents
itself, without yielding'in any degree; in which our rest, peace, and joy in God
are not interrupted by the vicissitudes of life; in which, in short, sin has lost its
power over us, and we rule over the flesh, the world, and Satan, yet in watchful-
ness." Entire sanctification is the basis of this perfection, which, however, con-
stantly admits of a fuller participation in divine power and a constant expansion
in spiritual capacity.
ORGANIZATION
The polity of the Evangelical Church is connectional in form. Bishops are
elected by the General Conference for a term of 4 years, but are not ordained
or consecrated as such. They are eligible for reelection and are general overseers
of the work of the church. They preside at annual conferences and, as a board,
decide all questions of law in the interval between General Conference sessions.
The General Conference, which meets quadrennially, has been, since 1839, a
delegated body. Previous to that time all elders of the church were members.
The annual and quarterly conferences correspond to the similar bodies in the
Methodist Episcopal Church; the annual conferences consisting of the ministers
275318 — 41 41
628 CENSUS) OF RELIGIOUS BOMBS, 1936
within certain territorial bounds and a limited number of laymen; and the
quarterly conferences consisting of the officers of the local congregations. Dis-
trict superintendents are elected for 4 years by the annual conference. Pastors
are appointed annually, on the itinerant system. No time limit is imposed.
The property of local congregations is controlled and managed by trustees for the
use of the ministry and membership, and subject to the doctrine and polity of the
denomination.
WOEK
The general missionary work both home and foreign is under the care of a
missionary society, whose members become such by the payment of dues. It
carries on its work through a board, whose membership consists of the officers of
the society (who are also the officers of the board) ; one ministerial delegate from
each annual conference society; two delegates from the Woman's Missionary
Society, the missionary executive secretaries; and eight laymen who are elected
by the General Conference. The annual conferences are practically organized
as branch societies for missionary work. AJ1 transactions of the missionary
society are reviewed at the General Conference. The Woman's Missionary
Society has 1,216 local societies, with a total membership of 33,606, and works
under the general direction of the Board of Missions. This general board makes
the annual appropriations for mission conferences in the United States and
foreign lands, and these conferences in turn divide their respective_ appropriations
among the various mission stations. In 1911 the missionary activities of the church
were enlarged and a Young People's Missionary Circle was organized. It now
has 624 societies with a membership of 15,522.
Appropriations for home mission work are directed to the support of the
missionaries and the provision of homes for them. A considerable amount of
work is done in the West and Northwest, including the western provinces of
Canada — Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta — -and in the large cities of the
United States. Of late, work has developed among the foreign nationalities in
the United States, there being now 4 missions among Italians. The total number
of missionaries reported in the home department in 1936 was 607, the number of
churches aided was 957, and the contributions for the work were reported as
$494,400.
In close sympathy with the Board of Home Missions is the work of the Board
of Church Extension in assisting needy mission congregations to erect church
buildings by means of temporary loans at a minimum rate of interest. For this
work, in 1936, there was contributed $22,000. There is a general fund amounting
to $496,923, and a special fund of $11,043, making a total of $507,966.
Foreign missions are carried on through both the Board of Missions and the
Woman's Missionary Society. The fields occupied are Japan, China, Germany,
Poland, Latvia, France, Africa, Switzerland, and Russia, The most distinc-
tively foreign mission work is that in China and Japan, in each of which there
is a principal station, with various substations and churches connected with it.
In 1936, in connection with the missions in these countries, there were reported
541 organized congregations, with 38,200 members; and 2 training schools. In
addition, there were in Europe, generally under the care of native preachers, 424
churches, with 33,453 members; and in Canada, 111 churches, with 11,310 mem-
bers. The total number of American missionaries employed was 40, chiefly in
Asia, and there were 725 native workers, including deaconesses, most of them in
Europe. In the foreign field there were also 7 hospitals and dispensaries, and
1 orphanage, with 45 inmates. The total amount contributed for foreign missions
by the churches in 1936 was $129,925, of which $35,050 went to assist the work
in Europe, $50,000 that in Japan, $32,000 that in China, and $12,875 that in
Africa. The contributions for the work in Canada are special and are not in-
cluded in the regular contributions. The property in Europe is valued at $2,630,-
500, that in Japan at $427,253, and that in China at $98,091, making a total of
$3,155,844. The general receipts of the missionary society for both the home
and foreign fields have shown a steady increase, and in 1936 amounted to $696,925.
The average contribution in the whole denomination in 1936 for home and foreign
missionarjr purposes was $2.93 per member.
The educational work of the denomination in the United States in 1936 in-
cluded 5 institutions of higher grade, with 1,562 students. The current income
for educational work at home was $482,700; great emphasis was placed upon
raising a fund for endowments, which were materially increased. The value of
property is estimated at $3,496,000, and there is an endowment of $1,758,911.
EVANGELICAL CHURCH 629
The institutional or philanthropic enterprises of the church include two orphan-
ages^ six homes for the aged, and three hospitals, with a deaconess home.
Aside from these institutions there is a charitable society, whose funds are in
the form of a permanent endowment, the proceeds from which are applied to
the support of aged ministers, or such as are in broken health, and to the support
of families of deceased ministers. This is designated "The Superannuation
Fund."
The young people of the church are enrolled in what is known as the Evangelical
League of Christian Endeavor, which has in the United States 1,825 societies,
with 43,521 members. These societies contributed $52,818, of which $12,279
was appropriated for missionary work and the remainder for various other pur-
poses.
EVANGELICAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
(FORMERLY THE UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH)
STATISTICS
Summary for the "United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Evangelical Congregational Church for the
year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows, also, the distribution of these
figures between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from
schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual
churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of persons who are on the
registers of the local churches as communicant members,
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OP STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
160
23, 894
149
9,114
13, 738
1,042
66.3
920
22,238
756
4.0
160
155
$3, 296, 428
$3, 258, 767
$37, 661
$21, 267
62
$572, 203
96
87
79
$431, 483
160
$461, 969
$142, 706
$32, 858
$32, 427
$33, 627
$119, 486
$11, 282
$21, 442
$11,996
$26, 218
$29, 927
$2,887
155
3,599
30, 193
67
16, 735
250
6,452
9,483
800
68.0
631
15,511
593
3.9
65
65
$2, 600, 591
$2, 574, 450
$26, 141
$40, 009
$541, 903
21
47
47
$302, 050
67
$335, 591
$96, 197
$27, 383
$23, 176
$24 855
$91, 775
$8, 156
$15, 610
$9, 201
$17, 236
$22, 002
$5, 009
67
2,055
19. 531
93
7,159
77
2,662
4,255
242
62 6
289
6,707
163
4.1
95
90
$695, 837
$684, 317
$11, 520
$7, 732
17
$30, 300
75
40
32
$129, 433
93
$126, 378
$46, 509
$5, 475
$9, 251
$8,772
$27, 711
$3, 126
$5, 832
$2, 795
$8, 982
$7, 925
$1, 359
88
1,544
10. 662
41.9
70.0
58.1
30.0
Members, number
A.VGTMT6 membership p^r clmrcli
Membership by sex:
Male
70.8
69.0
76.8
29.2
31.0
23.2
Female
Sex not reported .
Males per 100 females
Membership by age-
Under 13 years
68.6
69.8
78. 4
31.4
30.2
21.6
13 years and over . .
Age not reported __
Percent under 13 years z
Clrnrnli edifiop.s, rnifibfir ,
40.6
41.9
78.9
79.0
69 4
59.4
58. 1
21.1
21.0
30 6
Value — number reporting __
Amount reported .
Constructed prior to 3936 _.
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936_
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
94 7
5.3
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number-
Value — number reporting .
Amount reported _
70.0
41 9
72 6
67 4
83 3
71.5
73.9
76.8
72.3
72.8
76.7
65.7
73.5
30 0
58.1
27.4
32.6
16. 7
28.5
26. 1
23.2
27.7
27.2
23 3
34.3
26.5
ETDsnditures:
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported . _
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Some missions
Foreign missions _ .
To general headquarters for distribution. ._
All other purposes. _
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number _.
43.2
57.1
&L7
56.8
42.9
35.3
Officers and teachers
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
630
3 Based on membership with age classification reported.
EVANGELICAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 631
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL
Urban
Rural
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
34
359
3,101
2
6
58
2
90
987
22
247
2,171
2
6
58
1
33
852
12
112
930
Officers and teachers
68.8
70.0
31.2
30.0
Scholars
Weekday religious schools :
Churchfis report-ing, prnri h^r
Officers and teachers
Scholars
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number
1
57
135
Officers and "teachers
Scholars
86.3
13.7
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Evangelical Congregational
Church for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906. The figures shown for
1916 and 1906 represent the entire body of United Evangelical churches prior to
the merger of the majority of them with the Evangelical Association.
TABLE 2. — COMPAKATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
19161
19061
Churches (local organizations) , number
160
153
957
975
Increase 2 over preceding census:
Number
7
-18
Percent
4.6
—1.8
]VTeTn'bf*r8, rmm'hfvr,
23, 894
20, 449
89, 774
69, 882
Increase over preceding census:
Number ^.-., __ .,•_
3,445
19, 892
Percent _
16.8
28.5
Average membership per church
149
134
94
72
Church edifices, number
160
148
905
920
VaJ"6 — niTmhftr fApnrfciTig
155
142
896
906
Atnonnt rfiportfid^ ..,._,
$3, 296, 428
$2, 319, 400
$4, 657, 893
$3, 180, 359
Average value per church
$21, 267
$16, 334
$5, 199
$3,510
33ebt — number reporting
62
29
245
208
Amount reported
$572, 203
$240, 000
$524, 988
$292, 004
Parsonages, number
87
Val^fi — TutiTnhftr rfipnrting
79
78
401
346
Amount reported
$431, 483
$451, 300
$962 490
$610, 251
Expenditures :
^hurdhes r6pnrti"ng, mini "her
160
153
927
Amount reported . -
$461, 969
$574, 165
$1, 111, 264
Pastors' salaries
$142, 706
All other salaries
$32, 858
1
"RApftirs ?vnd iTnpr<">VATnAnts
$32, 427
f $444, 444
$831, 519
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest- _ .
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$33 627
$119| 486
$11, 282
1
TTofn^ missinns
$21, 442
Foreign missions
$11, 996
> $129, 721
$279, 165
To general headquarters for distribution
$26, 218
All other purposes
$29, 927
J
Not classified
$580
Average expenditure per church
$2,887
$3, 753
$1, 199
Sunday schools:
Onurclies reporting;, TiiTniTber
155
148
905
883
Officers and teachers
3,599
2,950
13,908
12, 136
Scholars „
30, 193
27, 395
129, 453
93, 176
given represent data for the United Evangelical Church as then constituted; because of this
fact, the increase or decrease in churches and members from 1916 to 1926 is not shown, as the data are not com-
parable.
2 Aminus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
632
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS B DIMES, 1936
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Evangelical
Congregational Church by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the num-
ber and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban
or rural territory, the membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools.
Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches
for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936
classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5
shows the value of churches and parsonages and amount of debt on church
edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing
separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for the two ^ conferences in the
Evangelical Congregational Church, the more important statistical data for 1936
shown by States in the preceding tables, including number of churches, member-
ship, value and debt on church edifices, expenditures, and Sunday schools.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
1
a
1
P
1
tf
"3
1
§
•s
p
1
1
Female
**
02
Males per 100
females
Churches re-
porting
|M
0
Scholars
"United States
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
180
142
6
67
93
23,894
21, 895
1,248
751
16, 735
7,159
9,114
13,738
1,042
66.3
155
137
12
6
3,599
30, 193
27, 536
1,555
1,102
3
87
3
3
15, 125
1,074
536
6,770
174
215
8,317
479
318
12, 536
769
433
1,042
66.3
62.3
73.4
3,277
205
117
E. NORTH CENTRAL;
Ohio
Illinois _-_
TABLE 4.— NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Under
13
years
13 years
and
over
Age not
re-
ported
Percent
under
131
United States..
New York
160
153
957
975
23, 894
20, 449
89,774
69,882
920
22, 218
756
4.0
6
576
42
75
3
18
73
8
8
60
11
19
4
13
36
5
6
578
45
86
4
13
84
3
8
60
14
15
4
7
43
5
249
62, 792
4,729
6,830
199
648
5,202
226
231
3,028
615
2,155
262
576
1,695
337
158
45, 480
4,293
6,447
170
492
5,017
96
155
2,992
547
1,769
105
199
1,661
301
Pennsylvania
Ohio
142
12
6
140
7
6
21,895
1,248
751
19, 309
604
536
777
122
21
20, 362
1,126
730
756
3.7
9.8
2.8
Illinois
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Iowa
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
Maryland
West Virginia
Oklahoma
Oregon,. ._
Other States
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
EVANGELICAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
633
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Number
of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
160
160
155
83,296,428
62
55
6
1
$572, 203
79
$431, 483
P ennsyl vania
142
12
6
144
10
6
139
10
6
3, 110, 928
105, 500
80, 000
535, 174
34, 279
2,750
73
2
4
406, 483
} i 25, 000
Ohio "
Illinois
1 Amount for Ohio combined with figures for Illinois, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
STATE
Total
number of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
provements
United States
160
142
12
6
160
142
12
6
$461,969
419, 918
22, 497
19, 554
$142, 706
$32, 858
30, 582
891
1,385
$32, 427
28,839
1,173
2,415
Pennsylvania
125, 357
9,738
7,611
Ohio--
Illinois
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment on
3hureh debt,
excluding
interest
Other
current
^expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All
other
purposes
United States
$33, 627
$119,486
811, 282
$21,442
$11, 996
$26, 218
$29,927
Pennsylvania
31, 352
550
1,725
110, 979
5,061
3,446
10, 402
456
424
19, 335
1,127
980
10, 930
438
628
24,456
1,249
513
27, 686
1,814
427
Onio
Illinois
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY CONFERENCES,
1936
o
0
-0 g
g
M
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDI-
TURES
SUNDAI
SCHOOLS
a
CONFERENCE
5*|
*0
o w
WfcX,
SM
o 0
rQ
J_l
r^l-9
4j
43-2
+»
,cj 9
•4-3
XJ'IS
05
05
Jo
2"S
a
3
** o
§
2 o
5
O fci
i_ O
03
O
rj X,
o
0
rj ft
O
0
1
ge1
a
glf
a
ge
4
At
O
•s
03
Total
160
23, 894
155
$3,296,428
62
$572, 203
IfiO
$461,969
IfiR
30, 193
Eastern ._ _. .
137
23
21, 330
2,564
134
21
3, 066, 428
230, 000
53
9
531, 283
40,920
137
23
412, 758
49,211
132
23
26, 951
3,242
Western —
634 GElNS'USi OF -RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The United Evangelical Church, as a separate ecclesiastical body, dates from
the year 1894. Previous to that time its members constituted a part of the
Evangelical Association, organized under the evangelistic labors of Jacob Albright,
in eastern Pennsylvania, in the year 1800. The division which resulted in the
formation of the new church was due to differences of opinion as to what were
considered fundamental principles of church polity, and official acts affecting
the claims of a large minority of the ministers and members of the association.
Seven annual conferences, with from 60,000 to 70,000 members, who were des-
ignated the "minority," entered a protest against what they regarded as "abuse
of the powers conferred by the discipline, and usurpation of powers in violation
of the discipline/' This protest availed nothing, and in due time a separate
organization was effected, with articles of faith and a discipline in strict accord
with the doctrine, spirit, and purpose of the original church. On October 10,
1894, the former members of the East Pennsylvania Conference met in convention
and organized as the "East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Evangelical
Church," and called a general conference to meet in Naperville, 111., November 29,
1894. Other conferences joined in the call, and on the designated day the con-
ference met, and on the following day declared itself to be the first General
Conference of the United Evangelical Church.
In 1910 a movement was started looking toward a reunion of the United
Evangelical Church and the Evangelical Association. Commissions were ap-
pointed by the general conferences in 1914 to consider the question and prepare
a basis of union. For a number of years the matter lay dormant, but in 1922
the majority of the delegates to the General Conference held in Barrington, 111.,
voted to reunite on the basis proposed by the commission.
The East Pennsylvania Conference, long recognized as the mother conference,
at its annual session prior to the session of the General Conference, refused to
vote on the basis of union, giving nine reasons for its action, which briefly stated
were: That the method of procedure was irregular and contrary to the law of the
church; that it meant a return to a church p'olity which had been objectionable
30 years before and had been one of the principal reasons for the establishment
of the United Evangelical Church; that it meant the omission of a number of
articles of faith which were deemed of vital importance and concerning which the
discipline explicitly stated "The Articles of Faith shall never be changed."
This conference also instructed its delegates to the General Conference to enter
a protest in harmony with the foregoing action. This protest was, however,
disregarded and the merger declared effected.
The protesting delegates, upon their return from the General Conference,
called a special session of the East Pennsylvania Conference and presented their
report. This body endorsed the action of their representatives and decided to
perpetuate the United Evangelical Church. Since that date the large majority
of churches in this conference, together with individual churches in the Central,
Pittsburgh, Ohio, and Illinois conferences, have been functioning apart from the
merger, with marked success. Though the supreme court of the State of Penn-
sylvania declared the merger to be legal, its decision did not define exactly the
status of these churches; but, pending such interpretation, and under an agree-
ment with the larger body, they continued their separate existence under the
same name. They later adopted the name Evangelical Congregational Church.
The boundaries of the East Pennsylvania Conference remain the same as before
the merger, while the churches in the Middle West have been organized into a
Western Conference.
The valuation of the property owned by the congregations reporting in 1936
is $3,652,777, to which must be added the value of general property, making a
total valuation of $3,773,177.
The ministerial ranks are composed of 124 itinerant preachers serving charges
and 46 local preachers.
The Evangelical Congregational Church is a constituent member of the Federal
Council of the Churches of Christ in America, and is identified with the various
movements for church unity and fellowship.
1 This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Reli-
gious Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Rev. C. H. Mengel, bishop of the Evangelical Congregational
Church, Allentown, Pa., and approved by him in its present form.
EVANGELICAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 635
DOCTRINE
In doctrine the Evangelical Congregational Church may be characterized as
\rminian. Its confession of faith, formulated in 25 articles, varies but little
rom the teachings of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The church emphasizes
.he principle of voluntary giving, not only for the support of the ministry, but
ilso for the maintenance of all the religious and benevolent enterprises of the
jhurch; "voluntary abstinence from all intoxicants, as the true ground of per-
sonal temperance, and complete legal prohibition of the traffic in alcoholic drinks,
is the duty of civil government"; the exercise of strict discipline for the safety,
purity, and power of the church; the integrity of the Bible, as given by inspiration
)f God; and the fellowship of all followers of Christ.
ORGANIZATION
In polity the church resembles the Methodist Episcopal Church. The local
jongregations are self-governing in their temporal affairs. There is equal clerical
ind lay representation in the annual conferences, as well as in the General Con-
'erence. The itinerant system of ministerial supply and service prevails, the
appointments of ministers being made at each annual conference, by a committee
consisting of a presiding bishop and presiding elders, for 1 year, with the privilege
}f reappointment to the limit of an 8-year term.
WORK
The missionary interests of the church are committed especially to a Society
}f Home and Foreign Missions, which has a branch in each annual conference.
Ets affairs are managed by a general board, consisting of its officers, together
ivith one delegate from each conference auxiliary, and one from the Woman's
Eome and Foreign Missionary Society. The latter is auxiliary to the general
society. The annual conferences are empowered to establish missions within their
3wn bounds, and supervise them, while beyond the limits of conference districts
;he board of missions can act. The number of such missions now in operation
ivithin and beyond the conference bounds is 62, cared for by the same number of
nissionaries ; and for the prosecution of the work in 1936, the sum of $29,064 was
3ontributed.
Foreign missionary work is carried on through interdenominational boards.
The Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society is especially active and it is
argely through its efforts that 21 missionaries are being supported in several
"oreign countries.
The Keystone League of Christian Endeavor Societies in 1936 numbered 201
rcith a membership of 6,143 and contributed $1,121 for missionary purposes,
tvhile the Sunday schools contributed for various purposes the sum of $44,954.
A home for the aged has been established at Herndon, Pa., with a property
valuation of $100,000, which includes a farm of 110 acres. Three fine parks are
Dwned by the church — namely, Waldheim Park, located near Allentown, Pa.;
Rosedale Park, near Reading; and Herndon Park, adjoining the property of the
Eome for the Aged, at Herndon, Pa. Successful summer assemblies are con-
iucted in all of these parks.
A publishing company has been organized with headquarters at Myerstown, Pa.
The official church publication is called The United Evangelical. A church center
aas been established at Myerstown, Pa.
EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATIONS
GENERAL STATEMENT
Under this head are included various associations of churches which are more
or less completely organized and have one general characteristic, namely, the
conduct of evangelistic or missionary work.
In a few cases they are practically denominations, but for the most part, while
distinct from other religious foodies, they are dominated by the evangelistic
conception rather than by doctrinal or ecclesiastical distinctions. None of them
is large, and some are very small and local in their character.
Between 1916 and 1926 certain changes were noted: The Church of God (Apos-
tolic) was added; the Lumber River Mission, now known as the Holiness Method-
ist Church, was listed with the Methodist bodies; the Church Transcendent, and
the Voluntary Missionary Society in America ceased to exist; no report was re-
ceived from the Peniel Missions; and two bodies were listed under new names —
Apostolic Faith Mission, reported in 1916 and 1906 as Apostolic Faith Movement,
and Missionary Bands of the World, formerly reported as Pentecost Bands of the
World.
In 1936 the Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean) has been added to the
group.
The bodies grouped under the head "Evangelistic Associations" in 1936, 1926,
1916, and 1906 are listed as follows, with the principal statistics as reported for the
four census years.
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR THE EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATIONS, 1936, 1926, 1916,
1906
DENOMINATION AND CENSUS YEAR
Total number of I
churches
a
°§
j-fO
Q/
ja
a
z
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
+3
-J
Churches
reporting
Scholars
1936
Total for the group .
270
20, 230
176
81,988,720
227
$307, 519
217
15,478
Apostolic Christian Church..
57
31
17
1
5
13
13
20
14
47
6
46
5,841
1,663
2,288
57
122
314
361
709
961
3,648
222
4044
52
18
7
552,490
146,500
320,950
56
23
15
41,048
24,926
69,487
52
20
13
1
3
7
1
17
10
45
4
44
3,616
1,077
873
30
108
277
20
827
804
6,008
275
1,563
Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean).
Apostolic Faith Mission
Christian Congregation
Church of Daniel's Band
4
8
3
10
1
37
6
30
3,250
6,630
1,250
13,250
150,000
217,900
16,000
560,500
5
10
8
19
13
45
5
28
767
2,476
469
6,802
47,605
88,871
4,150
20,009
Church of God (Apostolic)... „ .
Church of God as Organized by Christ..
Hephzibah Faith. Missionary Associa-
tion,
Metropolitan Church Association
Missionary Church Association
Missionary Bands of the World
Pillar of Fire
636
EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATIONS!
637
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR THE EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATIONS, 1936, 1926, 1916,
AND 1906 — Continued
DENOMINATION AND CENSUS YEAR
"8
1
1
r
a
I
VALUE OF CHUECH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
o bfl
sa
I!"
-fc3
a
I
la
0-3
3°
3g
o *
j
gg,
-a .2
o43
M £4
2 ft
A %
Q *
"o
1
1936
Total for the group.-
257
15, 763
5,709
2,119
150
129
492
375
495
1,113
2,498
241
2,442
13, 933
141
$1, 821, 043
476, 800
273, 500
1,000
4,500
24, 350
1,400
18,500
201, 650
262, 343
20, 000
537, 000
854,435
198
_
11
1
4
14
$378, 034
188
48~
7
2
2
13
11,839
Apostolic Christian Church
53
14
2
4
18
19
14
40
34
11
48
207
48
4
1
3
8
2
9
4
30
9
23
134
36, 072
60, 622
250
667
5,486
2,581
578
165
78
341
Apostolic Faith Mission -
Christian Congregation _ _ . _
Church of Daniel's Band
Church of God (Apostolic)
Church of God as Organized by Christ..
Hephzibah Faith Missionary Associa-
tion
10
34
33
10
32
170
5,363
107, 580
105, 326
6,588
50, 080
265, 167
10
33
29
8
36
145
414
1,618
3,822
248
1,994
10,067
Metropolitan Church Association
Missionary Church Association
Missionary Bands of the World
Pillar of Fire
1916
Total for the group _.
Apostolic Church
2
54
24
7
6
17
3
12
6
7
25
9
10
21
4
179
112
4,766
2,196
645
393
227
91
352
434
704
1,554
257
218
1,129
855
10,842
2
49
8
5
4
3
1
11
6
1
20
2
10
8
4
115
6,400
265, 325
40,950
11, 500
7,800
1,500
4,500
21, 100
6,425
100,000
84, 700
111, 600
18, 500
171, 555
2,580
532, 185
2
51
22
5
4
1
1
12
4
4
21
8
10
21
4
650
29, 893
38, 380
1,650
895
50
700
3,887
323
80,635
37, 930
5,765
4,420
57,790
2,199
1
47
16
5
1
60
3,068
711
376
22
Apostolic Christian Church -_„ .... ,
Apostolic Faith Movement ._
Christian Congregation ,. - ,„,-_
Church of Daniel's Band-. .
Church of God as Organized by Christ-
Church Transcendent
3
12
6
3
21
4
10
12
4
136
84
502
358
423
3,022
66
430
559
386
7,615
Hephzibah Faith Missionary Associa-
tion
IjiirnhpT "Rfvftr TMTlPSlOP-
Metropolitan Church Association-
Missionary Church Association
Peniel Missions
Pentecost Bands of the World
Pillar of Fire
Voluntary Missionary Society in Amer-
ica - - - -
1906
Total for the group
Apostolic Christian Church
41
6
9
8
4
10
5
6
30
11
16
3
3
27
4,558
538
395
196
92
293
265
466
1,256
703
487
230
425
938
38
1
5
4
2
9
5
4
19
1
15
3
2
7
141, 550
450
7,200
3,100
2,400
11, 300
3,000
118,300
33, 135
40, 250
69, 550
90,600
2,400
8,950
31
5
7
7
1
9
5
4
28
7
13
2
3
14
1,932
245
332
245
50
402
256
360
1,916
308
477
175
390
527
Apostolic Faith Movement
Christian Congregation
Gospel Mission
Church Of T^ftTiiel'S T**vnd
Hephzibah Faith Missionary Associa-
tion .
•Metropolitan Church Association
Missionary Church Association
Peniel Missions
Penteco&t Bands of the World
Pentecostal Union Church
Voluntary Missionary Society in Amer-
ica (Colored)
j
APOSTOLIC CHRISTIAN CHURCH
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Apostolic Christian Church for the year 1936
is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who have been
received into the local churches upon profession of faith and baptism.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
In rural
PBECE
TOT
NT OF
ALl
Urban
Hural
Ch.tiroli.es (local organizations), number
57
14
43
Members, number
5,841
1,461
4,380
25.0
75.0
Average membership per churcli
102
104
102
Membership by sex:
Male
2,127
434
1,693
20.4
79.6
Female
3,714
1,027
2,687
27.7
72.3
Males per 100 females
57.3
42.3
63.0
Membership by age:
Under 13 years --
8
8
13 years and. over -
5,587
1,413
4,174
25.3
74.7
Age not reported
246
48
198
19.5
80.5
Percent under 13 years 3
0.1
0.2
Clmrcli 6d.ilB.cpSi number
54
10
44
Value~~~number reporting!
52
10
42
Amount reported - _ .
$552. 490
$145, 229
$407, 261
26.3
73.7
Constructed prior to 1936
$549, 490
$145, 229
$404, 261
26.4
73.6
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
$3, 000
$3, 000
100.0
Average value per church __
$10, 625
$14, 523
$9, 697
Debt — number reporting
6
3
Amount reported **
$9 660
$5, 100
$4, 560
52 8
47 2
Number reporting "no debt" „,_, - ,. -
46
39
Expenditures :
Churches reporting1, number -
56
13
43
Amount reported ---
$41, 048
$13, 749
$27, 299
33.5
66.5
Pastors' salaries - -
$600
$600
100.0
All other salaries
$5, 746
$1, 496
$4 250
26 0
74.0
Repairs and improvements _- _ _
$9, 050
$3 538
$5, 512
39.1
60.9
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
$4, 915
$1, 600
$3, 315
32.6
67.4
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
$10, 187
$3, 510
$6, 677
34.5
65.5
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc.—
Home missions
$7, 224
$216
$2,214
$5,010
$216
30.6
69.4
100.0
Foreign, missions
$112
$112
100.0
To general headquarters for distribution __
All other purposes
$917
$2, 081
$307
$1 084
$Q10
$997
33.5
52 1
66.5
47.9
Average expenditure per church
$733
$1 058
$635
Sunday schools :
f5btirf».hes reporting, •o.Tvrn'hAf
52
11
41
Officers and teachers
312
75
237
24.0
76.0
Scholars
3 616
819
2,797
22.6
77.4
i Percent not shown where base is-less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported-
638
'CHRISTIAN CHITRCH
639
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of the Apostolic Christian Church for
the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906. While no parsonages were reported
as owned in either 1936 or 1926, one, valued at $2,000, was reported for 1916.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMAEY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
57
53
54
41
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number _.
4
—1
13
Percent2
Members, number
5 841
5 709
4,766
4,558
Increase over preceding census:
Number
132
943
208
Percent
2 3
19 8
4 6
Average membership per church _
102
108
88
111
Church edifices, number
54
56
51
44
Value — number reporting
52
48
49
38
Amount reported
$552, 490
$476, 800
$265, 325
$141, 550
Average value per church
$10, 625
$9, 933
$5, 415
$3, 725
Debt — number reporting
6
6
2
6
Amount reported . ° .
$9, 660
$11, 650
$1, 000
$6, 500
Expenditures :
Ohnr<Vhfis reporting, nnmbfir
56
49
51
Amount reported
$41 048
$36 072
$29, 893
Pastors' salaries
$600
All other salaries
$5, 746
Repairs and improvements
$9 050
$27, 249
$18, 139
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest-
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$4, 915
$10, 187
$7, 224
"FfoT"3' missions
$216
Foreign missions
$112
$8, 823
$11, 754
To general headquarters for distribution
$917
All other purposes
$2, 081
Average expenditure per church
$733
$736
$586
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
52
48
47
31
Officers and teachers
312
228
197
130
Scholars
3,616
2,581
3,068
1,932
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Apostolic
Christian Church by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table
4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four
census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as
"under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value
of church edifices and the amount of debt on such property for 1936. Table 6
presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses,
improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial
statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is
limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value and
expenditures.
640
OENTSKTS 01 KEUGIOTJS. BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBEE AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NTJMBEE OF
CHUBCHES
NUMBER Or
MEMBERS
MEMBEBSHEP BY
SEX
STJNDAY SCHOOLS
I
1
g
P3
£
s
»Q
£
1
P5
©
.2
P
fo
Males per
100 females »
1 Churches
reporting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States
NEW ENGLAND:
0 onnecticut
57
14
43
5,841
1,481
210
4,380
2,127
80
57
14
251
368
935
44
45
104
23
135
4
33
30
4
3,714
57.3
61.5
52
1
2
1
9
7
14
2
2
4
2
6
812
8
14
3
60
53
90
7
5
21
10
25
3,816
129
137
14
524
714
1,326
110
53
193
60
221
1
2
1
9
8
14
2
2
5
2
3
1
1
2
1
1
210
140
48
744
922
2,689
127
90
268
65
362
16
80
70
10
140
130
83
34
493
554
1,754
83
45
164
42
227
12
47
40
6
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
2
New Jersey
1
5
48
518
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
4
8
11
2
2
5
2
5
226
922
2,070
127
90
268
65
337
50.9
66.4
53.3
Indiana
Illinois
3
619
Michigan
WEST NOETH CENTBAL:
Minnesota
Iowa .. -.
63.4
Missouri
Kansas
1
1
1
1
25
16
15
10
59.5
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
TVest Virsinis
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma
1
1
80
55
1
1
5
11
95
40
PACIFIC:
Oregon
California
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE £.— NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHTJKCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBEESEIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
(Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
ANB STATE
NTTMBEE OF CHUECHES
NT7MBEB OF MEMBEES
MEMBEESHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
131
United States
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
57
53
8
8
12
5
6
14
54
6
8
15
5
6
14
41
5,841
5,709
668
580
2,828
279
430
924
4,786
4,558
8
5,587
246
0.1
9
8
14
5
6
315
8
6
14
3
4
6
744
922
2,689
268
362
856
428
628
2,165
290
437
818
539
380
2,515
184
417
523
8
736
922
2,535
268
1.1
Indiana
"""l54~
Illinois
WEST NOETH CENTBAL:
Iowa
Kansas
::
362
764
92
:::
Other States
i Based on membership with age classification reported.
* Includes 2 churches in each of the following States — New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and
Oregon; and 1 in each of the following— Connecticut, New Jersey, "West Virginia ,0klahoma, and California.
APOOT'OLffiC OHRISTIAIT CHURCH
641
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHTTBCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHUECH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
Total
number
Number
VALUE O
EDD
P CHUBCH
'ICES
DEBT ON
EDII
CHURCH
'ICES
of
churches
edifices
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States .
57
54
52
$552 490
6
S9 660
Ohio
9
7
7
56 500
2
2 500
Indiana
8
8
8
80, 400
1
3,000
Illinois
14
15
13
295,729
2
4 100
Iowa
5
5
5
18 250
Kansas
6
6
6
20, 500
Other States
15
13
113
81, 111
1
60
* Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— New York, Michigan, Minnesota, and Missouri;
and 1 in each of the following— Connecticut, New Jersey, West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Oregon.
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
I
* EXPENDITURES
N
bt
,
-=3 bjo
' two
T3
.
«n
o
S
a
o
"8
S
•c
"*$
•gla
** nj
C3
n
0
^rn
ft
STATE
jl
&
§
83
"3
ll
§"3
*s.-§
G>
fe
S
§
%
0
"
§«2
i"S«
*53 S
43
n^
»-
rt
1
,d
S
o
1
5
o
Is"
4^&
I Is
1
1
1
o
"o
O
{!<
<l
rt
PH
o
J
M
ft
<
United States
57
56
$41, 048
$800
$5,746
$9, 050
$4,915
$10, 187
$7, 224
$216
$112
$917
$2,081
Ohio
9
9
8,878
600
860
3,293
1,200
942
1,684
^
112
35
127
Indiana
8
8
4,199
1,245
588
915
1,118
50
150
133
Illinois
14
14
17, 712
2,915
2,125
1,900
6,047
2,639
110
644
1,332
Iowa
5
5
3,647
928
1,800
487
361
31
15
25
"PCfvnpas
6
6
1,242
164
536
215
317
10
Other States
15
5,370
....
562
1,580
15
1,581
1,105
63
464
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States—New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and
Oregon; and 1 in each of the following— Connecticut, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Oklahoma.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
The Apostolic Christian Church traces its origin to Benedict Weyeneth, who
came to this country about the year 1847 and established a number of German-
Swiss churches. The principal characteristic of these churches is the develop-
ment of the doctrine of entire sanctification. They aim solely at the saving of
souls, a change of heart through regeneration, and a life of godliness guided and
directed by the Holy Spirit.
This body does not believe in war, therefore the members sought exemption
from bearing arms, but they are very willing to support the Government of the
United States in any service which is compatible with the teachings of Christ and
the Apostles. This was demonstrated by the members in the World War, in
which they were commended for their faithfulness. Each member is required to be
obedient to the laws of the United States and honest in discharging his duties,
such as reporting all taxable property, paying taxes, etc.
The different organizations are distinct from each other, although combining
in a loose association, and they are considering the advisability of a more definite
organization.
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Rev. Ernest Graf, ST., Akron, Ohio, and approved by him in its present
form.
APOSTOLIC CHRISTIAN CHURCH (NAZAREAN)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean) for the
year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures
between urban and rural territory. No parsonages were reported by this body.
These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the
pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate to these churches
only.
The membership of this denomination consists of persons who have become
converted to Christ and are baptized and who strive f or sanetification and prep-
aration for eternal life.
The Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean) was not reported prior to 1936,
hence no comparative data are available.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
ClmrcJies (local organizations) number
31
1,663
54
645
1,018
63.4
26
1,551
60
597
954
62.6
5
112
22
48
64
C2)
Members, nuinber -
93.3
6.7
Averape ui6Tnbcre'1iip per church
Membership by sex.
Male
92.6
93.7
7.4
6.3
Female - .
Ivfales per 100 females
Membership by age:
TTnder 13 years
13 years and over -
1,547
116
19
18
$146, 500
$143, 000
$3, 500
$8,139
$12,860
15
23
$24, 926
$2, 208
$4, 629
$2, 650
$6, 976
$3, 765
$175
$2,405
$1, 563
$555
$1,084
20
70
1,077
2
3
38
1,437
114
17
16
$135, 500
$132,000
$3, 500
$8,469
$12, 860
13
21
$24, 167
$2, 088
$4, 227
$2, 650
$6,864
$3, 765
$175
$2,280
$1, 563
$555
$1, 151
19
63
987
2
3
38
110
2
2
2
$11,000
$11,000
92.9
98.3
7.1
1.7
Ace not reported.
Ciriirch edifices number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported .
92 5
92.3
100.0
7.5
7.7
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
$5,500
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
166.6
Number reporting "no debt"
2
2
$759
$120
$402
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
97.0
94.6
91.3
100.0
98.4
100 0
3.0
5.4
8 7
Salaries, other than pastors' .
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest - - - -
$112
1.6
Local relief ^and charity, Red Cross, etc__.
TT(vrn0 Tnipsums
100.0
Foreign missions -
$125
94.8
100.0
100.0
5.2
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
$380
1
7
90
Sunday schools :
Cbitrrtfifis i"*3 parting, T"Trnhf»r
Officers and teachers _ - . .
Scholars
91.6
8.4
Summer vacation Bible schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
642
APOSTOLIC CHRISTIAN CHURCH (NAZABEAN)
643
State tables. — Tables 2, 3, and 4 present the statistics for 1936 for the Apostolic
Christian Church (Nazarean) by States. Table 2 gives for each State the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban
or rural territory, membership classified by sex and by age, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 3 shows the value of church edifices and the amount of debt on
such property. Table 4 presents the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, ^improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing
the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables
3 and 4 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX AND AGE, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY
STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP
BY SEX
MEMBER-
smp BY
AGE
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
S
P
S
S
T!
PJ
AND STATE
*- OT
^13
M
03 w
5
»-!
ll
2'-3
-C >-4
£|
5
"o
1
1
1
g
•s
1
,2
CS
§
,$!
^
S&
3G
A
5^
^
•s
H
^
Pi
£«
^
«
•*
Pq
^
rt
<1
O
o
CQ
United States
31
26
5
1,663
1,551
112
645
1,018
63.4
1,547
116
20
70
1,077
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1
1
78
78
30
48
78
1
4
100
New Jersey
?
2
106
106
Sfi
70
106
?
4
46
Pennsyl vania
2
3
1
29
14
1*>
1°,
16
29
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
n
11
852
852
33ft
516
65.1
767
85
8
31
491
Illinois..,
4
3
I
292
220
7?
11 0
177
G5.0
292
4
18
274
Michigan
1
1
120
120
4?
77
120
1
^
50
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
1
1
20
20
7
13
20
Missouri
1
1
30
30
10
20
30
1
4
40
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
District of Columbia
1
1
12
12
^
6
12
Virginia
1
1
10
10
4
6
10
1
?,
20
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
1
1
16
16
5
11
16
1
?
22
Utah
1
1
13
13
fi
7
13
PACIFIC:
Oregon
1
1
54
54
19
35
54
1
3
34
California
3
2
1
31
29
2
15
16
31
» Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 3. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total num-
ber of
churches
Number of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
Ohio
31
19
18
$146, 500
4
$12, 860
11
4
16
8
4
7
8
4
16
56,500
40, 500
49,500
3
6,750
Illinois
Other States
1
6,110
i Includes 1 church in each of the following States — New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Missouri,
Utah, and Oregon.
275318 — 41 42
644
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
S
f
EXPENDITURES
r\
bO
a
,
A bO
x £P
•&
.
CO
O
.y
03
.§
2-S
ss .a
§
to
o
M
"1
STATE
2
P
o"w
*§ ®
"§•§
So
*3&*
o
55
-, *J
g
a
0
S O
a w
03 1
§ ®^
§ ^«
•3?
J
a
2"§
O,
S
03
w g
S^j-2
0 | g
o
H
g g,
o>
H
"3
*C
S &
S^-Ss
0) g-w
"«
3
S
fcfl
o
"n
^3
S\
CJ
^^.9
5 P< S
o
o
o
Q
f— 1
EH
O
^
CQ
P3
PW
0
rf
W
fe
fr
^
United States
31
23
$24, 926
$2,208
$4, 629
$2, 650
$6, 976
$3,765
$175
$2,405
$1, 563
$555
Ohio
11
8
12 544
__
2,334
1,250
4,951
2,822
75
100
178
Illinois
4
4
5,250
970
1,063
392
450
650
1,337
388
Other States
16
ill
7,132
404
1,232
1,400
1,633
493
100
1,655
48
167
1 Includes 2 churches in New Jersey; and 1 in each of the following States— New York, Pennsylvania,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, and California.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
HISTORY
Samuel Heinrich Froehlich was born on July 4, 1803, in Brugg, Switzerland.
From his youth, he was influenced by his parents to devote himself to the clergy
of the Protestant Reformed (State Church) so that he never contemplated any-
thing else and was educated accordingly -
The further he advanced in his study, the more his faith vanished until he came
to the point that he believed nothing at all. Then God had compassion on him
and awakened him and led him through a well-grounded conversion to true or
real faith.
From that moment on, however, he met nothing but opposition everywhere
in the church (the state or established church) . When he took his first examina-
tion for acceptance into the ministry in the year 1826, because of his testimony of
the truth, he was put back a year. Finally he was accepted as a clergyman and
after an initial and temporary installation he returned as a clergyman to his home
scenes.
He preached repentance and conversion in a convincing manner. A great
awakening took place in the entire church. (As above, by "church" the state
church of that place is meant.) One poor sinner-heart after another laid itself
at the feet of Jesus. From other localities, too, many came to hear his sermons.
When the enemy saw what blessed-making awakenings were taking place, he
would no longer look on. One storm broke after another over the faithful witness
of Christ until, in October 1830, he was deprived (for nonconformity) as a clergy-
man in the Protestant Reformed (State Church) because he ventured to preach
against rational religion and proclaimed the Gospel of reconciliation in its original
purity.
But much as the opposition was stirred, it was yet not possible to repel the
light that had appeared. The good seed had been sown and had brought forth its
fruits. Seeking souls inquiring after God flocked around S. H. Froehlich and
here and there flourishing assemblies originated in Switzerland.
Still the opposition asserted itself more and more. Persecutions intensified
until S. H. Froehlich was forced to leave Switzerland in the year of 1844. In
response to a call from seeking souls he emigrated to Strassburg, in Alsace. From
here, the word was spread out into all of Alsace and Germany and churches were
begun here and there.
In the summer of 1839, two Hungarian youths, Emerich Henkschei and his
brother, came to Zurich in their travels and became acquainted with S. H.
Froehlich. They were converted and baptized and when they returned to their
native land they also preached the Gospel. This was the beginning of the many
congregations in Hungary, Austria, and the territory comprising the present
Jugoslavia and Roumania. Congregations began to appear in Germany also,
and to some extent in France.
i This statement was furnished by Elder Frederick Schfler, Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean),
Mansfield, Ohio.
APOSTOLIC CHRISTIAN CHURCH (NAZABEAN) 645
Severe persecutions oppressed many of the members and under this oppression
many believers emigrated to America. In this wise, congregations spread to the
new continent.
It has been estimated that there are about 35,000 adherents to this faith in
Hungary and somewhat more than 35,000 additional members in Jugoslavia and
Roumania. Besides these 70,000 there are several thousand more in Switzerland
and many hundred additional members scattered in Germany and France.
DOCTRINE
"Nazarean" is defined in Funk and WagnalTs dictionary as, "3 EccL, one of
a Hungarian Sect of Christians having no priesthood, rejecting infant baptism
and transubstantiation, refraining from military service and politics, and refusing
to bind themselves by oath." This concise statement is correct as far as it goes.
The teaching further consists in this : That a man must be converted to Christ and
become reborn to a lively hope of eternal life; that such a believer be baptized
in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; that he covenant with
God to live a life sanctified in Him and according to the Word of God to seek to
become rich in good works; that he live according to the Gospel of Christ, subject
to the authorities, strive to be at peace with his fellow men, and fulfil his obliga-
tions as a good citizen. According to the Word of God believers refrain from
taking up arms for the purpose of shedding blood, since the Bible commands,
"Love your enemies"; likewise the oath cannot be given — but "Let your yea be
yea and your nay be nay."
The organization consists of members of the church who have become converted
to Christ and baptized and who strive for sanctification and preparation for eternal
life; and also of such friends of the truth who sincerely and earnestly strive to
attain such adoption to sonship in Christ.
The principle has been recognized since time immemorable that there is a
transitory degree or class existing between those who are yet in total darkness
and those who are in union with God through Jesus Christ. The disciples of
Christ themselves were for a time being of this class, and it was present and
existing in the ancient Church of Christ going under the name of "Catechumens."
This very same class is present and existing in our organization and is known
under the name of "Friends" or "Friends of Truth." Such members of the
organization, although they have not yet received baptism or communion and
are not yet greeted with the holy kiss, meanwhile freely enjoy other valued privi-
leges and the fellowship with all the members.
In times of persecution, hatred and suffering fell upon this transitory class
with equal fury, and in compensation they were also partakers of the benedictions
and blessings which emanated from the light and truth as taught by the ministers
of the church. Even in our day that law of compensation should and does hold
good, that in the eyes of the law as well as in the eyes of the people in general,
those belonging to this transitory class are and should be as they ^ always have
been regarded as being classed and associated with those who are in union and
fellowship with God, rather than with those who are outside of the bounds and
influence of the church.
Those members of the organization who are yet within the transitory class
(Friends of the Truth) do share and hold with equal conscientious conviction,
along with the more advanced class of members, the doctrine founded upon the
teaching of Christ, that it is sinful to shed human blood.
It is made a fundamental duty of every member of the church to be subject to
principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to do every good work,
to speak evil of no man, to be no brawler and show all meekness to all ^ men.
The members are not actuated in their attitude by the spirit of cowardice or
unwillingness to bring sacrifice for the good, and are willing to ^ observe the com-
mand of the government to do noncombatant service, but their conscience does
not permit them to render obedience to the command to kill.
Members do not claim or insist upon exemption from all service in time of
war but only from such service as cannot properly be classed as noncombatant.
ORGANIZATION
Each church is served by elders who are authorized to baptize, lay on hands,
give the Lord's Supper, and conduct meetings of members for exercising church
discipline in accordance with the teachings laid down by Christ and the Apostles.
APOSTOLIC FAITH MISSION
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Apostolic Faith Mission for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of those persons who are per-
manently and actively identified with the movement, not including those who
merely attend the meetings or are simply in accord with the movement.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN URBAN AND EURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
Glmrch.es (local organizations) number
17
2,288
135
911
1,372
5
66.4
444
1,838
6
19.5
7
7
$320,950
$320,950
$45,850
2
$15,200
3
3
3
$16, 600
15
$69, 487
$6,965
$7,650
$11,766
$8, 180
$23, 103
$5, 076
$2, 608
$995
$2,645
$499
$4, 632
13
122
883
13
2,154
166
861
1,288
5
66 8
413
1,741
4
134
34
50
84
jRCembwsi "nn™^1*
94.1
5.9
A ver&ge membership p@r church
Membership by sex:
Male
94.5
93.9
5.5
6.1
Female.
Sex not reported
Tvfalos pp.r ion femaiAg
0)
31
97
6
24.2
2
2
$1,500
$1,500
$750
1
$400
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
93.0
94.7
7.0
5.3
13 years and over - -~ - .
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 3
19.2
5
1 5
$319, 450
$319,450
$63,890
1
$14, 800
3
2
2
$16,500
13
$69, 073
$6, 955
$7,650
$11, 691
$8,180
$23, 103
$5,076
$2,608
$995
$2,320
$495
$5,313
10
92
773
ChurcTi edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported .
99.5
99.5
.5
.5
Constructed prior to 1936
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
97.4
2.6
Niimber reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number .,
1
1
$100
2
$414
$10
Value — number reporting
A-mouTit reputed
99.4
.6
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
99.4
99.9
100 0
99.4
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
.6
.1
Pastors' salaries _.
All other salaries
Kepairs and improvements _ __
$75
.6
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest .. .
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc_._
Home missions _
Foreign missions
100.0
To general headquarters for distribution. _
All other purposes
$325
$4
$207
3
30
110
87.7
99.2
12.3
.8
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers andlteaehers. - -
75.4
87.5
24.6
12.5
Scholars
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
1 Katio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
*Based on membership with age classification reported.
646
APOSTOLIC FAITH MISSION
647
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Apostolic Faith Mission for
the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Church.es (local organizations), number
17
3
14
-10
24
18
6
Increase 1 over preceding census :
"NTiTmhp.r
Percent »
iVTeTDb^rs, Twmber
2,288
169
8.0
135
7
7
$320, 950
$45, 850
2
$15, 200
3
3
$16, 600
15
$69, 487
$6, 965
$7, 650
$11,766
$8,180
$23, 103
$5, 076
$2, 608
$995
$2,645
$499
2,119
-77
-3.5
151
5
4
$273, 500
$68, 375
$85, 000
2,196
1,658
308.2
92
8
8
$40,950
$5, 119
1
$4,000
538
Increase 1 over preceding census:
N"mher
Percent
Average membership per church -
90
1
1
$450
$450
Church 6diflces, TI urn "bar
Valuft — nnTnbftr reporting
Amount reported
Average value per church _
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
Value — numb er reporting - -
1
$5,500
11
$60, 622
I $45,971
I $4,870
$9, 781
2
$5,400
22
$38, 380
$30,265
$8, 115
Amount reported
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, TinTibfir ,
Amount reported -
Pastors* salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest-
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
TSonw TnissioTM?
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution _„
All other purposes
Not classified
Average expenditure per church
$4,632
13
122
883
$5, 511
7
48
578
$1, 745
16
58
711
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting number
30
245
Officers and teachers -
Scholars
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for the Apostolic Faith
Mission by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and mem-
bership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural
territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4
gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four
census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as
"under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 presents, for
1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improve-
ments, benevolences, etc. Separate presentation in table 5 is limited to those
States in which three or more churches reported expenditures, in order to avoid
disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, and for the same
reason no tabular statement can be shown for the value of church edifices or the
debt on such property since no State reported the value of so many as three
churches.
648
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MBMBEBSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEM-
BERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
3
o
^
$
1
3
o
E*
1
1
o
&
I
2
t3
o5
fl M
N&
£
1
ii
!«
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States
17
2
2
1
1
13
4
2,288
2,154
134
911
1,372
5
66.4
13
122
24
13
7
883
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
2
1
1
„.._
"I"
1
1
83
63
46
6
39
50
235
1,641
125
83
24
46
"~39~
.....
39
50
30
25
15
2
15
20
73
680
51
52
34
31
4
24
30
162
961
74
1
4
1
2
1
85
41
35
Missouri
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
[Maryland
"West Virginia
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma
1
1
1
3
4
16
5
11
46
45
35
95
547
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
1
PACIFIC:
Washington
3
4
2
3
4
2
235
1,641
125
— -
45.1
70.8
Oregon
California
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLED. — NUMBEB AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBEESHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation Is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OP
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
"Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
un-
der
131
United States
17
2
14
24
2
6
2,288
2,119
2,196
538
444
1,838
51
6
19.5
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
3
"""§"
63
140
142
~~140~
12
Kansas
PACIFIC:
Washington
3
4
2
36
2
5
1
3
6
5
3
8
2
1
235
1,641
125
224
216
1,551
66
146
481
1,142
103
328
350
48
33
352
14
33
202
1,289
111
185
14.0
21.5
11.2
15.1
Oregon - „ ..
California
Other States
6
i Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
a Includes: Minnesota, 2; Maryland, 1; West Virginia, 1; Oklahoma, 1; and Colorado, 1.
APOSTOLIC FAITH MISSION
649
TABLE 5. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting
8
EXPENDITURES
•9
1
tuo
a
<gj>
j£.S
a
T3
OS
£3
8
A S
4J S
O
WJ
•§
"2.2
fl *3
n
XI
STATE
«8
0
§4^
&
£
S|
rt S
.2-E?
o
'53
a
"s
tH
S
CO 9
0
1 «
«i
i
'a
2 ©
a
s
S
S
«,
S
.i^>
"S-t-TiJS
o
s
S
§"S
fe
3
e
O
1
!
"o
g
03 £
ftp,
<c
P3
§5l
Pw
III
O
CJ
0
o
s
o
w
I
o
6-*
S
g
United States
17
15
$89,487
$6, 965
$7,650
$11,766
$8, 180
$23, 103
$5, 076
$2,608
$995
$2,645
$499
^Vashington
3
4
3
4
2,930
60, 616
600
5,405
200
11, 372
1,500
19, 703
50
4,576
------
~73?
580
855
115
Oregon
7,650
8,000
Other States
10
18
5,941
960
194
180
1,900
450
400
263
1,210
384
i Includes: Minnesota, 2; Missouri, 1; Maryland, 1; West Virginia, 1; Oklahoma, 1; and California, 2.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
This movement originated in 1900, in the revival work of some evangelists.
It stands for the "restoration of the faith once delivered to the saints, the old-
time religion, camp meetings, revivals, missions, street and prison work, and
Christian Unity everywhere." It is not a denomination, in the sense in which
that word is ordinarily used, but "an evangelistic movement on a Scriptural
plan," carried on by preachers, evangelists, and special workers, who feel that
they are called by God, and who devote their whole time to the work, without
salaries or collections of any kind, the entire expense depending "upon God's
blessing through freewill offerings/' Special attention is paid to "salvation and
healing." Whenever possible, the leaders upon request visit and pray for the
sick without charge. The distant sick are treated through correspondence, the
sending of handkerchiefs that have been blessed, etc. There are headquarters in
Portland, Oreg., and in Minneapolis, Minn. The membership reported indicates
merely those persons who are permanently and actively identified with the move-
ment, not including those who attend the meetings, or who may be classed as
associated with it.
WORK
Foreign missionary work is carried on in Japan, China, Korea, the Philippines,
India, Africa, South America, and some of the European countries, under the
general supervision of committees which have charge of the receipt of funds and
the forwarding of supplies to those in the field, no definite salaries being paid.
It has extended rapidly in Finland and Germany, where before the World War
there were conventions attended by as many as 2,000 persons. There are, also,
many adherents in South Africa.
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. n of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Miss M. Hanson and Mrs. M. White, pastors in charge, Minneapolis,
Minn., and approved by them in its present form.
CHRISTIAN CONGREGATION
STATISTICS
The data given for 1936 represent one active church of the Christian Congrega-
tion, reported as being in rural territory in the State of Indiana. The membership
was 57, comprising 18 males and 39 females, all of whom were reported as being
over 13 years of age. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly
to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data
relate to these churches only.
This body reported one church edifice in both 1936 and 1926, while in 1916 and
1906 there were five church edifices reported with a value of $11,500 and $7,200
respectively. In 1916 there were five churches which reported expenditures
amounting to $1,650.
The membership of the Christian Congregation comprises those persons who
have been enrolled in the local congregation upon evidence of Christian character
and baptism by water,
Comparative data, 1906-36, — The following table presents, in convenient form
for comparison, a summarv of the available statistics of this church for the census
years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
COMPABATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Church.es (local organizations), number „
1
2
7
9
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number ,.. „ __ „„,*„.„
-1
5
-2
Percent 2
Members, number
57
150
645
395
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number „
-93
-495
250
Percent
-62.0
-76.7
63 3
Average membership per church
57
75
92
44
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number _
1
2
5
7
Officers and teachers
11
18
53
73
Scholars --
30
165
376
332
i A minus sign (-) denotes decrease. 2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
This body was organized in the year 1899, at Kokomo, Ind., with the special
purpose of securing a broader Christian fellowship and of emphasizing and sys-
tematizing works of charity. It has district assemblies and also a general
assembly which meets annually.
i No revision of history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this body for 1936, hence this statement
is the same as that published in Religious Bodies, vol. II, 1926.
650
CHURCH OF DANIEL'S BAND
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of Daniel's Band for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. All of the organizations reported in 1936, as in the
previous census years, were in the State of Michigan. No parsonages were
reported. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to the
Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate to
these churches only.
The membership of this denomination includes only the communicant members
enrolled in the local churches.
TABLE 1. — SUMMAEY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN" AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Ch.urQh.es Oocal organizations), number
5
122
24
48
74
2
43
22
17
26
3
79
26
31
48
Members, number __ _
35. 2
64.8
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male.- _-
Female - -
Males per 100 females 2
Membership by age:
Under 13 years - _ - -
8
90
24
0)
4
4
$3,250
$3,100
$150
$813
3
5
$767
$332
$67
$51
$80
$82
$155
$153
3
23
108
8
71
13 years and over
19
24
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 3 __
0)
2
2
$650
$500
$150
$325
2
3
$621
$332
$67
$45
$55
$25
$97
$207
1
7
40
Church edifices, number _ _
2
2
$2, 600
$2,600
Value — T) urn her reporting
Amount reported..
80.0
83.9
20.t)
16.1
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or m part, in 1936.
Average value per church
$1, 300
1
2
$146
Number reporting "no debt"
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
19.0
81.0
100 0
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
$6
$25
$57
$58
$73
2
16
68
All other current expenses, including
interest
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
37.4
63.6
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
63.0
37.0
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
3 Based on membership with age classification reported.
651
652
CENSUS! OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of Daniel's Band for the
census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Caurclies (local organizations) , number—
5
4
6
4
Increase * over preceding census:
Number ,
1
—2
2
Percent 2
Members, number .. .
122
129
393
92
Increase * over preceding census:
Number - ~ __„,„_
—.7
-264
301
Percent -
-5.4
—67.2
(2)
AyftfaE^ Tne.rnl)Arsfaip PT ohlTfth
24
32
66
23
Church edifices, number
4
3
5
2
Value — number reporting
4
3
4
2
Amount reported . -
$3, 250
$4, 500
$7, 800
$2, 400
Average value per church - --
$813
$1, 500
$1, 950
$1, 200
Expenditures :
Church <*-s Tfipnrting, TnTmfapr
5
4
4
Amount reported
$767
$667
$895
Pastors' salaries _.
$332
All other salaries __ .. - _
$67
Repairs and improvements
$51
$627
$845
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest. —
I/ocal relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$80
Home missions _
Foreign missions _ . „.
$40
$50
To general headquarters for distribution
$82
All other purposes-
$155
Average expenditure per church . _-_
$153
$167
$224
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
3
2
1
1
Officers and teachers . __ ._ .
23
17
7
3
Scholars
108
78
22
50
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease. 2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION '
The Church of Daniel's Band was organized and incorporated in February
1893 at Marine City, St. Clair County, Mich. The general purpose is evangel-
istic, with special emphasis upon fellowship, abstinence from all excess, and liberty
in the exercise of faith. The organization is somewhat after the Methodist
form. In addition to the churches in the United States there is a mission con-
nected with the body in Canada. In their Sunday school work most of the
churches unite with other bodies in union schools.
i No revision of history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this body for 1936, hence this
statement is the same as that published in Religious Bodies, vol. II, 1926.
CHURCH OF GOD (APOSTOLIC)
STATISTICS
Summarjr for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general sum-
mary of the statistics for the Church of God (Apostolic) for the year 1936 is pre-
sented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban
and rural territory These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly
to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data
relate to these churches only.
The membership includes all baptized believers enrolled, but those under 18
years of age are not considered communicants nor are they eligible for official
position.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEECENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (Innql orgaTif^fltiOTliR) Dumber
13
314
24
89
225
39.6
21
293
6.7
8
8
$6,630
$5,430
$1,200
$829
2
$1, 745
5
1
1
$2,000
10
$2,476
$875
$162
$198
$418
$110
$85
$30
$3
$53
$542
$248
7
46
277
6
165
28
51
114
44.7
19
146
11.5
5
5
$4,970
$3,770
$1,200
$994
2
$1, 745
3
1
1
$2,000
6
$1,164
$444
$35
$168
$418
$53
$10
$4
$3
$29
7
149
21
38
111
34.2
2
147
1.3
3
3
$1, 660
$1,660
Members, number
52.5
47.5
Average membership pftr church
Membership by sex:
Male
Female __ __ _.
50.7
49.3
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over
49.8
50.2
Percent under 13 years
Churcli edifices, rt UTTI hfir
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
75.0
69.4
100.0
25.0
30.6
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
$553
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported ,- .. , „ ^
100.0
"N"iinibfir reporting "TIO dflfat"
2
Parsonages, number -_ -_ __..
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number __ _
4
$1,312
$431
$127
$30
Amount reported __ „
47.0
50.7
21.6
84.8
100.0
°48.2
53.0
49.3
78.4
15.2
51.8
Pastors*' salaries
All other salaries _ __
Repairs arid ITTI pro vein ^nts
Payment on church debt, excluding inter-
est
All other current expenses, including
interest - -
$57
$75
$26
Local relief .and charity, Bed Cross, etc...
TRToTne TDissions
Foreign rriissifmR
To general headquarters for distribution
$24
$542
$328
3
22
128
All other purposes
100.0
Average expenditure per church
$194
4
24
149
Sunday schools:
Chnrohes reporting, "nuTibw
Officers and teachers — —
Scholars .- __ -,
53.8
46.2
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
653
654
GENS'USi OF (RELIGIOUS' BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1936 and 1926. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for
comparison, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of God (Apostolic)
for the census years 1936 and 1926.
TABLE 2, — COMPAKATIVE SUMMAEY, 1936 AND 1926
ITEM
1936
1926
dvurchfis (local organisations) , DUTT^W
13
18
Increase i ovef preceding census:
Number _ _
-5
Percent - - - - -
(a)
Me7n'bftrSirruTTih6r ~ , . _ . _
314
492
Increase * over preceding census:
Number
—178
Percent
-36.2
Average membership per church _ - -
24
27
Church edifices, number «.
8
8
Value — number reporting -
8
8
Amount reported
$6, 630
$24, 350
Average value per church
$829
$3 044
Debt — number reporting
2
4
Amount reported - - _ . - -
$1, 745
$3,328
Parsonages number
1
Value — -number reporting
1
Amount reported
$2, 000
Expenditures :
Churches reporting:, number _ __
10
14
Amount reported - _
$2, 476
$5,486
Pastors' salaries - -- - ... _
$875
All other salaries - -- -
$162
"RfipairR aid improvements
$198
$4 590
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
$418
All other current expenses, including interest
$110
Local relief and charity Red Cross, etc
$85
Home missions _ .__ ,__ -„-,_ .... „,_, _ _„ __ ..__ _-
$30
Foreign missions. _ ._ - _-~
$3
| $896
To general headquarters for distribution ._ .
$53
All other purposes . . . _
$542
Average expenditure per church
$248
$392
Sunday schools:
finjir<>ViprR r^portipg, "nprnher
7
13
Officers and teachers
46
70
Scholars ._ _ __. .
277
341
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
3 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Church of God
(Apostolic) by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table
4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the
census years 1936 and 1926, together with the membership for 1936 classified as
"under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value
of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1 936.
Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current
expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the
financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6
is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value and
expenditures.
CHURCH OF GOD (APOSTOLIC)
655
TABLE 8. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
GEOGEAPHIC DIVISION
§~
£
•§
AND STATE
88
%$
83 J3
o
M
OMB
M Cj
•St
03 ,CJ
i
£
i§
P5
3
o
e
I
1
•5
a
&
I &
O
i-2
0
0
•§
CQ
United States
13
6
7
314
165
149
89
225
39.6
7
46
277
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
2
1
1
86
49
37
23
63
2
14
84
West Virginia
4
1
3
77
29
48
20
57
3
20
82
North Carolina
1
1
17
17
6
11
South Carolina
5
2
3
119
55
64
31
88
2
12
111
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
1
1
15
15
9
6
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1936 AND 1926, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936 or 1926]
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1936
1936
«
1926
Under 13
years
13 years
and over
Percent
under 13
United States
13
18
314
492
21
293
6.7
West Virginia
4
5
24
10
77
119
118
288
1
4
16
76
115
102
(0
3.4
13.6
South Carolina
Other States
8
204
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Includes: Virginia, 2; North Carolina, 1; and Kentucky, 1.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OP CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
South Carolina
13
8
8
$e,680
2
$1, 745
1
$2, 000
5
8
4
4
4
14
1,960
4,670
1
1
1,000
745
Other States
1
2,000
i Includes: Virginia, 2; West Virginia, 1; and North Carolina, 1.
656
GENSTO OF 'RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
1
EXP
ENDITI
JEES
STATE
Total number of chu
Churches reporting
Total amount
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and im-
provements
Payment on church
debt, excluding
interest
Other current ex-
penses, including
interest
1
s&
2J
o
Pi
S3
S
I
w
Foreign missions
.a w
!§•
0
c*
All other purposes
United States _
13
10
$2, 476
$S75
S162
$198
$418
$110
$85
$30
$3
$53
$542
West Virginia
4
4
331
220
~35~
14
10
24
28
Other States
9
i ft
2,145
655
127
198
404
no
75
6
3
25
542
i Includes: Virginia, 2; North Carolina, 1; South Carolina, 2; and Kentucky, 1.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The Church of God (Apostolic) was organized at Danville, Ky., in 1897,
by Elder Thomas J. Cox. At that time it was called the Christian Faith Band
Church, under which name it was later incorporated (1901). At the General
Assembly held at Freeman, W. Va., August 15, 1915, the general overseer held a
council with the elders concerning the name. The desire was expressed for a
more Scriptural name, anti the report of the council recommending that the name
of the church be changed to "The Church of God (Apostolic)" was adopted by
a more than two-thirds vote of the assembly; the latter, however, seeing that a
number desired to hold the old name, did not press the matter, and the church
was not incorporated under the new name until 1919, at Paris, Ky.
DOCTRINE
Admission to the church depends upon repentance for sin, confession of faith,
and baptism by immersion in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The members
believe in holiness and sanctification, practice the washing of feet, and celebrate
the communion, or Lord's Supper, with unfermented grape juice and unleavened
bread.
ORGANIZATION
The governing body is the General Assembly, and the officers are the apostle,
or general overseer, the assistant overseer, district elders, pastors, evangelists,
and local preachers. The church field is divided into districts, each of which
holds a ministerial council once a year. The various churches have local names,
the headquarters church being known as Xion Hill Church of God (Apostolic).
1 No revision of history, doctrine, or organization was furnished by this body for 1936, hence this state-
ment is the same as that published in Beligious Bodies, vol. II, 1926. No data are available for "Work"
in 1936.
CHURCH OF GOD AS ORGANIZED BY CHRIST
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Church of God as Organized by Christ for the
year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these
figures between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from
schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual
churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination comprises only regular communicants of
the local churches.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number .
13
361
28
166
189
6
87.8
10
331
20
2.9
3
3
$1, 250
4
132
33
62
70
9
229
25
104
119
6
87.4
10
199
20
4.8
3
3
$1, 250
Members, number -
36.6
63.4
Average membership per cliurcli ..
Membership by sex:
Male .1.
37.3
37.0
62.7
63.0
'Fp,mfl(1$
Sex not reported _
Males per 100 females
0)
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over ..
132
39.9
60.1
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 8
CThmroTi eflifioftfl, TmTnbW
Vfllnft — rnTmber reporting
Amount reported . —
100.0
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936
$1, 250
$1,250
$417
1
1
$1,500
6
$349
$73
$26
$200
$50
$58
X
2
20
Average value per church
$417
1
1
$1,500
8
$469
$73
$26
$320
$50
$59
1
2
20
Parsonages, ntTrnf">@r
Vfilnft — number reportiTig
Amount reported
100.0
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number
2
$120
A TO on Tit. reported
25.6
74.4
Repairs and improvements
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
All other purposes
$120
37.5
62.5
Average expenditure per church
$60
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
657
658
CENSUS! OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1916-36, — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Church of God as Organized
by Christ for the census years 1936, 1926, and 1916.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMABY, 1916 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
Churches (local organizations), number. — - —
13
19
17
Increase * over preceding census:
Number
-6
2
Percent 2
Members, number . --
361
375
227
Increase l over preceding census:
"NTiimhfir
—14
148
Percent _.
—3 7
65 2
Ay6rag6 "mfiTnbfirsbfp p^r church
28
20
13
Churcli edMces, number - .. , , , ,
3
2
3
Value — number reporting - r ^ _
3
2
3
Amount reported ""
$1, 250
$1, 400
$1, 500
Average value per church . ~
$417
$700
$500
Parsonages , number -- - -
1
Value — number reporting
1
A TH cunt report ftd
$1, 500
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number __ _ _
8
Amount reported
$469
Repairs and improvements
$73
All other current expenses , including interest
$26
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc _
$320
All other purposes ... _. _
$50
Average expenditure per church
$59
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
1
Officers and teachers - .. „
2
Scholars
20
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for the Church of God
as Organized by Christ by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the
number and membership of the churches classified according to their location in
urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the
churches for the three census years 1916 to 1936, together with the membership for
1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table
5 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses,
improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial sta-
tistics of any individual church, separate presentation in table 5 is limited to the
State of Indiana, the only State in which three or more churches reported
expenditures.
CHURCH OF GOD AS ORGANIZED BY CHRIST
659
TABLE 8. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
i
bJO
;
2
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
TJ
S
fl
33
•s
STATE
S
t-t
1
CO
•8
13
s
1
§
•8
I
1
|
£
"g
&
0
3
0
1
02
,§
Churche
1
Scholars
United States
13
4
q
361
132
229
168
189
0
87 8
on
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
1
1
29
29
15
14
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio _
1
1
12
12
6
6
Indiana...
6
2
3
3
2
223
45
112
111
45
106
21
117
24
90 6
Michigan
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee
1
1
20
20
2
18
1
2
20
PACIFIC:
Oregon. _,.
1
1
12
12
6
g
California
1
1
20
20
10
10
i Eatio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1916 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, or 1916]
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1928
1916
1936
1926
1916
Under
13 years
13 years
and
over
Age not
re-
ported
Percent
under
13i
United States
13
1
1
6
2
'3
19
17
361
375
75
60
99
65
76
227
25~
16
98
66
22
10
331
20
2 9
Pennsylvania
3
4
5
1
6
3
2
6
4
2
29
12
223
45
52
6
4
23
8
223
45
32
Ohio
Indiana
Michigan _
Other States _
20
1 Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 1GO
2 Includes: Tennessee, 1; Oregon, 1; and California, 1.
275318—41-
-43
660
GEJSTSfUSI OF (RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — CHURCH EXPENDITTJKES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief and
chanty
All other
purposes
United States
13
6
7
8
$469
S73
$26
$320
$50
Indiana ._
5
13
263
206
12
61
26
225
95
Other States
50
1 Includes: Michigan, 2, and Tennessee, 1.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
In 1886 a circuit preacher, Rev. P. J. Kaufman, belonging to the Mennonite
Brethren in Christ, with some other members, became impressed with the eccle-
siasticism of different denominations and the lack of Bible authority for their
organization. They accordingly withdrew and associated themselves together
in what became afterwards the "Church of God as Organized by Christ/' the
principal basis of which is the belief that membership in the church is not de-
pendent upon human choice, but that all Christians, of any and all sects, who
are true to all the gospel light they have, and lead honest, true, and Christian
lives, have equal rights with all in the services and are members of His church.
They hold to the oneness of God's people, and that it is this Spirit birth that
constitutes membership in the true church. Hence, there is no joining of the
church among them, nor is there definite ordination to the service of the church,
inasmuch as Christ ordains all officials. Christ ordains all officials of the church,
but the ministry may be licensed and ordained, if they so desire, for public recogni-
tion. Things that cannot be explained or proved with the words of Christ are set
aside with the belief that every man "should be fully persuaded in his own mind."
They teach repentance and restitution so far as restitution is possible; nonre-
sistance, and full obedience to Christ's commands; observe the sacraments of
baptism and the communion, and foot washing, but have no binding form for their
observance.
They believe strictly in the American school, are opposed to all church schools
and church colleges, holding that the State should control all secular education.
Missionary labor for the organization is confined to those near at hand, although
individual members contribute liberally to foreign missions of other organizations.
Christ being the head of the church no one place can be named as the head-
quarters of the church, although the "Gospel Teacher" is accepted as the official
organ.
1 This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Rev 3". J. Kaufman, Church of Clod as Organized by Christ,
Nappanee, Ind., and approved by him in its present form.
HEPHZIBAH FAITH MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Hephzibah Faith Missionary Association for
the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these
figures between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from
schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual
churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination comprises those persons who give evi-
dence of a new life, conforming to the teachings of the Scriptures, and who sub-
scribe to the fellowship and the rules of the church.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OP
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number. _ _
20
709
35
257
402
50
63.9
154
361
194
29.9
10
10
$13, 250
$11, 250
$2, 000
$1, 325
$400
9
6
4
$5, 600
19
$6,802
$2,954
$211
$148
$600
$883
$75
$304
$1,123
$193
$311
$358
17
170
827
9
46
339
5
241
48
70
121
50
57.9
52
87
102
37.4
3
3
$5,000
$4,000
$1, 000
. $1, 667
15
468
31
187
281
Members, number
34.0
66.0
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
27.2
30.1
72.8
69.9
Female _.
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females ,.
66.5
102
274
92
27.1
7
$8,250
$7, 250
$1,000
$1, 179
1
$400
6
4
2
$1, 100
15
$4,646
$1, 937
$162
$138
$600
$607
$25
$172
$762
$70
$173
$310
12
116
523
6
23
182
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
33.8
24.1
52.6
66.2
75.9
47.4
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 2
Church fsrHfiofis, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
37.7
35 6
50.0
62.3
64.4
50.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or m part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Number reporting "no debt". _ - __
3
2
2
$4, 500
4
$2, 156
$1, 017
$49
$10
Parsonages, number _ _
Value — number reporting
AmniTnt TftpQi*t-£fl
80.4
19.6
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, iwrnh^r
Amount reported ,
31.7
34.4
23.2
6.8
68.3
65.6
76.8
93.2
100.0
68 7
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries _
I^ApHfrs flnrl imprQVATnfintR , ,
Payment on "church debt, excluding
interest
All other current expenses, including
interest
$276
$50
$132
$361
$123
$138
$539
5
54
304
3
23
157
31.3
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
TTom.fi rn*RSiV»T1S rr
43.4
32.1
63.7
44,4
56.6
67.9
36.3
55.6
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution ___
All other purposes _.
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting nuTnber
Officers *vnd teachers
31.8
36.8
68.2
63.2
Scholars - -
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches r^p^tting, THTmhftr
Officers and teachers
Scholars - -. - -_
46.3
53.7
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Based on membership with age classification reported.
661
662
CENSUS! OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compari-
son, a summary of the available statistics of the Hephzibah Faith Missionary
Association for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2.— COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Ch.urch.es (local organizations) , number
20
14
12
10
Increase over preceding census.
Number
6
2
2
Percent1
Members, number
709
495
352
293
Increase over preceding census:
Number
214
143
59
Percent
43 2
40.6
20 1
Average membership per church
35
35
29
29
Church, edifices, number.
10
9
11
9
Value — number reporting
10
9
11
9
Amount reported
$13, 250
$18, 500
$21, 100
$11,300
Average value per church
$1, 325
$2, 056
$1,918
$1, 256
Debt— number reporting
1
3
2
Amount reported
$400
$1, 140
$350
$175
Parsonages, number
6
Val^fi— TinTTiftar reporting
4
Amount reported
$5, 600
Expenditures:
nhtirchfls r^porti'tip, TUTmTbor
19
10
12
Amount reported
$6, 802
$5 363
$3, 887
Pastors' salaries
$2, 954
All other salaries
$211
Eepairs and improvements
$148
$1 691
$2, 267
Payment on church debt, excluding interest....
All other current expenses, including interest.
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$600
$883
$75
Home "missions
$304
Foreign missions
$1,123
> $3,672
$1,620
To general headquarters for distribution
$193
All other purposes
$311
\
Average expenditure per church
$358
$536
$324
Sunday schools:
flfrirnhap r&portf rig, nnrnbf r
17
10
12
9
Officers and teachers . ... „ ,
170
89
81
75
Scholars
827
414
502
402
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables, — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Hephzibah
Faith Missionary Association by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936
the number and membership of the churches classified according to their location
in urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday
schools. Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the
churches for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for
1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table
5 shows the value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church
edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing
separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to
avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presenta-
tion in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches
reported value and expenditures.
HEPHZIBAH FAITH MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION
663
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
NUMBER OF
MEMBERSHIP BY
SUNDAY
CHURCHES
MEMBERS
SEX
SCHOOLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
0
t-> *«
eo
•T3
AND STATE
&M
^3 a
03 S
a
fl
?S
0®
c3
ea a
o'^3
»-. ^
CJ 'S
S
*a
I
1
6
rt
&
§
03
,0
1
43
3
£
CD
CQ
li
2|
IS
o
"o
1
United States
20
5
T>
709
241
468
257
402
50
63 9
17
170
827
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1
1
50
50
15
35
1
6
40
Pennsylvania.. _
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
7
61
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Wisconsin
1
I
38
38
17
°1
1
4
24
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota _ ._
1
1
22
22
Q
13
1
5
38
Iowa
3
1
0
152
50
10*>
47
55
50
2
36
144
South Dakota
3
1
o
143
117
26
57
«fi
2
30
184
Nebraska _
8
8
269
9-W
qq
170
58 2
7
70
W4
Kansas
1
I
27
27
10
17
1
5
22
MOUNTAIN
Wyoming
1
1
6
— -
6
2
4
1
7
20
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1908
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States.
Iowa
20
14
12
10
709
495
352
293
154
361
194
29.9
3
3
10
6
2
152
143
332
179
135
1
42
78
33
15
101
191
54
136
South Dakota
29.4
29.0
Nebraska
8
269
Other States
26
4
6
8
145
163
173
158
58
* Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Includes 1 church in each of the following States— New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
Kansas, and Wyoming.
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PARSON-
AGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
Iowa
20
10
10
$13, 250
1
$400
4
85, 600
_
5,600
3
17
3
7
3
*7
5,500
7,750
1
3
Other States
1
400
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
* Includes 2 churches in Nebraska, and 1 in each of the following States— New York, Minnesota, South
Dakota, Kansas, and Wyoming,
664
OF RELIGIOUS BOOD'IES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHTJRCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
1
EX
PENDI
TUEE£
!
£
>
id "Q
||
1
&
&
o
S3
STATE
.
tn
0
2
s
•9 w
bfl
S d
CO
d
§
o
o3
d d
d
•S oa
rQ
d
cs
"3
n3 §
fl be
c3
.2
w
^
1
§
"3
£
g g
d
2 S
,«?
ft
i
*S "
ft
d
1
Churche
1
1
All other
1
1
Paymen
debt, exc
|l
0
Local rel
a
1
M
i
United States
20
19
86, 802
$2,954
$211
S14S
8600
$883
$75
$304
$1, 123
$193
$311
Iowa
3
1,483
751
66
10
229
89
338
South Dakota __.
3
3
1,569
562
I?,
234
50
120
389
50
15^
Nebraska
8
8
1,646
1,074
115
25
25
120
55
106
Other States
2,104
567
145
fiOO
305
70
276
88
53
i Includes 1 church in each of the following States— Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas, and
Wyoming.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
A number of independent churches were organized under the name of Hephzi-
bah Faith Missionary Association, at Glenwood, Iowa, in 1892, for the threefold
purpose of preaching the doctrine of holiness, developing missionary work both
at home and abroad, and promoting philanthropic work, especially the care of
orphans and needy persons. They have no formal creed and no general church
organization; each local body, called an assembly, keeps its own records; but
there is a central committee, located at Tabor, Iowa, which superintends the
general activities of the churches.
A communicant is considered to be one who gives evidence of a new birth, who
is willing to conform to the teaching of the Scriptures, walking in love and fellow-
ship, amenable to the church and to those who have its spiritual oversight or rule.
Those who reside in isolated communities may, if they wish, retain their church
affiliation.
Ministers usually receive no salaries, most of them being supported by freewill
offerings.
WORK
The number of persons engaged in home missionary work is 100, including or-
dained and licensed ministers, evangelists, deaconesses, etc. No salaries are
paid. Complete figures for this work are not available, but the superintendent
reports that "sufficient food and clothing and traveling expenses for about 100
persons were supplied during the year." The denomination supports 2 schools
with 200 students, for which $8,000 was contributed during the year. The value
of property is $100,000.
Foreign missionary work has been carried on since 1894. The fields occupied
at present are Japan, India, Africa, and China. In 1936 there were 15 stations
and outposts, with 9 missionaries and 31 native helpers. There were 25 organized
churches and Sunday schools in the foreign field but no membership figures are
available. The amount contributed in the United States for work in the foreign
field was $7,749 and the value of property was estimated at $20,000. The amount
of endowment for institutions of all kinds is $10,000.
1 This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Eeport on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised Tby Josie M. Fattig, assistant secretary of the Hephzibah Faith Missionary
Association, Tabor, Iowa, and approved by her in its present form.
METROPOLITAN CHURCH ASSOCIATION
STATISTICS
The data given for 1936 represent 14 active organizations of the Metropolitan
Church Association, all reported as being in urban territory. These statistics
were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of
the individual churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of the congregations of this denomination are those persons
who, having made profession of conversion, or new birth, have subscribed to the
doctrine of the church and continue to live a Christian life.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 1 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Metropolitan Church Asso-
ciation for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 1. — COMPABATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
19O6
Churches (local organizations), number
14
-26
40
33
7
1
Increase * over preceding census:
Number
Percent 2 -
Members, number
961
-152
-13.7
69
2
1
$150, 000
$150, 000
1,113
409
58 1
28
5
4
$201, 650
$50, 413
1
$38, 500
704
238
51.1
101
1
1
$100, 000
$100, 000
1
$40, 000
466
Increase * over preceding census:
"NPuTnb6r
Percent -
Av^ragf- Tn6Tnbftrs'hip pftr church
78
4
4
$118, 300
$29, 575
3
$74,000
Churc^ fifHfic^s, nuTnbfi|r . , , T
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Average value per church - -
Debt — number reporting „„„.. „,, „„_-
Amount reported _-
Parsonages, number
2
1
$7, 500
13
$47, 605
$850
$62
$100
Value — number reporting
1
$3,800
34
$107, 580
I $86, 726
$20, 854
$3,164
33
138
1,618
1
$13, 000
Amount reported _ __
Expenditures;
f'hlircfaftS TApntt-i-pg Tmmhp.r
4
$80, 635
$69, 305
$11, 330
$20, 159
3
35
423
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries - - . _-
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest
Local relief and chanty, Red Cross, etc
$4,031
$690
$10, 365
$21, 553
$8,279
$1, 675
$3,662
10
81
804
TTrvmfi missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes -
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
4
29
360
Officers and teachers
Scholars -
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
'Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 2 and 3 present the statistics for the Metropolitan Church
Association by States. Table 2 gives for each State for 1936 the number and
membership of the churches, membership classified by sex, and data for
Sunday schools. Table 3 gives for selected States the number and membership
of the churches for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership
for 1936 classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over."
Tables presenting expenditures or value of edifices cannot be shown since no
State had as many as three churches reporting these items.
665
666
CENSUS! OF 'RELIGIOUS, BODIES, 1936
TABLE 2. — NTTMBEK ATSTD MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX,
AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
mem-
bers
MEMBERSHIP BY SET
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Male
Female
Males
per 100
fe-
males 1
Churches
report-
in?
Officers
and
teach-
ers
Schol-
ars
United States
14
981
369
13
10
15
61
33
27
137
3
19
28
20
3
592
62 3
10
1
81
804
NEW ENGLAND:
Rhode Island
1
1
1
1
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
33
43
50
133
122
77
309
13
47
63
59
12
20
33
35
72
89
50
172
10
28
35
39
9
6
80
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
Pennsylvania
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
12
6
9
8
25
6
7
50
130
100
75
252
35
70
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Illinois
!M!ichi£ran
Wisconsin -
79.7
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
IVEinnesota
Iowa
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
MOUNTAIN:
PACIFIC-
Washington
1
2
12
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der 13
years
404
13
years
and
over
524
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States
Illinois
14
2
1
2
1
1
27
40
4
6
6
4
4
16
7
6
961
1,113
704
466
33
43.5
1
2
122
77
309
13
47
393
56
207
500
71
115
164
30
110
82
23
54
2
14
229
40
54
255
11
33
131
67.2
Ivlichisan
Wisconsin
1
1
2
399
5
290
17,5
Minnesota
Iowa
Other States
4
2
270
66
33
63.6
* Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Includes 1 church in each of the following States— Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Vir-
ginia, Colorado, and Washington.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
This organization, sometimes called the "Burning Bush," is an outgrowth of
the Metropolitan Methodist Church, of Chicago, IU., and was organized in one
of the most densely settled districts of that city. It found its impulse in a
revival movement in 1894 and has increased until it now has churches in various
parts of the country. It also conducts fairly extensive foreign missionary
work. The headquarters of the organization are at Waukesha, Wis.
i This statement., which is substantially the same as that published in vol II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has "been revised by Mr. Charles L. Capsel, secretary, Metropolitan Church Association,
Waukesha, Wis., and approved by him in its present form.
METROPOLITAN CHURCH ASSOCIATION 667
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
In doctrine and practice the Metropolitan Church Association resembles the
early Methodists. Its one aim has always been to give the gospel free to the
poor, indeed to all; and especially to give to the helpless and outcast another
chance for a life of usefulness,
It does not emphasize a creed, except such as may be found in the Scriptures
themselves. It published a discipline setting forth articles of faith that are
purely evangelical in nature and simple enough for a child to comprehend.
In 1918 a charter was secured in the State of Wisconsin, and an organization
was perfected among the ordained preachers working under the denomination.
A set of bylaws was adopted, providing for government through a board of
trustees and an auxiliary board of stewards. The establishment of new classes
and churches was also provided for, which are recognized as branches and pre-
sided over by ministers appointed by the board of trustees.
The association is conducted as a faith organization, and no one connected
with it receives any salary or regular payment of any kind for work done. It
has a number of ordained ministers, who do not receive regular salaries, nor do
they solicit gifts in any way. Individual members make it a rule of life not to
hold any property which can be sold and the proceeds applied to the advance-
ment of the kingdom of Christ. The Scripture text, "Sell that thou hast, and
distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven," is thus made
a literal rule of practice throughout the organization. The practice of sharing
temporal benefits equally is also a rule in the association. All money received,
from whatever source, is turned into the treasury and distributed for the gen-
eral advancement of the association work. In the conduct of the schools and
institutions no charge is made for board or tuition, but all are expected to con-
tribute their work for the general welfare.
WORK
The special feature of the association is its evangelistic work, which is carried
on in all parts of the country. A party of from one to five persons may go to
some point where evangelistic services are desired and carry on this work, without
charge, in a tent or hall hired for the purpose, continuing as long as the interest
warrants, and may organize a local class and leave a pastor in charge.
Since the last census (1926) the work of this church has gone forward in foreign
lands. Several departments have been added to the India branchj located at
Siwait near Allahabad. The Bitzer Memorial School has been opened to give
elementary education to native children. A new hospital has been erected, as
well as a new Bible school building. A monthly paper is published, called
India. A favorable opening in South India is being followed; property has
been purchased with the intention of organizing a permanent work there.
Evangelistic work is being carried on in Norway and Sweden. In each country
the church prints a quarterly periodical, which aids in religious instruction.
In Glasgow, Scotland, which serves as headquarters for the British Isles,
property has been purchased. A Bible training school is conducted there to fit
workers to labor in the British Empire as well as the foreign field. A printing
plant is operated which publishes Christian literature. A monthly magazine is
printed, known as the Message of Victory.
Extensive work is carried on in the Union of South Africa. The headquarters
are located in Capetown. The Metropolitan Training Institute has been
opened to give religious training to those who feel called to labor for God in
Africa. A quarterly paper is published, called The Africa Burning Bush. Con-
nected with this branch is a mission at Cape Coast Castle in West Africa, which
is operated by native workers.
In 1933 evangelistic work was started in the interior of Brazil. This is only
pioneer work; no permanent buildings have been erected.
The association conducts a large Bible school and training home for Christian
workers at Waukesha, Wis. It operates at the same place an extensive pub-
lishing plant where the official organ, The Burning Bush, and also the Gospel
Art Calendar, Scripture Text Mottoes, and numerous books, leaflets, and tracts
are published.
It conducts an orphans7 home at Waukesha, in which there are about 35 chil-
dren, and these are educated at the private school of the association.
MISSIONARY CHURCH ASSOCIATION
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with, urban-rural classification, — A general
summary of the statistics for the Missionary Church Association for the year
1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures
between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules
sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and
the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination is made up of those persons who have
been baptized upon profession of faith and accepted as members by action of the
local church bodies.
TABLE 1* — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OP
TOTAL l
Urban
Rural
Clnirclics (local orgftin7;ations) Tunmlber
47
3,648
78
1,479
2,152
68.7
94
3,426
128
2.7
39
37
$217, 900
$210, 003
$7,897
$5,889
12
$43,078
20
17
17
$44,250
45
$88,871
$27, 059
$3,449
$5,980
$2, 561
$11, 559
$1, 814
$7, 531
$13, 796
$8,372
$6, 750
$1, 975
45
736
6,008
8
56
703
19
1,785
94
710
1,058
17
67.1
53
1,615
117
3.2
15
15
$152, 600
$149, 703
$2,897
$10, 173
10
$42,128
3
6
6
$18, 200
19
I $50, 241
$14, 626
$2, 462
$2, 906
$2,486
$8,589
$891
$5,166
$8, 013
$961
$4, 141
$2,644
19
369
3,668
6
52
664
28
1,863
67
769
1,094
Membftrs, niiTTibftr.^ ,- ^ _., , ., „ ,,-,.,-r .-„,-_..«
48.9
51.1
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
48 0
49.2
52.0
50.8
Female
Sex not reported
Mialps per 100 females
70 3
41
1,811
11
2.2
24
22
$65, 300
$60, 300
$5, 000
$2,968
2
$950
17
11
11
$26, 050
26
$38, 630
$12, 433
$987
$3, 074
$75
$2, 970
$923
$2, 365
$5, 783
$7, 411
$2, 609
$1,486
26
367
2,340
2
4
39
Membership by age.
Under 13 years
13 years and over
47.1
91.4
52.9
8.6
Age not reported -- - - -
Percent under 13 years 2 - -
nhurnTi erJiflncp, Tnirnber
Value — number reporting
Amount reported - -
70.0
71.3
36.7
30.0
28.7
63.3
Constructed prior to 1936 - -
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting „ „ . _ _ _
AfnonTit rppfvrttPii
97.8
2.2
Number reporting ' 'no debt*'
Parsonages , number „_ -
Value' — number reporting
ATriomnt reported
41.1
58.9
Expenditures:
OhnrfVhFjs reporting, rm™Jw „ , ,u,^ „,,,.„
Amount reported T—» _ ^ ™
56.5
54.1
71.4
48.6
97.1
74.3
49.1
68.6
58.1
11.5
61.3
43.5
45.9
28.6
51,4
2.9
25.7
50.9
31.4
41.9
88.5
38.7
Pastors'' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest -.
All other current expenses, including
interest
Local relief and charity, Eed Cross, etc...
Home missions
Foreign missions „
To general headquarters for distribution. .
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church. _
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers anxTteachers -
50.1
61.1
49.9
38.9
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers . _
Scholars
94.5
5.5
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
» Based on membership with age classification reported.
668
MISSIONARY CHURCH ASSOCIATION
669
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Missionary Church Associa-
tion for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
47
34
25
30
Increase 1 over preceding census.
Number _ _
13
9
—5
Percent 2
Members, number -
3,648
2 498
1,554
1 256
Increase over preceding census:
Number
1 150
944
298
Percent
46.0
60.7
23.7
Average membership per church.
78
73
62
42
Church edifices, number
39
31
21
19
Value — number reporting
37
30
20
19
Amount reported
$217 900
$262 343
$84 700
$33 135
Average value per church
$5, 889
$8, 745
$4,235
$1,744
T)fibt — •pT.'iTn'hfir rfiportiTip1
12
11
2
Amount reported _
$43, 078
$35, 958
$1, 500
$1 500
Parsonages, number
17
Value — number reporting
17
10
3
1
Amount reported
$44,250
$37 800
$6, 000
$1 000
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
45
33
21
Amount reported -
$88, 871
$105, 326
$37, 930
Pastors' salaries -
$27, 059
All other salaries
$3,449
Hepairs and improvements
$5 980
> $73 652
$24, 555
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest-
Local relief and charity Red Cross, etc
$2, 561
$11, 559
$1 814
Home missions -
$7, 531
Foreign missions - - -
$13, 796
I $31, 674
$13, 375
To general headquarters for distribution
$8,372
All other purposes
$6, 750
Average expenditure per church
$1, 975
$3, 192
$1, 806
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
45
29
21
28
Officers and teachers
736
423
321
271
Scholars - - -
6,008
3,822
3,022
1,916
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Missionary
Church Association by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number
and membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table
4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the
four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified
as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the
value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for
1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid^ disclosing
the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5
and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
670
OF RELIGIOUS BOIXDES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
S UMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEM-
BERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
3
o
E-*
M
t>
1
5
3
o
H
§
&
6
•g
P3
1
s
4S
s
**
11
a
£
OD
Males per 100
females 1
Churches re-
porting
|w
2"S
I1
§ Scholars
United States
47
19
28
3,648
1,785
1,883
1,479
2,152
17
68 7
45
736
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania--
3
9
10
4
7
1
1
4
5
3
4
2
5
5
1
3
1
4
4
1
2
105
629
1,163
356
364
53
151
240
32
127
428
62
205
566
261
264
43
424
597
92
100
53
151
240
32
131
41
243
429
137
158
24
68
105
12
59
203
64
369
734
219
206
29
83
135
20
68
225
3
9
10
4
7
1
2
4
1
1
3
40
161
175
87
118
11
28
28
5
20
63
235
907
1,988
919
894
60
100
215
26
180
484
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio.. _ .
17
65 9
584
62.6
76.7
Indiana _ .
Illinois
Michigan _^
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Nebraska
Kansas.,.
4
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee
4
77.8
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
1
MOUNTAIN:
Arizona.— .. .
1
3
1
1
127
297
PACIFIC:
California
....
90.2
* Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4.— NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHTJKCHBS, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1920, 1916, or 1906]
STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
t936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States
Pennsylvania. __
47
34
25
30
3,648
2,498
1,554
1,256
94
3,426
128
2.7
8
105
1
*""§§"
5
17
14
"~20"
4
104
612
1,130
351
336
137
240
308
208
1,0
""is
1.4
48
9.3
......
1.9
Ohio
9
10
4
8
5
6
5
8
5
629
1,163
356
501
780
387
517
339
362
17
Indiana ,
Illinois
Michigan
7
4
4
3
23
3
5
4
4
5
2
4
1
1
6
4
2
1
2
8
364
151
240
428
212
182
163
207
264
401
86
153
73
58
280
100
63
30
44
318
11
^Kansas
Tennessee _
California
100
Other States
i Based on membership with age classification reported.
* Includes Nebraska, 1; Arkansas, 1; and Arizona, 1.
MISSIONARY CHURCH ASSOCIATION
671
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF
CHUECH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHTJBCH EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PAESONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
leportmg
Amount
United States
47
39
_
9
3
7
3
4
3
4
37
$217, 900
41, 553
68, 597
27, 500
15, 750
3,100
2,100
19, 500
39, 800
12
2~
3
2
3
$43,078
11,030
7,843
4,875
3,980
17
_
5
2
4
$44,250
Ohio . -
9
10
4
7
4
4
3
6
6
9
3
6
3
4
3
»3
5,800
11, 500
C1)
11,200
Indiana -_
Illinois
Michigan
Kansas
Tennessee
California
Other States
2
15, 350
1
2
C1)
15, 750
i Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
* Includes: Pennsylvania, 1; Nebraska, 1; and Arizona, 1.
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
STATE
1
o
!
§
3
5
47
EXPENDITURES
%
I
%
1
45
Total amount
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improve-
ments
Payment on church
debt, excluding inter-
est
0 ther current expenses,
including interest
Local relief and charity
Home missions
1
1
a
.1
o
813, 796
1
a1
T3
a
<D
S^
1
g
$8, 372
I
I
«
3
$0, 750
United States__
Ohio
$88, 871
13, 475
33, 324
9,942
12, 274
1,826
1,140
8,759
8,131
$27, 059
~M29
7,156
2,281
5,080
307
575
2,555
2,576
$3,449
$5, 980
$2, sei
811, 559
$1, 814
165
645
28
301
200
100
275
100
$7, 531
9
10
4
4
4
6
9
10
4
7
4
4
3
14
344
1,086
219
563
47
200
570
420
465
2,591
1,619
618
73
80
327
207
50
1,126
220
350
15
50
250
500
2,133
3,935
1,593
946
69
50
898
1,935
713
2,285
2,825
297
380
10
738
283
1,599
6,955
1,081
1,795
419
75
580
1,292
1,264
4,494
"I~46i
194
213
3,051
76
860
122
Indiana -
Illinois
Michigan
Kansas- __
Tennessee
California
541
415
2,025
403
Other States
i Includes: Pennsylvania, 2; Nebraska, 1; and Arizona, 1.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 3
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The Missionary Church Association is a group of cooperating evangelical
churches, which have a common faith and which are banded together to work
more effectively toward common ends. The association was organized in 1898
and was incorporated in the State of Indiana in the year 1905.
Fort Wayne, Ind., and approved by him in its present form.
672 CENSUS OE BEIrlGIOU'S BODIES, 1936
bhat were dear to them. These Christian believers stressed the baptism with the
Holy Spirit as a definite crisis experience subsequent to conversion and the truth
of the imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ, in addition to the accepted fun-
damentals of the faith in that day. Accordingly, an association of churches was
formed to give better opportunities for cultivating the deeper spiritual life, to
give a bold testimony to the faith "once delivered to the saints/' and to engage
in more aggressive missionary work. The position of the founders on the essen-
tial articles of faith and practice are accepted as being in substantial agreement
with the Word of God, which is the final authority in all matters pertaining to
the life and faith of the church. The Missionary Church Association is com-
mitted to the fundamental position that in the Acts and the Epistles of the New
Testament is given a pattern of the message to be preached; the principles of
administration; the methods of evangelization; and the basic form of church
government, that are to be followed by every successive generation of the church
until Jesus Christ comes again.
Its present headquarters are at Fort Wayne, Ind.
DOCTRINE
The association stands for all the great evangelical truths of Christianity, such
as the Divine and plenary inspiration of the Scriptures; the Deity and virgin
birth of Jesus Christ; His substitutionary death and physical resurrection; the
total depravity of man by nature and his need of regeneration as a personal
experience; the enduement of the Holy Spirit subsequent to the new birth to
empower the believer for life and service; divine healing for the body as provided
in the atonement; the personal, premillennial return of Christ and His reign on
the earth; and the future resurrection of the body unto the immortality of the
just and unto the endless punishment of the unjust. It urges upon its members
the importance of being law-abiding citizens; but it is nonresistant in its belief,
having always been opposed to the taking up of arms in war.
ORGANIZATION
The government of the Missionary churches is chiefly congregational; however,
the general conference of the churches, made up of all the ministers, missionaries,
and appointed delegates, is recognized as final authority.
The general conference annually appoints a committee consisting of a president,
vice president, secretary, assistant secretary, and treasurer, together with five
additional members. This body examines candidates for the ministry and issues
licenses to preach, acts as the committee on finance, and has charge of the general
work of the association.
Each church elects its own pastor, deacons, and deaconesses. These, together
with the secretary and treasurer, usually constitute the church board which has
charge of the general affairs of the church. New members are admitted by the
vote of the church after the candidates have been examined and recommended by
the board. Baptism is administered by immersion. Open communion is observed
by all the churches.
WORK
As the name implies, the organization is missionary in character. While efforts
are put forth in the home field to preach the Gospel in needy and neglected
sections, the great aim is to help evangelize the heathen. Missionaries, number-
ing 60, have been sent to India, China, Africa, South America, and Hawaii.
Those who are now on the field are laboring under various mission boards, but
most of them under The Christian and Missionary Alliance. Ten new candidates
have been accepted for service in the foreign field. The missionary offering for
1936 amounted to, approximately, $25,000.
The Fort Wayne Bible Institute, Fort Wayne, Ind., is owned by this association.
However, it is operated on interdenominational lines, having representatives of
various religious bodies on the school board and faculty. The purpose of the
institution is to prepare missionaries, pastors, evangelists, teachers, singers, etc.,
for Christian service. The school has an enrollment of about 155 students. The
property is valued at, approximately, $200,000 and is practically free from in-
debtedness.
MISSIONARY BANDS OF THE WORLD
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Missionary Bands of the World for the year
1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures
between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules
sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and
the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination comprises those persons who have been
accepted and enrolled by the local societies, upon public profession of faith and
the pledge to conform to the rules of the society.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OP
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations) , number
6
222
37
64
158
40 5
11
178
33
5 8
6
6
$16, 000
$14, 500
$1,500
$2, 667
1
$300
3
3
3
$3,500
5
$4,159
$1,356
$102
$163
$1,500
$321
$20
$110
$330
$75
$182
$832
4
40
275
5
201
40
55
146
37.7
1
21
21
9
12
(3)
11
10
Members, number
90.5
9.5
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male__ _-.
Ttyyrialfl
92.4
7.6
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
]3 years and over
168
33-
94.4
5.6
Age not reported
P^G^-ft}; iiTi rj p,p 13 yeqjs *
0)
i
i
Clmrcli edifices, number
5
5
\ C4)
4
(*)
4
40
275
Value — number reporting
A m nttnt rp-p^rtfl
Constructed prior to 1936 __
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Pfibt — Tnu"mb6r reporting
Amount reported
"NTiTmber reporting "no debt"
i
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
.Amount reported
Expenditures:
Churches reporting number
.AirifYunt rftportfid
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and iTnpnwfirnfvnt-P
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest - -
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc__.
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution ._
All other purposes -
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
100.0
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
* Details cannot be shown as only one rural church was reported.
i See p. 675 for data relative to merger with Church of God (Holiness), Fort Scott, Kans.
673
674
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for compar-
ison, a summary of the available statistics of the Missionary Bands of the World
for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number ._
6
11
10
16
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number -
5
1
-6
Percent 2 _ - .
Members, number _ _ _
222
241
218
487
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Num bAr
-19
23
—269
Percent
-7 9
10 6
-55 2
Ayeragfi mfim'hfin'Tnp Ppr (vhnrnh _ _
37
22
22
30
Churcli sdifices number
6
9
10
16
Value — nmmfoer reporting
6
9
10
15
Arnonnt reported
$16, 000
$20, 000
$18, 500
$69, 550
Average value per church
$2, 667
$2, 222
$1, 850
$4, 637
Debt — number reporting _ -
1
3
5
7
A m nil ri t reported
$300
$966
$7, 900
$6, 625
Parsonages, number - _ .
3
Value — number reporting . --
3
6
7
6
Amount reported
$3, 500
$10, 000
$9, 500
$19, 500
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number - _
5
10
10
Amount reported
$4, 159
$6, 588
$4, 420
Pastors' salaries
$1, 356
All other salaries
$102
Repairs and improvements
$163
I $4, 738
$3, 005
Payment on church debt, excluding interest —
All other current expenses, including interest-
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$1, 500
$321
$20
Home missions
$110
Foreign missions _ _ . . _
$330
[ $1, 850
$1, 415
To general headquarters for distribution
$75
All other purposes _. - . -
$182
Average expenditure per church
$832
$659
$442
Sunday schools :
niinfcTlfiS reporting, "nnmber
4
8
10
13
Officers and teachers _ - .
40
52
77
83
Scholars - -
275
248
430
477
] A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3 and 4 present the statistics for the Missionary Bands
of the World by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural
territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4
gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four
census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as
"under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Separate presentation,
by States, of the value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on
church edifices, and also of church expenditures for the year 1936, is omitted in
order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, Indiana
being the only State in which these items were reported by more than one church.
MISSIONARY BANDS OF THE WORLD
675
TABLE 3. — NUMBEE AND MEMBERSHIP or CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP
BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
f-r
O W
i~i ®
i
fl
AND STATE
M M
03 {2
0
to g
"0*3
f<u
M
Cj
3
&
g
3
jg
1
43
i
*3o
^E
e
£
«
e
5
tf
s
fi
%"
,jq a
0
O
s
United States
6
5
i
222
201
21
64
158
40.5
4
40
275
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
1
i
21
21
9
12
(i)
Indiana
5
5
201
201
55
146
37:7
4
40
275
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4=. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OP MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1928
1916
1906
1936
1936
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States
Ohio
6
11
10
16
222
241
218
487
11
178
33
5.8
1
21
11
10
168
Indiana
5
9
2
8
2
12
4
201
223
18
158
60
427
60
33
Other States 2
* Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Separate presentation was limited to States having 3 or more churches in 1926, 1916, and 1906.
The Bureau of the Census has been informed that a Church of God (Holiness),
with headquarters at Fort Scott, Kans., merged with the Missionary Bands of
the World in 1933, for the purpose of furthering the general interests and foreign
and home missionary activities.
The data for this denomination, which were received too late for inclusion with
the tabular matter for the Missionary Bands of the World, are as follows: 120
churches, 31 of which were reported as being in urban territory and 89 in rural;
and 86 church edifices with a reported value of $272,000 and an approximate
indebtedness of $5,000. There was a membership of 3,050, comprising 1,220
males and 1,830 females; and 78 Sunday schools with 468 officers and teachers and
2,730 pupils.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
In 1885 a missionary society of young people was formed in the Free Methodist
Church by Rev, Vivian A. Dake. Gradually, as the members of the bands
came into closer fellowship, they united in distinct organizations and in 1898
became a separate body, adopting the name "Pentecost Bands of the World,"
with headquarters at Indianapolis, Ind. While primarily a home and foreign
missionary movement, it is practically a denomination. The doctrine corre-
sponds in general to that of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The bands have
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been re vised by William H. Graef, secretary, Missionary Bands of the World, Indian-
apolis, Ind., and approved by him in its present form. No history was furnished for the Church of God
(Holiness).
275318—41-
-44
676 GKNSIUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
a regular membership, church edifices, and pastors, besides evangelistic and
mission work of a general character. The name of the organization was changed
to Missionary Bands of the World by the annual conference of 1925.
WORK
The various churches of the merged Missionary Bands of the World and Church
of God (Holiness) in America conduct a mission work in which about 341 licensed
ministers were engaged in 1936, including pastors, home mission workers, and
evangelists. The foreign mission work is carried on in India, Japan, Jamaica,
and Sweden, with property valued at about $40,000 and congregations numbering
about 1,200. There were 25 missionaries and about 70 native workers who car-
ried on this work in 1936. The entire work is unsalaried, being supported by
freewill offerings only.
The rescue work is conducted on a property worth $25,000, at Richton, Miss.
Headquarters' offices and camp-meeting property is worth $20,000.
PILLAR OF FIRE
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Pillar of Fire for the year 1936 is presented in
table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and
rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to the
Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate to
these churches only.
The membership of this denomination includes those persons who have made
profession of faith and have assented to the doctrines and practices of the church.
It is made up of four classes — probationary members, regular members, full
members, and associate members.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OP STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Eural
Churches (local organizations) , number
46
4,044
88
1,654
2,390
69.2
894
3,150
22.1
30
30
$560, 500
$560, 500
$18, 683
9
$39, 618
21
27
19
$156, 000
28
$20, 909
$331
$110
$3,062
$7, 632
$8,904
$164
$596
$110
$747
44
229
1,563
a
38
214
40
2,249
56
888
1,361
65.2
629
1,620
28.0
24
24
$497,000
I 497, 000
$20, 708
9
$39, 618
15
24
17
$150,000
25
$20, 615
$331
$110
$3, 012
$7,632
$8,682
$164
$586
$98
$825
38
196
1,297
2
20
100
6
1,795
299
766
1,029
74.4
265
1,530
14.8
6
6
$63, 500
$63,500
$10, 583
Members, number-
55.6
44.4
Average membership per church.
Membership by sex:
Male
53.7
56.9
46.3
43.1
Female
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
70.4
51.4
29.6
48.6
13 years and over
Percent under 13 years
Church, edifices, number
Value — number reporting
ATnfyiTntf reported
88.7
88.7
11.3
11.3
Constructed prior to 1936 _
Average value per church
"Dfiht — number rp.pnrtiTig
Amount reported
100.0
Number reporting "no debt"
6
3
2
$6,000
3
$294
Parsonages, number
VftUi^ — THimTh^r reposing
ATTinnnt reported
96.2
3.8
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
ATnoynt reported
98.6
100.0
100.0
1.4
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements __ .
$50
$222
98.4
100.0
97.5
100.0
98.3
89.1
1.6
2.5
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest
All other current expenses, including
interest _
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc
To general headquarters for distribution. ._
All other purposes „_
$10
$12
$98
6
33
266
1
18
114
1.7
10.9
Average ftxipenclvfnrp pw churcti
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and*teachers
85.6
83.0
14.4
17.0
Scholars
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
46.7
53.3
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
677
678
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BOD-IES, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Pillar of Fire for the census
years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations) , number- -
46
48
21
3
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Nni5nbfir_ - , - - -.-- T-
—2
27
18
Percent 2
Mewfrfirs, TUTmbep „. _ _ _
4,044
2,442
1,129
230
Increase over preceding census:
"NFmn'bAjr
1,602
1,313
899
Percent - - - -
65.6
116.3
390 9
Average membership per church . _
88
51
54
77
Cliurch edifices, number
30
25
8
3
Value — number reporting
30
23
8
3
Amount reported ._.
$560, 500
$537, 000
$171, 555
$90, 600
Average value per church, _ _ _
$18, 683
$23, 348
$21, 444
$30, 200
Debt — number reporting.
9
17
4
2
Amount reported
$39, 618
$75, 200
$14, 800
$11, 000
Parsonages, number
27
Value — number reporting T „ . ,„-,__ , „ „„.„.,
19
11
2
Amount reported - - ._-
$156, 000
$88,000
$4, 295
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number .„ ^ „__„„, , „
28
32
21
Amount reported
$20, 909
$50, 080
$57, 790
Pastors' salaries
$331
All other salaries
$110
HfipHirs ft~nd improvements
$3, 062
I $38, 854
$32, 857
Payment on church debt, excluding interest. _
All other current expenses, including interest __
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc — .
$7, 632
$8,904
$164
TTorne THIS-SIOTIS
Foreign missions
I $11, 226
$24, 933
To general headquarters for distribution
$596
All other purposes
$110
Average expenditure per church _ .
$747
$1, 565
$2, 752
Sunday schools ;
Cbur^bes rfipnrf.iTig, number
44
36
12
2
Officers and teachers _
229
200
80
14
Scholars
1,563
1,994
559
175
1 A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Pillar of Fire
by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and membership
of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory,
membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives for
selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four census years
1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under 13 years
of age77 and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of churches and
parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936. Table 6 presents,
for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improve-
ments, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of
any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those
States in which three or more churches reported value and expenditures.
PILLAR OF FIRE
679
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP or CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
I
fl
i
40
1
1
1
2
8
6
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
9
1
2
1
«
3
o
e»
I
tf
•3
a
s
§
H
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States—
46
6
4,044
2,249
1,795
1,654
2,390
10
24
26
122
1,013
385
58
19
23
6
18
38
72
508
15
53
69.2
44
1
1
1
3
8
10
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
9
1
2
229
4
5
3
12
46
52
5
4
5
3
5
4
6
65
4
6
1,563
22
31
9
79
275
363
45
20
50
7
35
32
83
423
25
64
NEW ENGLAND:
Massachusetts ._
1
1
1
3
9
10
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
9
3
2
16
41
40
194
1,770
615
100
30
40
9
28
60
128
858
25
90
16
41
40
112
264
408
100
30
40
9
28
60
128
858
25
90
6
17
14
72
757
230
42
11
17
3
10
22
56
350
10
37
Rhode Island
Connecticut .
1
1
4
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York-
82
1,506
207
59.0
74 7
59.7
New Jersey
Pennsylvania . »„
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio__ _
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Missouri
Nebraska -
....
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
District of Columbia. _
Florida
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
68.9
Utah
PACIFIC:
California
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4, — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
STATE
NUMBER OF CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Per-
cent
under
13
United States
46
48
21
3
4,044
2,442
1,129
230
894
3,150
22.1
New York
3
9
10
1
3
9
Ul
3
13
12
3
3
7
7
2
6
5
1
1
1
5
......
._....
1
194
1,770
615
100
128
858
379
106
715
693
168
107
474
179
55
542
291
50
22
100
69
""56"
"I63~
11
36
249
205
35
58
170
141
158
1,521
410
65
70
688
238
18.6
14.1
33.3
35.0
45.3
19.8
37.2
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Ohio ...
Florida
Colorado
Other States
* Includes 2 churches in California; and 1 in each of the following States— Massachusetts, Rhode Island
Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, and Utah, and the District of Columbia.
680
CENSUS OF BELIGIOU'S. BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PAKSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BT STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHUKCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
report-
ing
Amount
Churches
report-
ing
Amount
Churches
report-
ing
Amount
United States-
46
30
80
S560, 500
9
S39, 618
19
S156, 000
New Jersey
9
10
3
9
15
4
7
3
9
7
4
7
3
9
27
51, 500
42, 000
32, 500
308, 500
126, 000
4
1
1
7
6
30, 000
37,000
89,000
Pennsylvania
1
3,850
Florida...'.
Colorado
3
5
4,900
30,868
Other States.
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
2 Includes: New York, 2; Ohio, 1; Michigan, l: Utah, l; and California, 2.
TABLE 6. — CHUECH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
?.
EXPEND
ITTJRES
STATE
Total number of chu.
Churches reporting
Total amount
8
1
s
*i
•a
CO
o
•+J
o
:=}
Repairs and im-
provements
Payment on church
debt, excluding
interest
Other current ex-
penses, including
interest
"O
o
P.
"o
United States
46
28
$20, 909
$asi
8110
$3, 062
$7, 632
$8, 904
$164
S596
$110
New Jersey
9
5
2 162
100
75
1 094
533
360
_
Pennsylvania
10
6
3,356
'272
1 771
1.265
48
Colorado. _.
9
8
7 634
130
25
1 409
2 871
2 832
99
170
98
Other States
IS
19
7 757
101
10
287
2 990
4 274
65
18
12
i Includes. New York, 2; Ohio, 1; Illinois, 1; Nebraska, 1; Florida, 1: Distnctof Columbia, 1: Utah, 1; and
California, 1.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The Pillar of Fire Church was incorporated in the State of Colorado, in 1902,
having been organized December 29, 1901, as the Pentecostal Union, under which
name it continued until October 6, 1917. It is now incorporated in several States
and has branches in England.
The history of the Pillar of Fire is to be found, mainly, in the life of its founder,
Mrs. Alma White. Early in her life as the wife of a Methodist minister, despite
the fact that the Methodist Church at that time gave no official recognition to
woman's ministry, Mrs. White occupied her husband's pulpit occasionally and
devoted much of her time to revival work. It was not long before she proved
to be a powerful preacher. Such success attended her efforts that she soon
aroused not only great interest, but also some opposition from the Methodist
bishops and presiding elders.
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Rev. Albert L. Wolfram, A. B., treasurer, Pillar of Fire, Zarephath, N. J.,
and approved by him in its present form.
PILLAR, OF FIBE 681
But notwithstanding this she continued to preach. In time she began to
establish missions of an independent character and soon acquired a considerable
following, organizing a regular society in 1901, which was incorporated in 1902,
in order to hold property. Her original plan was that the organization should be
a missionary society for the conversion of sinners and the spread of Scriptural
holiness, similar to the societies which John Wesley organized. But as Method-
ism, when it was raised up, had" a special mission to perform^ and finally became
a church in itself, distinct from the Church of England, so the Pillar of Fire in
its turn became a church distinct from the Methodist Church. It was found
that complete separation and independence from other denominations alone
could give the Pillar of Fire, with women as well as men in the pulpit, freedom to
pursue its course as an evangelizing and reforming force.
The organization has grown rapidly and has acquired valuable property,
and in 1908 it established its headquarters at Zarephath, N. J., about 30 miles
from New York City. Here, and at Bound Brook, 1,025 acres were acquired
and large buildings for schools and a printing plant erected.
DOCTRINE
The doctrinal beliefs include the fundamental doctrines of other orthodox
denominations; they are, in fact, Methodistic, any difference which exists coming
from a closer adherence to primitive standards, guarding against modern liberal-
ism and heresies; another difference is the extension of full ministerial orders to
women. Doctrinal points emphasized are: (1) Belief in the inspiration of the
Scriptures as the only sufficient rule of faith and practice; (2) repentance toward
God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; (3) justification by faith, evidenced by
holy living; (4) Christian perfection or entire sanctification, which is interpreted
as a cleansing of the believer's heart from inbred sin or spiritual defilement, so
that the whole spirit, as well as the body, may be preserved blameless until
the coming of Christ — perfection or sanctification here not implying freedom
from mistakes or infirmities, but that Christian perfection which is purity of
heart and a perfect attitude toward God; (5) the immortality of the soul and
the resurrection of the body; (6) judgments as taught in the Scriptures; (7)
water baptism, which is a sign of regeneration, the mode being optional; (8) the
sacrament of the Lord's Supper; (9) marriage is a divine institution; (10) divine
healing for the body; (11) the premillennial coming of the Lord, and the restora-
tion of the Jews; (12) eternal punishment for the wicked and life everlasting for
the righteous.
ORGANIZATION
The Pillar of Fire Church is episcopal in that, like the Methodist Church,
its discipline provides for bishops, presiding elders, etc. Its orders include
regularly ordained ministers (both men and women), regularly ordained deacons
and deaconesses, consecrated deaconesses, licensed preachers, and missionaries.
Of the four classes of members, probationary, regular, full, and associate,
only the second and third classes are qualified to vote; regular members, consist-
ing of persons who have passed the probationary period, are qualified to vote on
matters of ecclesiastical administration; while persons in full membership, con-
sisting largely of regular members who are in active service as missionaries,
teachers, ministers, etc., have power to vote also on matters pertaining to the
financial administration.
WORK
Shortly after its incorporation the organization erected a training school at
Denver, Colo., and later a printing plant was established, from which were
issued the Pillar of Fire and numerous tracts and pamphlets. Upon the opening
of the larger buildings at Zarephath, N. J., the publication work in Denver
ceased for a short time, but was later resumed, the paper issued there taking the
name Rocky Mountain Pillar of Fire, also the Dry Legion, a temperance paper.
At Zarephath three schools have been established, Zarephath Bible Seminary,
Alma Preparatory School, and Alma White College, the latter being authorized
by the State of New Jersey to grant degrees in arts and sciences. There is also
a large printery where three papers are published, the Pillar of Fire, Woman's
Chains, and Pillar of Fire Junior, besides numerous books and pamphlets.
In 1919 the organization came into possession of Westminster College, near
Denver, Colo., once operated by the Presbyterians, now known as BeHeview
Junior College. They have also erected a large auditorium at Denver, called
682 CENSUS! OF RELIGIOUS BO-DUES, 1936
Alma Temple. In Los Angeles they conduct a Bible school and other schools
and publish the Occidental Pillar of Fire. In Cincinnati, Ohio, they conduct a
school; and at Jacksonville, Fla., there is a school and missionary headquarters,
and also day schools in some other cities.
In 1909 the Pillar of Fire opened missionary headquarters in London, England,
and a publishing department, from which are issued the British Sentinel and
the London Pillar of Fire. New and enlarged quarters were secured in 1925
and it is the purpose to make this branch — known as Alma White Bible Col-
lege— a center and headquarters for general foreign missionary work.
A very important feature of the Pillar of Fire's activities is its missionary and
colporteur work in large cities of the United States, another is the opportunity
which it affords for the training and education, at little or no expense to them-
selves, of worthy young people.
The total valuation of church property is placed at $2,800,000, and school
property at $1,100,000. Money expended for educational work during 1936
amounted to $75,000; nearly $15,000 was appropriated for charity, in addition
to the assistance of students and others. Students in Pillar of Fire schools
numbered about 400.
In 1929 the Pillar of Fire acquired a radio station in Colorado now known as
KPOF. In 1931 permission was granted by the Government for the operation
of a broadcasting station at the national headquarters at Zarephath, N. J.,
known as WAWZ. Each of these stations operates on 1,000-watt power.
FEDERATED CHURCHES
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Federated Churches for the year 1936 is pre-
sented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
The membership requirements for the Federated Churches are those of its con-
stituent denominations. Provision is sometimes made for a "federated" or
"independent" membership, composed of persons who do not desire to affiliate
with any of these denominations.
TABLE 1.-
-StJMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT Or
TOTAL l
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
508
88,411
174
32,804
50,999
4,608
64.3
2,477
73, 478
12, 456
3.3
561
477
$10, 870, 046
$10, 813, 446
$56, 600
$22, 788
99
$852, 588
441
378
349
$1, 239, 618
492
$1, 408, 560
$608, 666
$146, 939
$131, 756
$47, 807
$306, 453
$30, 306
$16, 271
$15, 913
$77, 628
$26,821
$2, 863
484
8,126
61, 502
82
26, 027
317
10, 373
14, 703
951
70.6
757
22, 239
3,031
3.3
84
78
$5,414,730
$5,384,730
$30,000
$69,420
30
$688,834
52
56
55
$281,800
81
$536.268
$175, 729
$84, 173
$41,331
$23, 768
$145, 720
$14,385
$6, 272
$5, 214
$28,772
$10, 904
$6, 621
79
1,648
13,789
426
62,384
146
22, 431
36, 296
3,657
61 8
1,720
51, 239
9,425
3.2
477
399
$5,455,316
$5,428,716
$26, 600
$13, 672
69
$163, 754
389
322
294
$957, 818
411
$872, 292
$432, 937
$62, 766
$90,425
$24, 039
$160, 733
$15, 921
$9,999
$10, 699
$48, 856
$15, 917
$2,122
405
6,478
47, 713
16.1
29.4
83.9
70.6
Members, number. _ _
Average membership per church
Membership by sex-
Male _
31.6
28.8
20.6
68.4
71.2
79.4
Female _
Sex not reported.
IVlales per 100 females
Membership by age-
Under 13 years
30.6
30.3
24.3
69.4
69.7
75.7
13 years and over _
Age not reported __
Percent under 13 years ^
Church, edifices, number
15.0
16.4
49.8
49.8
53.0
85 0
83.6
50. 2
50.2
47.0
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Constructed prior to 1936 _
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936-
Avera^e value per church
Debt — number reporting
Arnnnnt reported
80 8
11.8
14.8
15.8
22.7
16.5
38.1
28.9
57.3
31.4
49.7
47.6
47.5
38.5
32 8
37.1
40.7
19.2
88.2
85.2
84. 2
77.3
83.5
61. i<
71.1
42.7
68.6
50.3
52.4
52.5
61.5
67.1
62. V
59.3
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number - - -
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries - -
All other salaries -
Repairs find improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest - -
All other current expenses, including in-
tereSt
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc...
TFTorne missions
Foreign miss'ions -
To general headquarters for distribution __
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number - -
16.3
20.3
22.4
83.6
79.7
77.6
Officers and teachers
Scholars _
Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Based on membership with age classification reported.
683
684
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BOBEEIS, 1936
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND HURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Summer vacation Bible schools :
C Inn ches reporting, numbo _ -
155
1,484
10, 684
19
75
1,036
1
31
315
22
253
2,039
6
26
263
133
1,231
8,645
13
49
773
1
31
315
14 2
17.0
19.1
85.8
83.0
80.9
Officers and teachers
Scholars _ - _ _
Weekday religious schools:
C hurdles reporting, number _.
Officers and teachers
Scholars
25 4
74 6
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting number
Officers and. teachers
Scholars
100 0
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1936 and 1926. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for
comparison, a summary of the available statistics of the Federated Churches for
the census years 1936 and 1926.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE STJMMAKY, 1936 AND 1926
ITEM
1936
1926
ITEM
1936
1936
Churches (local organiza-
tions), number
508
361
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, num-
Increase over preceding
ber
492
354
census*
Amount reported
$1, 408, 560
$1, 272, 455
Number
147
Pastors' salaries
$608, 666
Percent
40 7
All other salaries
$146, 939
HVTwcxi'bs'rs, number
88 411
59 977
Repairs and improve-
ments
$131, 756
Increase over preceding
census:
Number - -
28, 434
Payment on church
debt, excluding inter-
est
$47, 807
$1, 082, 730
Percent
47.4
All other current ex-
Average membership per
cburch
174
166
penses, including in-
terest
$306, 453
Church edifices, number
561
552
Local relief and charity,
Red Cross, etc
$30, 306
Value — number reporting
477
343
Home missions
$16, 271
Amount reported
$10, 870, 046
$6, 159, 725
Foreign missions
$15, 913
Average value per
church
$17, 958
To general headquarters
for distribution
$77, 628
Debt—number reportmg-
A mount rep ort &fi , „ ^
99
$852, 588
62
$235, 530
All other purposes
Average expenditure per
$26, 821
church
$2, 863
$3, 595
Parsonages, number
378
Value— number reportmg-
Amount reported
349
$1, 239, 618
285
$1, 147, 950
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, num-
ber
484
347
Officers and teachers
Scholars
8,126
61, 502
5,352
46, 820
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Federated
Churches by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural
territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4
gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the cen-
sus years 1936 and 1926, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under
13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of
churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936.
Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current
expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the
financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5
and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
FEDERATED CHURCHES
685
TABLE 3.- — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN" AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 193$
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
3
S
Urban
•g
s
3
£
i
•8
£
1
P?
42
a
s
42
"3
&
Sex not reported
S
§-
^8
CD 03
aa
Cl
1
be
fl
33
(-4
gi
J3
A
O
13 OT
I
Scholars
United States..
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
508
82
426
88,411
28, 027
62, 384
32, 804
50, 999
4,808
64.3
484
;:
28
21
53
51
1
13
48
2
17
35
4
29
15
7
8
30
11
2
6
13
15
2
4
1
1
1
1
4
1
2
4
8
2
1
2
1
3
2
2
8
3
22
8,126
61, 502
32
22
54
52
1
14
50
2
17
37
4
4
""§"
12
....
3
28
22
51
40
1
11
47
2
17
30
4
18
15
8
3
27
12
1
7
11
14
3
7
3,343
2,466
7,004
9,471
111
2,196
8,827
373
2,529
8,851
954
6,173
4,134
1,116
2,416
5,694
1,578
286
666
3,248
2,363
103
239
103
173
222
50
342
185
462
2,244
990
516
160
367
176
429
87
428
1,139
1,094
5,103
564
""698"
3,222
2,779
2,466
6,306
6,249
111
1,695
7,465
373
2,529
5,896
954
3,279
1,904
1,116
580
4,619
1,515
36
666
2,312
2,130
103
239
988
855
2,625
3,492
44
607
3,380
152
1,111
3,217
422
2,267
1,563
369
924
2,350
551
88
220
1,274
892
45
78
41
60
102
20
54
60
196
998
376
208
59
170
64
159
46
142
285
434
1,816
2,355
1,511
4,316
5,618
67
1,076
5,115
221
1,418
4,822
532
3,572
2,338
632
1,492
3,344
934
198
321
1,688
1,471
58
102
62
113
120
30
61
125
266
1,246
614
308
101
197
112
270
41
286
506
660
2,680
42.0
56.6
60.8
62.2
413
220
713
701
15
214
829
45
272
675
76
579
310
129
195
600
146
33
80
230
280
16
49
3
15
9
7
37
15
28
110
132
103
15
41
23
53
11
28
169
50
457
2,760
1,257
4,026
4,521
136
1.428
6,000
251
2,401
6,261
785
4,543
3,004
809
1,374
4,687
1,100
159
486
2,152
2,253
82
392
11
75
69
57
311
115
271
1,086
928
783
208
237
165
360
85
277
1,369
520
3,708
New Hampshire-
Vermont
100
63
361
Massachusetts...
Rhode Island
Connecticut
501
1,362
513
332
56.4
66.1
68.8
78.3
66.7
79.3
63.5
66.9
58.4
61.9
70 3
59.0
44.4
68.5
75.5
60.6
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CEN-
TRAL:
Ohio —
7
2,955
812
Indiana
Illinois.-- _ _ .
29
17
8
11
2
2,894
2,230
334
233
115
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CEN-
TRAL:
Minnesota
8
30
13
2
7
14
15
3
5
3
1
1
"§"
1
1,836
1,075
63
250
Iowa
Missouri
93
North Dakota...
South Dakota
125
286
Nebraska
936
233
Tf&vnsas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
West Virginia.—
Georgia
7
1
-_.,
59
76.5
I6§
173
Florida
1
1
1
1
1
3
"T
2
8
1
1
1
1
2
__..
7
2
14
53.1
85.0
EAST SOUTH CEN-
TRAL:
Tennessee
222
50
141
Alabama
1
WEST SOUTH CEN-
TRAL:
Arkansas
4
1
3
4
8
1
1
1
2
201
185
99
1,761
227
Louisiana
48.0
73.7
80.1
61.2
67.5
58.4
86.3
57.1
58.9
Oklahoma
363
483
990
186
160
240
176
135
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Idaho
2
1
1
330
Wyoming
------
Colorado
2
1
3
2
2
8
3
22
1
127
New Mexico
Arizona _
1
2
1
1
1
8
294
87
314
186
636
2,712
Utah
Nevada
114
953
458
2,391
348
"607"
49.7
56.3
65.8
67.8
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
* Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
686
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHUECHES, 1936 AND 1926, AND
MEMBEESHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936 or 1926]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1936
1936
1926
Under
13 years
13 years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Percent
under
131
United States
508
861
20
15
40
36
13
31
6
22
5
21
18
2
10
20
5
3
5
12
15
88,411
3,343
2,466
7,004
9,471
2,196
8,827
2,529
8,851
954
6,173
4,134
1,116
2,416
5,694
1,578
286
666
3,248
2,363
103
239
342
462
2,244
990
429
1,139
1,094
5,103
2,951
59, 977
2,477
21
40
64
85
15
300
8
144
40
239
128
10
101
199
81
10
12
123
168
73, 478
12, 456
3.3
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine-
32
22
54
52
14
50
17
37
4
29
17
8
8
30
13
2
7
14
15
3
7
4
3
4
8
3
8
3
22
318
2,118
1,288
5,093
6,059
1,415
4,783
711
4,235
1,500
4,227
2,740
271
2,303
3,983
789
239
987
2,883
2,870
2,796
1,947
5,857
8,407
1,668
7,763
2,193
6,731
507
5,600
3,516
680
2,197
4,947
1,258
276
529
3,025
2,006
82
158
87
355
777
924
390
859
1,045
4,244
2,654
526
479
1,083
979
513
764
328
1,976
407
334
490
426
118
548
239
.7
2.0
1.1
1.0
9
3.7
,4
2.1
7.3
4.1
3.5
1.4
4.4
3 9
6.0
3.5
2 2
3.9
7.7
NAW TTs-Tnpsfairfi
Vermont
Massachusetts
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
Pennsylvania -
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois _ _ .-
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri.
North Dakota
South Dakota
125
100
189
21
65
227
99
1,420
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
West Virginia
2
4
3
2
4
1
14
2
14
16
115
469
1,135
1,640
602
299
2,142
260
3,077
1,744
16
28
8
47
66
39
32
49
252
152
9.2
24 3
2 2
5 7
6.7
9.1
3.6
4.5
5 6
5.4
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas —
OTrlfthnrnft
Texas - - -
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
Arizona
PACIFIC:
Washington
248
Oregon
California
607
145
Other States
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
* Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— New Jersey, Idaho, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada;
and 1 in each of the following— Rhode Island, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Wyoming,
and New Mexico.
FEDERATED CHURCHES
687
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States.
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
508
561
31
22
74
59
19
62
16
40
4
32
17
8
9
28
13
7
17
14
3
5
4
3
4
8
3
9
3
23
24
477
$10, 870, 046
99
$852, 588
349
$1,289,618
32
22
54
52
14
50
17
37
4
29
17
8
8
30
13
7
14
15
3
7
4
3
4
8
3
8
3
22
20
31
20
54
48
14
48
16
34
4
26
16
7
8
28
13
7
13
13
3
5
3
3
4
7
3
5
3
21
220
423,000
264, 100
710, 950
2, 165, 390
340, 000
1, 291, 100
112, 000
848, 930
54, 000
663, 000
767, 500
77, 550
213, 500
595, 200
95, 600
31, 500
272,000
196, 000
5,600
9,800
39, 100
40, 500
253, 000
74, 000
62, 000
45, 500
114, 000
713, 000
392,226
5
9,182
21
16
42
39
11
33
6
24
4
19
12
7
6
21
4
6
12
9
66, 300
56, 700
123, 568
188, 450
63,500
120, 500
14,500
90, 400
11,500
69,000
40, 900
17,800
27, 000
55, 800
21, 500
14, 800
42,000
20,100
New Hampshire-
Vermont
6
11
2
9
2,369
143, 185
3,600
37,273
Massachusetts
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
Pennsylvania
E. N. CENTRAL
Ohio
7
81, 413
Indiana
Illinois
6
3
2
3
5
1
3
4
4
16,620
83,550
6,500
28,900
194,800
400
2,300
17,350
12, 840
Michigan..
Wisconsin
W. N. CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
South Dakota
Nebraska, _
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Virginia
"West Virginia
W. S. CENTRAL:
Arkansas
1
1
3
3
7
2
6
3
16
15
0)
09
5,000
13,000
15,300
0
12,900
9,500
68,800
70,800
Oklahoma
1
1,950
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
5
1
2
3
8
8
4,383
10,500
2,200
19,223
115, 650
58,400
Arizona
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
Other States
i Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual church.
* Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— New Jersey, North Dakota, Idaho, Colorado, Utah,
and Nevada; and 1 in each of the following— Rhode Island, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisi-
ana, Wyoming, and New Mexico.
688
OF KBLIGIOU'S BODCCEIS, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
United States 508
NEW ENGLAND.
Maine 32
22
Vermont.." . 54
Massachusetts 52
Connecticut _ _ 14
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York..._ 50
Pennsylvania 17
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio 37
Indiana . 4
Illinois I I _.1 29
Michigan 17
Wisconsin..
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota _ 8
Iowa _ 30
Missouri _ 13
South Dakota.. 7
Nebraska 14
15
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
West Virginia 7
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas 4
Texas 4
MOUNTAIN:
Montana.
Arizona. _ _ 3
PACIFIC:
Washington.
Oregon _ _ 3
California 22
Other States 26
492
81,408,560
8608, 666
7
3
22
124
59, 267
43, 296
105, 197
238, 837
38, 068
165, 429
26,338
112, 711
9,708
92,449
73, 611
12, 179
39, 319
64, 121
16, 019
8,210
30, 752
23,345
3,597
4,029
35, 741
13, 783
6,508
19,889
14, 267
87, 405
64, 485
32, 616
22, 495
54,279
88,470
17, 348
71,430
11, 162
41, 745
3,815
39, 059
24,698
7,256
15, 100
32, 932
6,360
5,650
15, 323
12, 603
1,657
2,196
9,350
8,356
3,203
9,666
4,900
36, 774
30, 223
$146, 939
4,212
3,035
5,396
29,997
4,057
17, 896
2,111
17,863
667
9,180
13, 355
505
4,015
5,546
995
570
2,148
1,748
313
329
8,464
718
542
717
6,527
5,344
S131, 756
6,396
3,040
13, 632
28,259
2,988
16, 040
5,691
6,942
2,480
5,125
5,183
1,157
3,828
4,413
1,155
357
1,464
1,146
676
327
1,740
1,455
544
1,527
1,675
9,011
5,505
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— New Jersey, North Dakota, Virginia, Oklahoma,
Idaho, Colorado, Utaht and Nevada; and 1 in each of the following— Rhode Island, Georgia, Florida, Ten-
nessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Wyoming, and New Mexico.
FEDERATED CHURCHES
689
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES — continued
Payment
on
church
debt,
excluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
Allother
purposes
United States
$47,807
S306, 453
$30, 306
$16,271
$15, 913
$77, 628
$26, 821
,
1,011
732
654
4,951
1,497
1,673
333
1,234
485
1,564
276
130
188
1,034
555
124
1,058
479
51
10
2,503
607
339
260
1,924
2,105
1,044
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine _.
645
354
1,303
4,978
10,802
11,283
22, 097
61, 963
4,137
29, 754
3,930
24,813
1,268
22, 776
20,811
1,741
7,929
15,441
2,775
1,060
6,456
5,363
404
127
7,291
1,366
983
5,932
2,713
19, 461
13, 777
879
879
1,540
5,133
721
7,902
268
1,747
164
2,406
649
150
235
558
435
35
842
123
14
950
1,588
300
15
358
50
1,043
1,322
374
299
787
2,385
238
2,171
573
1,000
113
331
259
221
446
932
608
42
720
163
75
20
1,349
238
104
164
439
782
1,438
349
123
1,020
3,026
285
1,510
650
1,420
112
454
564
247
300
1,161
720
29
642
103
62
20
376
122
52
164
287
659
1,456
1,983
1,056
4,489
9,675
6,797
10, 532
1,620
5,578
434
9,992
1,948
472
3,478
1,889
2,416
343
1,199
798
323
50
3,080
550
New Hampshire.-
Vermont
M assachusetts- -
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
NGW York
6,521
Pennsylvania
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
10, 369
170
1,562
5, 868
300
3,800
215
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota _
Iowa
Missouri
South Dakota .
Nebraska
900
819
22
"FTftTisas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
West Virginia
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
100
550
50
1,362
5,721
2,198
Arizona
PACIFIC:
Washington
1,226
200
5,322
2,178
Oregon
California
Other States
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION 1
HISTORY
The Federated Church represents one of the forms under which two or more
churches in a community have united for the joint prosecution of their work.
The organization of united churches of the various types in rural and village
communities is an interesting phase of religious development upon which some
light is thrown by the census of religious bodies. The consolidation of church
activities in places where the maintenance of two or more churches was found
to be impracticable, or at least ineffective, is due largely to two factors, namely,
the changes that are taking place in the ideals of church service and changes in
local economic conditions.
While at one time in the development of the church denominational rivalries
were so intense as to preclude organic union on any basis, today^less emphasis
is placed on ancient creeds and other historic causes of separation. Further-
i In the preparation of this general statement a considerable amount of material, for which due acknowl-
edgment is made, has been taken from the volume entitled "United Churches," by Elizabeth R. Hooker,
published in 1926 by the Institute of Social and Religious Research, in New York City.
690 CENSUS' OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
more, the conviction is growing among all denominations that the message of
the gospel is in part social, as well as individual.
This change is well expressed by a modern church historian: "Not a rescue
by individual salvation only, but the establishment of a reign of righteousness
among men, has become increasingly the ideal * * *. Emphasis is there-
fore placed on service in preventative and reformatory effort." 3 This ideal
makes possible the union of two or more churches under certain circumstances,
where a narrow adherence to creeds might widely separate them.
Changing economic conditions have fostered the new attitude, especially in
the rural regions. The outlook of country people has been broadened by the
enlarged opportunities afforded by better transportation facilities, consolidated
schools, rural free delivery of mail, and the increased use of the telephone and
radio. Not the least of the factors contributing toward this closer relationship
is the campaign of education in community spirit which has been conducted
by various social welfare agencies.
When, therefore, by reason of changes occasioned by the flow of population
from country to city, reduced local economic prosperity, or increased cost of
church maintenance, an organized religious body becomes too weak to be effec-
tive, union with another local church in like circumstances seems the natural
and logical step. The result has been the rise of the united churches in various
forms.
In 1906 and 1916 these churches were included, without discrimination, in the
data for Independent Churches. However, in 1926, a definite segregation was
made and the Federated Churches were given separate presentation.
As here used, the term "united church" indicates a church whose member-
ship, either regular or associate, is composed of elements representing different
denominations, the elements in some cases being organized churches and in
others individuals. The four types or groups of united churches found in the
United States, as reported to the Census of Religious Bodies, in the order of
their importance, are:
1. Denominational united, a type in which one or more of the uniting
churches has given up its denominational allegiance in order to merge with
another church and has accepted the denominational connection of the other.
2. Federated, a type in which each of the combining units retains its con-
nection with its own denominational body.
3. Undenominational, a type in which union results in an organized church
not connected with any denominational body.
4. Affiliated, a type resembling the undenominational church in control of
its local affairs, but having an attenuated connection with a denominational
body, usually for ministerial supply and distribution of benevolences only.
As the first and fourth groups are more or less closely identified with their
denominations, their statistics have been included in the denominational totals.
The third, or undenominational group, has been included in the statistics for
Independent Churches.
The Federated Churches, however, since each maintains relations with more
than one of the established denominations, cannot well be consolidated with any
denominational group, and they are therefore given independent presentation in
this report. There is further reason for making these churches the subject of a
special presentation in that the federation of churches is of particular interest
as affording a solution to a vexing problem — the problem if what to do with
those churches in a rural group which are too weak to be efficient and yet are
staunchly loyal to their denominations.
The term "community church" is not employed as a classifying term in the
census reports, because a study of the word disclosed that its use was ambiguous,
more than half a dozen different usages being noted. The same diversity in use
was found in regard to the term "union church."
Federated Churches are those made up of two or more denominational organi-
zations, each maintaining a separate membership and perhaps some separate
activities. The Federated Church acts as one body, however, in the holding of
religious services and, usually, in the maintenance of a Sunday school and in most
or all social activities. The different denominational units of which the Federated
Church is composed are closely identified with their respective denominations,
not only by retention of their distinctive membership, but also by the common
practice in each unit of recognizing its missionary obligations and sending to its
own denominational board contributions for home and foreign missions, etc., and
2 See p. 587 of Walker's A History of the Christian Church.
FEDERATED CHURCHES 691
of keeping such property as it may own in the hands of its own trustees. They are
united for local purposes only, in calling and paying a minister, in the holding of
services, and in maintaining a common Sunday school. The distinguishing char-
acteristics of this type of church are, therefore, that the two or more units enter
into an agreement to conduct most of their activities as a single church, but to
preserve the organic integrity of each denominational group.
The first Federated Church is said to have been formed in Massachusetts
in 1887. Its formation appears to have been due to economic pressure, as the
two churches which united were unable to finance their operations separately
and made the experiment of joining for local activities. This experiment proved
successful.
Church leaders who were alarmed at the overchurched situation in the rural
sections of New England were quick to recognize the possibilities of this type of
united church and not only lent their influence to prevent the organization of
additional competing churches, but actively cooperated in the formation of
Federated Churches. In fact, it is stated that the first Federated Church in
Vermont, organized in 1899, was formed at the suggestion of denominational
leaders. Both official and local leadership have played important parts in the
organizing of this type of church, but it is probable that local necessity and a
deeper sense of the church's responsibility for its immediate environment have
been the determining factors in a majority of cases.
Federated Churches were formed at first only in New England, but by the
year 1912 they had spread to many other parts of the country. The schedules
returned for the 1936 census show 508 Federated Churches, located in 42 States
of the Union. Of the total number reporting, 244, or 48 percent, were found in
New England and the Middle Atlantic States, and 184, or 36.2 percent, in the
North Central States. Thirty-three such churches were located in the Pacific
States, while 26 were in the South and 21 in the Mountain States.
Of the whole number, only 82 churches, or less than 17 percent, were reported
as being located in urban territory, which includes all cities or incorporated
places having 2,500 inhabitants or more in 1930, while 426 churches, or more
than 83 percent, were in rural territory, which comprises the remainder of the
country.
DOCTRINE
Each unit, or constituent part, of the Federated Church retains in its entirety
the doctrine of the denominational body to which it adheres; and the member-
ship requirements of each unit correspond exactly to those of the denomination.
ORGANIZATION
In order to function as a single body, the Federated Church has, besides
officials of the ordinary church of the denominational type, a joint committee
which is in charge of the general activities of the church. This committee is
generally representative of the units comprising the church, although in some
churches it is selected without reference to such representation. Frequently
important officers, such as elders and deacons, are chosen by the units separately.
The history of these churches seems to indicate, however, that the longer the
church exists as a federation the fewer officers are elected by action of the separate
units. The same tendency toward united action is noted in regard to the finances
of the Federated Uhurch. At first the units are often held responsible for the
raising of a proportionate share of the budget, but after the federation has lasted
for some time the budget is generally provided for by the entire church.
All local expenses, including the salary of the minister, are paid by the church
as a whole. In many Federated Churches the minister is chosen alternately
from the different denominations represented by the units constituting the
church; in others there is an agreement to procure the minister from one denomi-
nation only; while still others agree to disregard the denomination of the minister
in making a choice.
Sunday schools are generally held in common. Of the 508 Federated Churches
reporting to the Census Bureau, 484 reported Sunday schools, which were almost
always held jointly.
The great majority of the churches have two denominational units only, as,
for example, a Congregational unit and a Methodist unit. About 10 percent
of the total number have three denominational units, but the churches composed
of more than three such units are comparatively few.
275318 — 41 45
692 OE2SKUS! OF RELIGIOUS BODIEES, 1936
Certain denominations were found to predominate in this type of church.
More than three-fourths of the total number of units of all Federated Churches
studied belonged to four denominations. The predominance of these denomi-
nations, in the 1,032 denominational units making up the whole number of Fed-
erated Churches reporting, is indicated below:
Congregationalists and Christians 298
Methodists 269
Presbyterians 165
Baptists 153
Fifteen other denominations 147
Students of the subject of Federated Churches have made certain interesting
observations concerning their tendencies, as well as those of the other types
of united churches. It has been found that a church which has organized in
one way sometimes changes to another type of united church, or even into a
strictly denominational church of the traditional sort. For example, a denomi-
national united church may in time ally itself with one or the other of the included
denominations, or it may become an undenominational church, or it may become
an affiliated church; but it was found that few churches which had united by
actually consolidating or combining their elements ever again resume separate
existence.
Some of the Federated Churches, however, do dissolve and permit the con-
stituent units to resume their original status, though the majority become more
and more closely united. Federated Churches, it may be said in general, have a
tendency to develop either into strictly denominational churches or into churches
which are affiliated with a single denomination. But it has been ascertained that
after a Federated Church has lasted as such for 2 years the federation is likely
to be permanent, and that after 5 years of such existence the federation is
rarely abandoned.
FIRE BAPTIZED HOLINESS CHURCH OF GOD
OF THE AMERICAS
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the
Americas for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribu-
tion of these figures between urban and rural territory. These statistics were
compiled ^ from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of
the individual churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of all persons admitted to the
local churches upon confession of faith.
This church was not reported prior to the 1936 Census, and no comparative
data are available.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT
OF TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Clmrclies (local orgfl,rri7Jfl,fa"<">Tis), Tmittbp-r
59
1,973
33
556
1,417
39.2
49
1,757
167
2.7
46
43
$146, 232
$141, 442
$4,790
$3,401
15
$16, 229
20
4
4
$3,000
58
$30, 069
$12, 837
$2,279
$1,798
$1, 867
$3, 831
$1,284
$1, 296
$681
$2,294
$1,902
$518
54
522
1,651
5
33
263
30
1,265
42
300
965
31.1
23
1,215
27
1.9
25
23
$65, 082
$62, 317
$2, 765
$2, 830
10
$9, 880
9
3
3
$2,500
30
$24,142
$10, 225
$1, 679
$1, 455
$1, 296
$3, 008
$1, 173
$1, 136
$628
$1,805
$1, 737
$805
29
329
1,151
4
30
250
29
708
24
256
452
56 6
26
542
140
4.6
21
20
$81, 150
$79, 125
$2, 025
$4,058
$6, 349
11
1
1
$500
28
$5,927
$2,612
$600
$343
$571
$823
$111
$160
$53
$489
$165
$212
25
193
500
1
3
13
Members, number- _ _ .
64.1
35.9
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
54.0
68.1
46.0
31.9
Female _ _ __
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over - - - - _. ..
69.2
16.2
30.8
83.8
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 2
Cliurch edifices number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported -_T_
44 5
44 1
57.7
55.5
55.9
42.3
Constructed prior to 1936 . -
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
60.9
39.1
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number
YfiiijA— - nvjTribeT* reporting
A m r>uT\t rsported.
83.3
16.7
Expenditures :
Churches reporting number
_AjnfvnTit roported
80.3
79 7
73 7
80.9
69.4
78 5
91.4
87.7
92.2
78.7
91.3
19.7
20.3
26.3
19.1
30.6
21.5
8.6
12.3
7.8
21. 3
8.7
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements - -
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest...
L/ocal relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions
Foreign missions - -
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes _ -
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
63.0
69.7
37.0
30.3
Scholars -
Bummer vacation Bible schools :
VyS$ report-uig, iiuuiut?
Scholars -
95.1
4.9
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
693
694
CENSUS1 OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
State tables. — Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5 present, for 1936, the statistics for the Fire
Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas by States. Table 2 gives for
each State the number and membership of the churches classified according to
their location in urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data
for Sunday schools. Table 3 gives for selected States the number and member-
ship of the churches, together with the membership classified as "under 13 years
of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 4 shows the value of churches and
parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices. Table 5 presents the
church expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improvements, benevo-
lences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual
church, separate presentation in tables 4 and 5 is limited to those States in which
three or more churches reported value and expenditures.
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES iisr URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP
BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
O
I
Pn
3
O
a
o3
£
1
,
I
§-
I**
Churches re-
reportmg
Officers and
teachers
§
United States
59
3
30
29
1,973
51
172
34
53
37
33
432
588
212
230
117
14
1,285
708
556
1,417
35
138
26
34
31
23
300
422
170
130
97
11
39.2
54
522
1,651
59
105
52
90
30
30
450
417
175
113
115
15
NEW ENGLAND:
Connecticut
51
16
34
8
19
6
10
132
166
42
100
20
3
3
3
2
2
1
1
7
17
7
7
3
1
25
50
15
16
10
10
92
165
45
40
49
5
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
4
4
172
34
53
37
33
240
348
182
35
117
14
24.6
Pennsylvania
2
2
1
1
7
21
7
7
1
2
2
1
1
3
6
5
3
1
"T
15
5
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Il6"
39.3
24.7
76.9
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
District of Columbia
Virginia
_a
North Carolina
192
240
30
195
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida _„
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee _. „
* Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES AND
AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
MEMBERSHIP BY
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in 1936]
Number
Number
MEMBERSH
IP BY AGE
STATE
of
churches
of
members
Under 13
years
13 years
and over
Age not
reported
Percent
under 13 1
United States
59
1 973
49
1 757
167
2.7
Connecticut
3
51
51
New York
4
172
172
North Carolina. _
7
432
10
282
140
3.4
South Carolina
21
588
22
539
27
3.9
Georgia..
7
212
6
206
2.8
Florida
7
230
3
227
1.3
Tennessee „ _
3
117
3
114
2.6
Other States
2 7
171
5
166
2 9
i Based on membership with age classification reported.
'Includes: Pennsylvania, 2; Ohio, 2; Virginia, 3; District of Columbia, 1; and Alabama, 1.
FIRE BAPTIZED HOLINESS CHTJBCH OF GOD OF THE AMERICAS 695
TABLE 4. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OP CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number of
churches
Number
of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHUECH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHUECH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAESON-
AGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
North Carolina... _
59
46
43
$146, 232
15
4
2
1
1
2
5
$16, 229
4
S3, 000
7
21
7
7
3
14
6
17
6
5
3
9
5
16
6
5
3
28
24, 000
27, 850
7,482
4,600
6,000
76,300
6,645
408
105
150
200
8,721
1
2
1
1 13,000
South Carolina.
Qeorgia _„
Florida ...
Tennessee
Other States ..
1 Amount for North Carolina and Georgia combined with figures for South Carolina, to avoid disclosing
the statistics of any individual church.
2 Includes: Connecticut, 2; New York, 1; Pennsylvania, 2; Ohio, 1; Virginia, 1; and Alabama, 1.
TABLE 5. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
0
EXPENDITURES
CD
,Q 03
SB
A
«*i
&•£
<T3
«
T-J
i
aJ§
d
•8
S
"-1 w
°5§
-s-i^
a
ct
o
0
"w
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United States,
59
58
$30, 069
$12, 837
$2, 279
81, 798
81, 867
$3, 831
81, 284
$1, 296
$681
82,294
$1,902
Connecticut
3
4
7
21
7
7
3
4
7
21
6
1,993
7,197
5,219
7,629
1,716
688
581
2,282
2,813
3,117
817
286
217
690
300
569
238
39
110
674
102
499
75
42
326
784
335
250
51
76
439
1,001
501
908
89
85
52
779
121
184
68
5
30
165
235
589
38
27
10
254
134
64
100
8
199
169
368
768
218
27
29
399
310
681
22
93
New York
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
Tennessee
3
3
1,609
893
160
22
158
11
85
5
225
50
Other States
7
17
4,018
2,048
226
136
23
650
64
127
106
320
318
i Includes: Pennsylvania, 2; Ohio, 2; Virginia, 1; District of Columbia, 1; and Alabama, 1.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
HISTORY
The first general council of the Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the
Americas was held at Anderson, S. C., 1898. It was at that time called the Fire
Baptized Holiness Association of America as reported by W. E. Fuller:
There were 140 representatives from various parts of the United States
and Dominion of Canada, and I, W. E. Fuller, was the only colored repre-
sentative among them. Here it was that this grand old church of ours began
among our own people.
We were connected with the white people for 10 years and at the expira-
tion of 10 years we met again at Anderson, S. C., 1908, and owing to the
growing prejudice that began to arise among the people outside this denomi-
nation, it was mutually agreed that we have separate incorporations.
During our connection we accumulated upwards of $20,000 worth of prop-
erty and at the separation we were given warranty deeds for the same.
i TMs statement was prepared from material taken from the Discipline printed "by The True Witness
Publishing Co., Seneca, S. C.
696 OENISUSI OF RELIGIOUS BOD'IES, 1936
W. E. Fuller was elected general overseer and C. C. Childs was elected secre-
tary and treasurer. The membership at that time, according to the general
secretary's record, was 925.
From 1922 to 1926 this church operated under the title Fire Baptized Holiness
Church of God. In 1926 the General Council met with Mt. Moriah Fire Baptized
Holiness Church at Knoxville, Tenn. During this council it was voted to change
the name of this church to the Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the
Americas.
DOCTRINE
The object and purpose of this church is threefold: (1) For the deepening of
our spiritual life, so that all our members may attain and impress every Christian
believer to seek the highest Christian experience possible in this life. (Matt. 5:
14-16.)
(2) To ordain elders, pastors, evangelists, missionaries, and teachers, divinely
called and set apart according to their gifts and calling, who shall be required to
teach and preach the doctrine set forth in the Basis of Union. (I Cor. 7:20;
Titus 1:5.)
(3) To enforce ordinances enacted by Christ and practiced by the holy Apostles
and fathers of the early church, such as baptism (Matt. 3:16) and administration
of the Lord's Supper as instituted by Himself, followed by washing of the saints'
feet (St. John 13: 4, 17); solemnizing matrimony (I Peter 2: 13, 15) and burying
the dead.
Article III. The Basis of Union, shown in the Discipline, contains the doctrinal
basis for this denomination. It believes and teaches repentance; regeneration;
justification; sanctification; pentecostal baptism, speaking with other tongues as
the spirit gives utterance; divine healing of the body; and the premillennial sec-
ond coming of Christ. It also teaches the sanctity of marriage.
It utterly opposes the teachings of the so-called Christian Scientists, Spirit-
ualists, Unitarians, Universalists, and Mormons. It denies as false and unscrip-
tural Adventism, immorality, antinomianism, annihilation of the wicked, the
glorification of the body, and many other modern teachings of the day.
No subsequent general council shall have authority to change the Basis of
Union without a full representation from the local churches.
ORGANIZATION
The Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas recognizes and
acknowledges the Lord Christ as the supreme head and rightful governor of the
church in all its departments. The organization includes the following officers:
A bishop, two overseers, general secretary, treasurer, and board of trustees.
The local churches are served by the ruling elders, ordained ministers, and
pastors. A general convention meets annually for the purpose of raising funds
for education, orphanage, and missionary purposes.
FRIENDS
GENERAL STATEMENT
The general history of the different bodies of Friends is presented in the state-
ment for the older, or Orthodox, body. The specific statements, therefore, in
regard to each of the other bodies indicate the differences between them and the
Orthodox Friends.
The four bodies included in this group in 1936, in 1926, in 1916, and in 1906
are listed below, with the principal statistics as reported for the four periods.
These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the
pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate to these churches
only.
SUMMAEY OF STATISTICS FOR THE FRIENDS, 1936, 1926, 1916, AND 1906
DENOMINATION AND CENSUS YEAE
Total number of
churches
Number of mem-
bers
VALUE OF
CHURCH EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
1936
Total for the group . __
717
93, 697
75,652
14,680
3,351
14
110,422
91,326
16, 105
2,966
25
112,982
629
$5,351,674
695
$898,138
591
52, 657
Society of Friends (Orthodox)
570
115
31
1
885
715
128
41
.1
1,023
506
95
28
3, 861, 174
1,408,950
81, 550
558
108
29
717, 177
169, 289
11, 672
506
72
13
46,950
5,200
507
Society of Friends (Hieksite)
Orthodox Conservative Friends (Wil-
bunte) - .
Friends (Primitive) ...
19S6
Total for the group . -
819
10,217,657
854
1,687,785
727
67,889
Society of Friends (Orthodox)
665
115
38
1
923
8,013,407
2,096,200
98,050
10,000
5,720,473
696
118
39
1
958
1,498,161
173, 691
15,533
400
825,493
639
80
8
61,815
5,835
239
Religious Society of Friends (Hieksite) _
Orthodox Conservative Friends (Wil-
burite)
Friends (Primitive) .
1916
Total for the group
814
71, 123
Society of Friends (Orthodox)
805
166
50
2
1,141
92,379
17, 170
3,373
60
113,772
718
160
43
2
1,096
4,262,893
1,356,200
95,380
6,000
3,857,451
2,719,551
1,037,650
93,500
6,750
757
156
43
2
714, 166
100, 777
10, 144
406
702
104
8
64,583
6,296
244
Keligious Society of Friends (Hieksite).
Orthodox Conservative Friends (Wil-
burite)
Friends (Primitive)
1906
Total for the group
846
53,761
Society of Friends (Orthodox)
867
218
48
8
91, 161
18,560
3,880
171
832
213
47
4
723
116
7
47,612
5,944
205
Religious Society of Friends (Hieksite)
Orthodox Conservative Friends (Wil-
burite)
Friends (PrfTTiit>1vfl)
697
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (ORTHODOX)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Society of Friends (Orthodox) for the year 1936
is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory.
In this body the membership consists of those who are enrolled by the local
meeting, including both "birthright" members, who are enrolled because their
parents are members, and those who have joined upon application.
TABLE 1. — STJMMAKT OP STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number „
570
75, 652
133
32, 915
41, 042
1,695
80.2
10, 170
64, 419
1,063
162
32,204
199
13, 861
17, 832
511
77.7
4,628
27, 576
408
43,448
106
19, 054
23, 210
1,184
82.1
5,542
36,843
1,063
28.4
42.6
71.6
57.4
Members, number
A ver&jro rn$nil)@rsTiip per church
Membership by sex:
Male . . ._ .
42.1
43.4
30.1
57.9
56.6
69.9
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females „_ .
Membership by age:
Tinder 13 years
45.5
42.8
54.5
57.2
100.0
13 years and over .
Age not reported .
Percent under 13 years 3
13.6
538
506
$3, 861, 174
$3, 794, 557
$66, 617
$7, 631
59
$266, 554
360
271
257
$521, 050
558
$717,377
$256, 413
$59, 734
$72, 490
$26, 244
$115, 064
$27, 534
$11, 623
$39, 687
$71, 603
$36, 785
$1,285
506
7,184
46, 950
14.4
145
134
$2, 512, 012
$2, 474, 062
$37, 950
$18, 746
38
$246, 170
84
70
67
$230,400
156
$414, 032
$120, 765
$44, 436
$38, 830
$21,622
$78, 971
$19, 457
$5,235
$21, 576
$43, 059
$20, 081
$2, 654
137
2,375
19. 167
13.1
393
372
$1, 349, 162
$1, 320, 495
$28, 667
$3,627
21
$20,384
276
201
190
$290, 650
402
$303, 145
$135, 648
$15, 298
$33, 660
$4,622
$36, 093
$8,077
$6,388
$18, 111
$28, 544
$16, 704
$754
369
4,809
27. 783
Clmrch edifices, number , , „
27.0
26.5
65.1
65.2
57.0
73.0
73.5
34.9
34 8
43.0
Value — number reporting
Amount reported.
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
92.4
23 3
25.8
26.1
44.2
28.0
57.7
47.1
74.4
53 6
82.4
68.6
70 7
45.0
54.4=
60.1
54.6
7.6
76.7
74.2
73.9
55.8
72.0
42.3
52.9
25.6
46.4
17.6
31.4
29 3
55.0
45.6
39.9
45,4
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number-
Value — number reporting __ __ _
Amount reported _ _ _ _
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number-
Amount reported
Pastors' salaries , _ _- _
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest „
All other current expenses, including in-
terest ______
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc.—
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church __ _
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
27.1
33.1
40.8
72.9
66.9
59.2
Officers and teachers
Scholars __
i Percent not shown where base is less than 300.
» Based on membership with age classification reported.
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (OETHODOX)
699
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT Or
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Summer vacation Bible schools:
Churches reporting, number
82
591
4,042
9
38
488
10
187
1,807
21
151
1,207
7
30
470
6
142
1,295
61
440
2,835
2
8
18
4
45
512
Officers and teachers
25.5
29 9
74.5
70 1
Scholars
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars .
9(J 3
3.7
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers _ -
75 9
71.7
24 1
28 3
Scholars
i Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Society of Friends for the
census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
570
715
805
867
Increase i over preceding census:
NriTnb6r
-145
-90
-62
Percent -
—20.3
-11.2
—7.2
Members, number _ _ __
75, 652
91, 326
92, 379
91, 161
Increase l over preceding census:
"NfiiTnbeT"
-15,674
-1,053
1,218
Percent -
—17.2
-1.1
1.3
Average membership per church
133
128
115
105
Church edifices, number
538
725
733
832
Value — number reporting
506
665
718
832
Amount reported -
$3, 861, 174
$8, 013, 407
$4, 262, 893
$2, 719, 551
Average value per church.
$7. 631
$12, 050
$5, 937
$3,269
Debt — number reporting - --
59
72
72
60
Amount reported ~- - -
$266, 554
$348, 190
$119, 794
$41, 496
Parsonages number
271
Vain ft — TriiTn'bftr r^-p^rt^g
257
308
210
145
Amount reported
$521, 050
$889, 146
$326, 830
$181, 874
Expenditures :
Onnrches reportiTig Tnimb6t*
558
696
757
A in rm n t reported
$717, 177
$1, 498, 161
$714, 166
Pastors' salaries .
$256, 413
}
All other salaries -
$59, 734
Repairs and irnprovftrnents
$72, 490
S$l, 112, 929
$521, 625
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest —
Local relief and charity, Eed Cross, etc
$26,244
$115, 064
$27, 534
Home missions
$11, 623
Foreign missions
$39, 687
$367, 211
$174, 233
To general headquarters for distribution
$71, 603
All other purposes
$36, 785
Not classified
$18, 021
$18, 308
Average expenditure per church
$1, 285
$2, 153
$943
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
506
639
702
723
OffinftTS &TT1 tftftfihftrp
7,184
7,750
7,885
6,931
Scholars -
46, 950
61,815
64, 583
47, 612
i A minus sign (—) denotes decrease.
State tables, — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Orthodox
Friends by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and member-
ship of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural territory,
700
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
membersliip classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table 4 gives for
selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four census
years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as "under
13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value of
churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936.
Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current
expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the
financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5
and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each yearly meeting, the more
important statistical data for 1936 shown by States in the preceding tables,
including number of churches, membership, value and debt on church edifices,
expenditures, and Sunday schools.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
3
g
i
•s
2
&
1
a
1
73
tf
>s
Female
2
11
M|
«s
§
Ii
oS
1s
Churches re-
porting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
"United States
570
1
408
9
4
2
5
2
16
2
10
50
90
6
8
2
1
41
3
3
7
35
"~~4
75,652
82,204
43,448
32, 915
41,042
1,695
80.2
506
7,184
46,950
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
1,195
325
196
1,173
387
3,262
824
3,525
8,447
19, 798
1,309
683
122
207
5,269
346
162
656
5,190
118
507
131
1,368
8,595
794
29
1,199
430
951
967
296
1,894
5,297
408
68
787
257
196
188
145
1,757
465
716
4,958
12,396
722
403
122
11
3,719
165
162
656
3,628
~~"I60
"""967
5,858
794
29
838
430
797
468
66
408
1,180
508
139
91
468
170
1,505
406
1,579
3,723
8,445
584
283
47
88
2,236
130
71
289
2,298
57
236
58
598
3,755
275
15
502
219
436
383
142
840
2,339
687
186
105
705
217
1,757
418
1,847
4,721
10, 214
725
400
75
119
2,910
216
91
367
2,785
61
271
73
770
4,809
430
14
697
211
515
480
154
1,054
2,958
73.9
74 7
86.7
66.4
78.3
85.7
97.1
85.5
78.9
82. 7
80.6
70.8
9
3
2
8
4
17
4
12
64
104
11
11
2
2
49
3
3
6
40
105
32
16
10/5
59
216
40
93
883
1,606
141
159
26
25
710
51
28
94
607
514
120
42
453
298
1,178
392
650
6,415
11, 377
694
895
162
141
3,770
247
129
518
3,082
Now Hampshire
Vermont
Mass acbusetts
'!
29
£
67
'li
'*
985
242
1,505
359
2,809
3,489
7,402
587
280
:::::
Rhode Island
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
.....
3
1,139
Pennsylvania
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana-
Illinois
Michigan ._
Wisconsin .
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
j
1
196
1,550
181
.....
73.9
76.8
60.2
lowa.
Missouri
South Dakota
Nebraska
7
"107
78 7
82.5
Kansas
42
5
1
16
53
4
1
1
1
5
10
1,562
118
347
131
401
2,737
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland
87.1
4
1
15
40
4
19
12
146
622
46
127
76
901
5,667
423
District of Columbia
Virginia.
11
43
4
1
14
3
5
10
2
7
8
.....
89
77.7
78.1
64.0
North Carolina
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas- _._
1
Oklahoma
17
3
3
361
"164
72 0
103.8
84.7
79.8
92.2
79.7
79.1
16
3
7
12
6
12
23
188
53
115
169
89
202
527
1,157
284
835
779
518
1,431
3,675
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho.
7
14
6
13
23
2
4
4
6
15
154
499
230
1,486
4,117
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon .
California
* Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS' (ORTHODOX)
701
TABLE 4. — NUMBEE AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
un-
der
13i
United States
570
715
805
867
75, 652
1,195
325
196
1,173
387
3,262
824
3,525
8,447
19, 798
1,309
683
122
207
5,269
346
162
656
5,190
507
1,368
8,595
794
1,199
430
951
967
296
1,894
5,297
278
91,326
92,379
91, 161
10, 170
64,419
1,063
13.6
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine _ _ __
11
6
2
14
5
29
6
23
67
111
11
11
2
2
50
4
3
7
43
5
16
53
4
17
3
7
14
6
13
23
23
18
8
3
20
6
25
9
22
89
154
13
13
2
3
57
4
3
14
54
4
20
68
6
27
3
5
18
7
14
23
3
26
8
3
21
7
37
18
34
100
183
13
16
2
3
68
5
3
13
57
5
16
63
9
28
3
4
9
8
14
23
6
26
12
3
28
8
42
20
41
107
191
21
19
3
3
85
6
5
23
72
6
20
55
1
30
1
4
2
5
11
14
3
1,250
316
150
1,529
517
3,085
935
3,579
10, 600
25, 279
1,534
1,001
142
303
7,441
486
159
1,306
6,988
533
1,157
9,875
711
2,056
333
773
1,031
551
2,235
5,256
215
1,518
345
155
1,386
546
3,489
1,217
3,264
12, 228
26, 658
1,477
1,006
118
267
7,797
543
192
1,130
7,586
498
966
8,229
779
2,159
413
695
829
503
2,129
3,904
353
1,713
357
177
1,734
575
3,296
1,043
3,427
12, 394
29, 255
1,902
1,348
111
274
8,762
603
103
1,243
7,304
508
941
6,425
117
2,187
114
273
94
451
1,688
2,535
207
150
32
23
85
30
408
120
348
1,098
2,389
139
81
17
22
825
46
20
131
860
50
205
1,087
50
221
63
188
192
43
331
879
37
1,045
293
173
1,088
357
2,854
704
3,177
7,349
16,356
1,170
602
105
185
4,444
300
142
525
4,330
457
1,163
7,508
744
968
367
763
775
253
1,563
4,418
241
12.6
9.8
11.7
7.2
7.8
12.5
14.6
9.9
13.0
12.7
10.6
11.9
13.9
10.6
15.8
13.3
12.3
20.0
16.6
9.9
15.0
12.6
6.3
18.6
14.7
19.8
19.9
14.5
17.5
16.6
13.3
New Hampshire
Vermont
M assachusetts
Rhode Island
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana -
1,053
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland „.
Virginia
North Carolina
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee--
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
OTtlaThomft
10
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
Colorado
PACIFIC:
"Washington
Oregon
California
Other States
1 Based on membership with age classification reported.
2 Includes. "Delaware, 1; District of Columbia, 1; and Arkansas, 1.
702
GENISOT OE RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
(Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total number of
churches
|
Otpj
3?
fc
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH EDI-
FICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
570
538
9
6
13
5
22
6
21
64
109
8
11
48
4
3
6
39
5
16
49
4
17
3
6
13
6
13
23
9
506
9
6
12
5
20
4
16
63
101
8
11
45
4
3
6
39
5
16
46
4
16
3
6
10
5
13
21
29
$3,861,174
59
$268, 554
257
8521,050
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine - - -
11
6
14
5
29
6
23
67
111
11
11
50
4
3
7
42
5
16
53
4
17
3
7
14
6
13
23
9
37, 700
11, 500
209, 250
37,200
232, 520
114,000
423, 500
360,500
805,385
44,500
33, 550
149, 225
18, 400
5, SCO
18, 500
228, 650
100, 500
74, 802
280, 617
12,000
85, 00
14,600
15, 550
19, 800
10,200
104,825
307, 550
105,050
1
800
1
2
2
3
9
(')
8
12, 000
27,000
New Hampshire
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
2
20, 000
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
8
7
2
21,249
59, 620
6,368
29
42
3
10
35
3
2
6
31
88, 350
99, 950
5,400
21, 050
52, 900
1,350
(0
8,550
36, 850
Indiana.. _
Illinois -
Michigan - . ,
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa - -
3
2,275
Missouri
South Dakota
1
150
Nebraska
Kansas
2
18, 200
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Virginia
5
8
9,846
60, 065
6
9
3
10
3
6
8
3
9
17
5
13, 100
28,000
5,500
11, 350
5,200
9,100
12, 800
3,550
18,200
43, 350
17, 500
North Carolina _ .. __
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Olrlythorna
1
2,700
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
2
4
1
4
8
750
1,270
535
5,260
57, 466
Colorado -
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
Other States
Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
'Includes: Vermont, 2; Wisconsin, 2, Minnesota, 2; Delaware, 1; District of Columbia, 1; and Arkansas, 1.
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS' (ORTHODOX)
703
TABLE 6. — CHUKCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[ Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
THntal
E3
CPENDITURl
38
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
number
of
churches
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
Allother
salaries
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
United States
570
558
$717, 177
$256, 413
$59, 734
872, 490
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine . __
11
11
10. 184
5,680
120
1,004
NftW TTfvmpshirft
6
6
2,811
1,800
60
150
Massachusetts
14
14
26, 298
8,914
2, 303
3,350
Khode Island
5
4
4,746
2,851
496
275
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
29
26
34, 223
12, 940
3,168
2,779
New Jersey
6
6
5,040
465
700
Pennsylvania _ _ .
23
21
68, 541
235
12, 260
13,628
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
67
66
87, 079
32, 042
4,530
6,037
Indiana-- ..
111
110
137,864
52, 548
13,994
15, 499
Illinois
11
11
12, 551
4,552
1,092
1,275
Michigan .
11
11
13, 660
6,294
487
962
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
50
50
37, 162
20, 342
1.540
2,589
Missouri -
4
3
3,421
1,738
268
169
South Dakota
3
3
543
200
60
10
Nebraska _ -. --
7
7
3,528
2,297
120
328
Kansas
42
42
41, 119
18, 674
2,069
2,997
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Miaryland
5
5
10, 850
2,050
1,616
Virginia
16
16
16, 875
5,788
693
1,695
North Carolina __ -
53
51
46, 933
18, 519
2,376
4,958
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee
4
4
3,971
1,865
1,065
254
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma ______
17
16
13, 705
7,771
1,112
999
Texas
3
3
3,177
1,950
50
311
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
7
7
13,602
4,295
432
869
Colorado - --
14
14
9,296
5,520
281
209
PACIFIC:
Washington -
6
6
4,137
1,860
140
178
Oregon, ,
13
13
20, 763
8,882
1,485
1,391
California
23
23
78, 494
26, 378
6,699
8,075
Other States -
9
19
6,604
2,478
519
183
i Includes: Vermont, 2; Wisconsin, 2; Minnesota, 2; Delaware, 1; District of Columbia, 1; and Arkansas, L
704
OP RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHTJECH EXPENDITUEES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Pay-
ment
on
church
debt,
exclud-
ing in-
terest
Other
current
expenses,
includ-
ing in-
terest
Local
relief
and
chanty
Home
mis*
sions
Foreign
mis-
sions
To
general
head-
quar-
ters
All
other
pur-
poses
"United States
$36,244
$115,064
1,530
250
4,804
336
7,199
2,118
13,777
15, 161
20, 631
1,938
2,267
5,281
731
97
422
6,357
1,748
1,721
7,351
192
2,139
291
2,306
1,231
423
3,057
10, 622
1,084
$27, 534
$11, 623
$39, 687
$71, 603
$36, 785
132
36
819
76
590
500
301
5, 495
7,624
1,095
683
1,442
27
50
14
1,508
1,304
1,943
3,238
292
404
75
1,034
200
328
552
6,620
403
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine . -
100
98
50
1,015
88
1,523
320
11, 902
875
6,020
311
115
592
69
43
65
1,336
53
284
1,114
150
38
110
79
65
70
281
783
85
125
55
280
97
469
210
128
1,980
1,985
25
528
483
71
14
29
459
1,179
129
654
546
227
387
473
1,028
150
3,819
11,095
4,153
293
1,902
1,480
187
17
44
2,333
849
183
4,276
54
3,877
577
11, 441
5,883
12, 333
1,579
377
2,903
161
52
209
2,999
2,900
1,549
3,375
153
730
166
1,529
981
273
2,776
8,252
1,166
New Hampshire
Massachusetts
350
Hhode Island -- -
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
650
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
1,050
3,981
3,077
391
45
510
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
Missouri
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
2,387
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Virginia
1,519
4,691
1,554
657
North Carolina
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Tennessee
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
OlrlahoTnft
10
170
54
1,044
63
247
397
545
203
332
170
1,546
329
181
1,000
5,326
458
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
468
417
437
942
5,194
25
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Washington - - . - --_
Oregon
California
Other States
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (ORTHODOX)
705
TABLE 7. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE AND DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY YEARLY MEET-
INGS, 1936
YEARLY MEETING
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF
CHUKCH EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDI-
TURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches re-
porting
+3
O
$
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Amount
Churches re-
porting
Scholars
Total
570
75, 652
506
$3, 861, 174
59
$266, 554
4,000
57, 466
47, 193
2,275
22, 140
180
800
20, 000
61, 392
24,800
6,545
558
12
23
80
50
70
19
35
29
53
46
26
27
60
28
$717, 177
16, 353
78,494
101,748
38,420
63, 042
11, 841
44, 039
36, 459
48, 954
76, 602
38, 502
72, 976
65,244
24, 503
506
46,950
-_-.
3,675
7,920
3,877
4,951
1,245
1,385
1,320
5,835
4,338
2,784
852
5,554
2,621
Baltimore
12
23
81
50
72
19
36
32
55
46
26
29
61
28
1,159
5,297
12, 115
5,438
7,431
1,548
3,080
3,648
9,134
4,195
3,141
4,245
10, 349
4,872
12
21
74
46
67
15
32
23
48
45
24
20
53
26
198, 002
307, 550
538, 235
162, 675
352, 050
39, 500
295, 650
283, 020
290, 117
195, 600
130, 575
514,800
393, 050
160, 350
1
8
3
3
6
2
1
2
9
10
7
11
23
79
49
67
16
24
20
51
44
25
15
55
27
California _.
Indiana.
Iowa _
Kansas
Nebraska
New England -
New York
North Carolina. .- -
Ohio
Oregon
Philadelphia
Western
7
19, 763
Wilmington (Ohio)
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The religious situation in England during the first half of the seventeenth
century has been described as "a hurly-burly of religious polemics." The
civil war, the unsatisfactory social and business conditions, the rival claims of
the adherents of the different ecclesiastical forms and creeds, and the discussions
as to the respective rights of pastors and people caused thoughtful men of the
country to become utterly dissatisfied with church and state, and, indeed, with
almost every existing institution.
It was in the midst of this period, in 1624, that George Fox was born, in Penny
Drayton, Leicestershire. He was a sober-minded serious youth, and early had
his mind turned to religious matters. After severe mental and spiritual struggles,
he was led to emphasize the spiritual side of Christianity. While external forms
of religion were not ignored, he taught the necessity of divine power within the
man to enable him to live according to the will of God, the direct communication
of this will to the individual believer in Christ, and the necessity of a perfect
consistency between the outward life and the religious profession. This was
unfamiliar teaching to most persons in that day of rigid adherence to creeds and
of great formalism in religious observances. Fox soon gathered around him
a band of preachers who, with himself, spread their doctrines far and wide in
Great Britain, and later extended their missionary efforts to Ireland, the Conti-
nent of Europe, the West Indies, and North America, in which countries, partic-
ularly America, they gained many adherents. It does not seem to have "been
their intention to establish a new branch of the church, but, almost before they
knew it, an organization had developed.
At first they called themselves "Children of Truth" or "Children of Light,"
also "Friends of Truth," and finally the name which was given to them was the
"Religious Society of Friends," to which was frequently added "commonly called
Quakers." This last name was applied to them by a justice in response to an
address, in which George Fox called on him to "tremble at the Word of the Lord."
1 This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Eeport on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Walter C. Woodward, secretary of the executive committee of the Five
Years Meeting of the Friends in America, Kichmond, Ind., and approved by him in its present form.
706 OENSIUBI OF 'RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Many of the extreme charges against them, as, for example, those with regard
to the disturbance of public worship, were greatly exaggerated. At the same
time their refusal to attend the services of the Established Church, to support it
by the payment of tithes, or to take oaths of any kind, and their uncompromising
attitude toward much of the religious preaching of the day created a great deal
of bitterness against them and brought upon them severe persecution. Heavy
fines were imposed upon them; their property was confiscated; and, worst of all,
they were subjected to long imprisonments in the horrible jails of the time.
Nevertheless, they increased in numbers, until by the close of the seventeenth
century they were one of the most important bodies of dissenters in England.
With the cessation of persecution, about the beginning of the eighteenth cen-
tury, the Friends relaxed their missionary zeal, paid more attention to the disci-
pline of their members, and gradually settled down into a comparatively quiet
existence So far, however, was this discipline carried, in its minute supervision
of the actions of members, that their numbers declined, and some have expressed
a wonder that the society continued to exist at all. About the middle of tne
nineteenth century a new movement began, and since that time the great ma-
jority of the Friends have either dropped or modified many of the old customs
and external forms. . ._ . . ,
The first recorded visit of any Quakers to America was that of two women,
Ann Austin and Mary Fisher, who arrived in Massachusetts from Barbados m
1656 They were immediately put under arrest, subjected to a brutal examina-
tion to see whether they were witches, and finally shipped back to Barbados.
Two days after their departure a vessel arrived with eight more Quakers, and
these were forcibly returned to England. Severe laws were enacted and heavy
penalties provided for those who knowingly brought into the community that
"cursed sect of heretics lately risen up in the world which are commonly called
'Quakers/ who take upon them to be immediately sent of God and infallibly
assisted by the Spirit to speak and write blasphemous opinions, despising govern-
ment and the order of God in church and commonwealth/' etc. Notwithstand-
ing these laws, the Quakers continued to come, and at last the situation im-
proved, although it was not until 1724 that their appeals to the Royal Privy
Council in England were sustained. A few years later laws were enacted in
The Friends had almost as trying an experience in Virginia as in Massachusetts,
and they suffered certain persecutions in Connecticut. In Rhode Isla'nd, how-
ever, they were received more cordially and were held in hig& regard, several of
the early Governors being members of the society. In New York, New Jersey,
and Maryland there were many Friends. The culmination of their influence
was reached in Pennsylvania, under the charter given to William Penn in return
for a debt due by the Crown to his father, Admiral Penn.
The society continued to grow during the first half of the eighteenth century
but drew more within itself in view of the general disturbances resulting from the
colonial wars and the political situation, and Friends were discouraged fiom
membership in the assembly or from holding any public office. These conditions
led to the establishment, in 1756, of the first "meeting for sufferings" in America,
whose object was to extend relief and assistance to members of the society who
might suffer from the Indians or other enemies on the frontier, and in general to
look out for the interests of the society. The relation of the Friends to the Indians
was one of cordial interest, following the position taken not only by William Penn,
but also by George Fox.
With regard to slavery, the early attitude of the Friends was one of toleration,
although they insisted that the slaves should be treated humanely. A develop-
ment, however, was inevitable, and in 1688 the German Friends, at a meeting
in Germantown, Pa., protested against the "traffic in the bodies of men" and
considered the question of the "lawfulness and unlawfulness of buying and
keeping Negroes." The question continued to be agitated, and, chiefly through
the efforts of John Woolman, in 1758, the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting directed
o "-rrjcn**of-i^m» f\f oil Tur'hn T-i^M slaves and decided, that all who should "be con-
eighteenth century personal ownership of slaves by acknowledged members of
the society had ceased, except where slaves were held by trustees and State laws
did not allow them to be set free. In the transition, however, care was taken
that feeble or incapable persons should not suffer.
In the disturbances that preceded the Revolution the Friends were in hearty
sympathy with the desire of their fellow citizens to obtain redress of grievances,
SOCIETY OF FKTENDS! (ORTHODOX) 707
but since, from religious principle, they took no part in warlike measures, and
refused to serve in the Army, or to pay taxes levied for warlike purposes, they were
subjected to very great misapprehension and suffering, and their property was
often seized to pay for recruits or for the meeting of taxes. Some, indeed, sup-
ported the Revolution actively. These were disowned or seceded and were
known as the "Free" or "Fighting" Quakers. This small body soon dwindled
away. After the close of the war the Friends loyally sustained the new
government.
The early part of the nineteenth century was marked by divisions on doctrinal
points, resulting in separations more or less serious. The most important of
these was that popularly known as the "Hicksite" in 1827-28.2 This was followed
by the "Wilburite" in 1845 3 and the "Primitive" a little later.*
During the years following there was a period of considerable ministerial
activity, ministers traveling up and down the country, visiting the congregations
and holding meetings, to some extent, with the public.
As the slavery question came up more prominently the Friends appeared in the
front rank of the antislavery forces, and their poet, John Greenleaf Whittier,
did perhaps as muoh as anyone to make current the Quaker conception of Christi-
anity. As the Civil War drew on, they endeavored to maintain their ground in
favor of peace, although not a few members of the different branches were found
in the Army. The close of the war brought relief, and a Peace Association of
Friends in America was organized, which put lecturers into the field, issued
tracts, and started a monthly publication, the Messenger of Peace. It is to
be noted that the movement for international arbitration received perhaps its
strongest impulse from the annual gatherings at Lake Mohonk, N. Y., under
the auspices of a Friend.
During the past two or three decades, chiefly as a result of the Five Years
Meeting, there has been a strong tendency toward greater unity of. effort in the
fields of home and foreign missions, Bible schools, education, evangelistic work,
philanthropy, and social reform. This is true of all branches of the society.
The relations to other bodies of Christians have become closer, and Friends have
joined with other churches in the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in
America and similar organizations.
DOCTRINE
The Orthodox Friends, who are by far the most numerous branch, have never
adopted a formal creed. Their doctrine agrees in all essential points with the
doctrine of the great body of the Christian Church, but they differ from other
denominations in the following important respects: (1) The great importance
attached to the immediate personal teaching of the Holy Spirit, or "Light Within,"
or "Inner Light"; (2) the absence of all outward ordinances, including baptism
and the Supper, on the ground that they are not essential, were not commanded
by Christ, and, moreover, tend to draw* the soul away from the essential to the
nonessenfcial and formal; (3) the manner of worship and appointment of ministers;
(4) the doctrine of peace or nonresistance, in accordance with which no Friend
can consistently fight or directly support war.
ORGANIZATION
The organization of the Society of Friends includes monthly, quarterly, and
yearly meetings, each being a purely business organization. The monthly meet-
ing is either a single congregation, or includes two or more congregations, called
variously, weekly, local, or preparative meetings. The monthly meetings in a
certain district combine to form a quarterly meeting, and the quarterly meetings
in a wider territory constitute a yearly meeting.
The yearly meetings in the United States are 14 in number: New England,
established in 1661; Baltimore, 1672; Philadelphia, first held at Burlington,
N, J., 1681; New York, 1695; North Carolina, 1698; Ohio, 1812; Indiana, 1821;
Western (Indiana), 1857; Iowa, 1863; Kansas, 1872; Wilmington (Ohio), 1892;
Oregon, 1893; California, 1895; and Nebraska, 1908. These meetings were inde-
pendent and each had its own discipline, but in 1902 all except Ohio and Philadel-
phia entered into a loose confederation and adopted a discipline that was uniform
in essentials but modified in details to suit local conditions.6 Each yearly meeting
» See Society of Friends (Hicksite), p. 711
» See Orthodox Conservative Friends (Willburite), p. 718.
< See Friends (Primitive), p. 723.
« Oregon Yearly Meeting withdrew from the Five Years Meeting in 1926, and Kansas Yearly Meeting
in 1937.
275318—41 4G
708 CEJtflSTJ'Si OE BELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
is independent in the transaction of its own business but gives authority in
certain matters of common interest to a body of delegates from the yearly meet-
ings composing the confederation referred to, which is known as the Five Years
Meeting, from its convening once in 5 years. The functions of this body, however,
are chiefly advisory.
The unit of authority in the society is the yearly meeting, to which every man,
woman, and child who is counted in the society's membership belongs, and
every one of these has an equal right to speak on any matter before the meeting.
Members of different quarterly meetings, sometimes called delegates, are ap-
pointed to attend the yearly meetings, in order to insure a representation, but
no one of them has precedence over any other member. The quarterly meeting
receives reports from the monthly meetings, appoints committees on various
lines of meeting business and Christian work, and informs the monthly meetings
how much each is expected to contribute toward the expenses of the yearly
meeting. The monthly meeting is the executive power so far as the member-
ship is concerned, although appeal may be made to the quarterly and yearly meet-
ings. It receives and, on occasion, can disown members and has the direct
oversight of the congregations. Its regular officers are elders and overseers, ap-
pointed by the monthly meeting. The elders and overseers have general super-
vision of the membership. Ministers are not spoken of as regular officers,
inasmuch as the organization is complete without them.
There is less formal provision for the training of ministers than in most other
denominations. While the value of intellectual training is recognized, it is not con-
sidered wholly essential, since ministers are "called of God, and the call to work is
bestowed irrespective of rank, learning, or sex." The theory is that the church
recognizes when a man or woman is qualified and has received the "gift," and
acknowledges it, after which he or she is called and acknowledged, recommended,
or recorded as a minister. There is no ceremony of ordination, and often the
minister receives no salary, although a change has taken place in this respect,
and in most places where pastoral work is expected ministers are paid. When a
minister feels a call to engage in special religious work or to visit another section
on a religious mission, he asks the monthly meeting to which he belongs for liberty
to do so. For an extended journey he must obtain the consent of the quarterly
meeting. If that consent is refused, he is expected to remain at home. If he
wishes to cross the ocean, the certificate given him is not complete without the
endorsement of the yearly meeting and of the yearly meeting on ministry and
oversight. The yearly meeting on ministry and oversight, composed of ministers,
elders, and, with a single exception, of overseers also, meets at regular times to
review the general state of the membership and consider the needs of the work,
although it has no disciplinary powers. A similar meeting, sometimes called the
"select" meeting, of ministers and elders is held in connection with the regular
quarterly meeting.
Woman is in a position of absolute equality with man in Friends' polity.
The worship of a Friends' meeting is distinctly nonliturgical. Since the Friends
believe that worship is fundamentally a personal matter between the soul and
God and can be carried on with or without a minister, meetings for worship can
be held partly or even wholly in silence. Formerly there was no prearrangement
of service, but some prearrangement is now generally common, with the exception
of the more conservative groups, including those in Philadelphia. There is no
stated length for any sermon, prayer, or exhortation, and often several persons,
not necessarily ministers, take part during the same meeting.
WORK
Within the decade the home and foreign mission activities of the Five Years
Meeting have been united under one board known as the American Friends Board
of Missions. Home mission work carried on cooperatively in addition to that
conducted by the yearly meetings consists of work among the mountaineers in
Tennessee and among the Indians in Oklahoma. Fourteen workers are engaged
in these two fields. The work among the Indians is under the direct administra-
tion of the Associated Executive Committee on Indian Affairs but is included in
the appropriations made by the mission board, to which the aforementioned
committee makes annual report.
Foreign missionary work is conducted in Palestine, British East Africa, Cuba,
Jamaica, Mexico, and West China. In 1937 the board reported 31 missionaries
and 1,006 native workers in 136 centers; and they reported 49 churches, with
11,272 members; 373 schools, with 18,821 pupils; and 1 hospital. The contribu-
tions for missions during the year amounted to $56,700. The endowment fund
totaled $84,130.
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS! (ORTHODOX) 709
Philadelphia Friends carry on work in Japan, Ohio Friends in China and India,
California Friends in Central America and Alaska, and Oregon Friends in Bolivia.
Without doubt the outstanding development of Quaker activity within the
decades 1916-36 has been registered in the far-reaching reconstruction, relief, and
good-will work carried on by the Society of Friends both in Europe and in this
country. This is a work in which not only the so-called Orthodox but all groups
of Friends have united, with headquarters at Philadelphia.
Notably distinctive throughout the decade has been the work of the American
Friends Service Committee, which is inclusive of all Friends in America. Organ-
ized in 1917, it carried on a far-reaching program of reconstruction relief and good
will in the war-stricken areas of Europe. Reconstruction units were first engaged
in rebuilding demolished villages in France. Following the armistice, arrange-
ments were soon made to carry on a huge child-feeding program in Germany,
which included more than 1,000,000 children and involved an expenditure in
money and kind of more than $25,000,000. The Service Committee was made
the dispensing agency of the American Relief Administration and other relief-
fund organizations. Reconstruction, relief, and health work were also carried on
in Austria, Serbia, Poland, and Russia.
As the era of the need of food and physical relief gradually passed, Friends con-
tinued their work in Europe in the areas which they had served, now emphasizing
moral and spiritual values as a means of the furtherance of understanding and good
will among the European peoples. In cooperation with the British Friends they
maintained a number of peace "embassies" or good- will centers in Europe. This
work has been developed within the decade. Strong emphasis has been placed
upon centers maintained at Paris, Berlin, Geneva, and Vienna. Developments in
Central Europe since 1933 have accentuated the importance of these European
centers. Because of successive emergencies in Austria, programs of active relief
have been revived. At various times, Friends have been called upon by opposing
parties and factions to dispense relief in Vienna.
Not long after the outbreak of the civil war in Spain, the American Friends
Service Committee, in cooperation with English Friends, gradually developed a
relief program for that stricken country. As an expression of their philosophy
of good will, Friends have conducted relief on a strictly nonpartisan basis, rendering
help impartially to those in need among the nationalists and among the loyalists.
From the American viewpoint, the decade has shown a significant development
of the Service Committee program at home. The depression years brought many
industrial emergencies to the fore, among them, that of the soft-coal areas in
western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky. At the request of the
President of the United States, Friends undertook a relief program in this section
in which thousands of children were given supplementary feeding through the
schools. On the basis of this relief work, Friends gradually became concerned
for the more thoroughgoing work of rehabilitation, in which they undertook ex-
periments which helped point the way for governmental action. An example of
this work is found in the subsistence homestead development maintained by
Friends at Penn Craft near Republic, Pa. In harmony with this concern the
Service Committee has developed a thoroughgoing program of summer work
camps over the country located near industrial friction areas. These camps in-
volve a definite work project of value to the community and offer a means of
direct study of industrial problems. Another significant feature developed by the
committee within the decade has been the establishment and gradual extension
from coast to coast of a system of summer Institutes on International Relations,
As many as 10 of these institutes have been maintained in a given summer which
have been served by faculties recruited from the ranks of leading internationalists
and authorities on political science in this country and abroad.
Throughout their history Friends have been keenly interested in fostering the
interests of Christian education. In keeping with this historic concern they
maintain 9 colleges in which are enrolled approximately 3,000 students. They
are as follows: fiaverford College, Hayerford, Pa.; Guilford College, Guilford
College, N. C.; Wilmington College, Wilmington, Ohio; Earlham College, Rich-
mond, Ind.; William Penn College, Oskaloosa, Iowa; Nebraska Central College,
Central City, Nebr.; Friends University, Wichita, Kans.; Whittier College,
Whittier, Calif.; and Pacific College, Newberg, Oreg. With the exception of
Haverford, these institutions are all coeducational. Formerly, Friends main-
tained a large number of strong secondary schools, but with the development of
the public high school as an important factor of the system of public education
these have largely been discontinued. However, several strong boarding schools
are maintained in the Atlantic States. Among these are Oak Grove School for
710 GENsnra OP 'EELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Girls, East Vassalboro, Maine; Lincoln School for Girls and Moses Brown School
for Boys, Providence, R. L; Oakwood School. Poughkeepsie, N. Y.; and West-
town School, Westtown, Pa., which are coeducational. A coeducational boarding
school is also maintained at Friendsville, Tenn.
Shortly following the close of the decade there was held in the Philadelphia area
in September 1937, on the campuses of Swarthmore and Haverford colleges, a
World Conference of Friends, with representatives present from 24 countries.
This marked the first really ecumenical gathering in the history of the Society of
Friends. It was inclusive of Friends of all groups.
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (HICKSITE)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Society of Friends (Hicksite) for the year
1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures
between urban and rural territory.
In this body the membership consists of those who are enrolled by the local
meeting, including both "birthright" members, who are enrolled because their
parents were members, and those who have joined upon application.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
Ch.Tirch.es (local organizations), number _
2115
14, 680
128
6,275
7,825
580
SO. 2
1,377
13, 141
162
9.5
113
95
$1,408,950
$1,403,450
$5,500
$14,831
4
$112,006
77
108
$169, 289
$25, 763
$19, 712
$7, 602
$34, 668
$5, 372
$2, 999
$1, 695
$22, 552
$48, 926
$1, 567
72
746
5,200
8
225
1,783
37
6,979
189
2,996
3,898
85
76.9
638
6,341
78
7,701
99
3,279
3,9£7
495
83.5
739
6,800
162
9.8
79
66
$432, 250
$426, 750
$5, 500
$6,549
2
$506
52
72
$44,958
$4, 673
$6, 468
$836
$10, 747
$2, 280
$1, 972
$551
$12, 424
$5,007
$624
45
426
3,147
2
22
117
32.2
47.5
67.8
52.5
Members, nurnbftr
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
47.7
49.8
14.7
52 3
50.2
85.3
Female
Sex not reported
Males per 100 females _.
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
46.3
48.3
53.7
51.7
100.0
13 years and over _ _
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 3
9.1
34
29
$976, 700
$976, 700
""""$§§,"679"
2
$111, 500
25
36
$124, 331
$21, 090
$13,244
$6, 766
$23, 921
$3,092
$1,027
$1, 144
$10, 128
$43, 919
$3, 454
27
320
2,053
6
203
1,666
Church edifices, number
30.1
69.9
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
69.3
69.6
30.7
30.4
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported-- _ „_ _ ~_
99.5
.5
Number reporting "no debt'*
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, TJIITTI her ^ ^
33.3
73.4
81.9
67.2
89.0
69 0
57.6
34 2
67.5
44.9
89.8
66.7
26.6
18.1
32.8
11.0
31.0
42.4
65.8
32.5
55.1
10.2
Amount reported
Salaries, other than pastors*
Repairs and iTnprovpmetits
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest
All other current expenses, including
interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions
Tfor^isn Tm'sFi'vn.s
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
OffiflAr,<? and tfjafihers
42.9
39.5
57.1
60.5
Scholars
Parochial schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers g.fi<1*ten.f>,hftts
90.2
6.6
9.8
93.4
Scholars
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Exclusive of united meetings which have been included with Society of Friends (Orthodox) .
3 Based on membership with age classification reported.
711
712
OF 'RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Society of Friends (Hicksite)
for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPAKATIVB SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Ch.urch.es (loc&l orsEmizsitions) number -
' 115
-13
—10.2
14, 680
-1,425
-8.8
128
113
95
$1, 408, 950
$14, 831
4
$112, 006
108
$169, 289
$25, 763
$19, 712
$7, 602
$34, 668
$5, 372
$2,999
$1,695
$22, 552
$48, 926
128
-38
—22.9
16, 105
-1, 065
-6 2
126
151
115
$2,096,200
$18, 228
3
$5, 870
118
$173, 691
• $109,819
$56, 575
$7, 297
$1, 472
80
686
5,835
166
-52
-23.9
17, 170
-1, 390
-7.5
103
168
160
$1, 356, 200
$8, 476
1
$800
156
$100, 777
$62, 447
$30, 635
$7, 695
$646
104
831
6,296
218
Increase a over preceding census:
Number „
Percent -
Members number -
18, 560
Increase 2 over preceding census:
Number
Percent
85
214
213
$1, 037, 650
$4, 872
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting -
Amount reported
Expenditures :
Rep&irs and improvements -
Payment on church debt, excluding interest —
All other current expenses, including interest. __
Local relief &nd ch&nty Red. Cross etc
Home missions -
Foreign missions rr— :r -
To general he&douflrters for distribution
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church .,
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting number - - .
$1, 567
72
746
5,200
116
771
5,944
Officers End te&chers - -
i See footnote 2, table 1.
s A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Friends
(Hicksite) by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools.
Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches
for the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936
classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5
shows the value of church edifices and the amount of debt on such property for
1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing
the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5
and 6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 7 presents, for each yearly meeting, the more
important statistical data for 1936 shown by States in the preceding tables,
including number of churches, membership, value and debt on church edifices,
expenditures, and Sunday schools.
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (HICKSITB)
713
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER or
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
3
0
^
§
,Q
&
•a
3
«
!
a
cS
,0
£
13
tf
JS
a
£
Female
2
i!
8ft
CQ
0 CO
°l
"e3o
£S
Churches
reporting
Officers and
teachers
Scholars
United States
i 115
37
78
14,680
6,979
7,701
6,275
7,825
580
80.2
72
,: '
4
16
38
1
2
1
1
5
1
3
746
5,200
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
17
18
55
3
5
1
3
8
1
3
1
3
6
18
~T
2
2
1
2
1
14
12
37
3
3
1
1
6
"T
1,737
2,521
7,542
222
508
121
472
894
207
287
169
917
806
3,670
820
1,715
3,872
222
322
121
63
378
819
1,151
3,149
106
95
55
207
411
88
121
73
918
1,370
4,098
116
128
66
265
483
119
166
96
89.2
84 0
76.8
91.4
74 2
(2)
78.1
85.1
73.9
72 9
(2)
43
168
411
10
17
11
20
29
10
27
176
1,453
2,792
50
92
48
174
235
48
132
New Jersey _
Pennsylvania
295
285"
EAST NOETH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana .
186
Illinois __
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware _
409
516
207
99
169
Maryland
District of Columbia. _
Virginia
188
PACIFIC'
California
1 See footnote 2, table 1 .
2 Eatio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1926
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States
2115
128
166
218
14,680
16,105
ir, 170
18, 560
1,377
13, 141
162
9.5
MIDDLE ATLANTIC.
New York
17
18
55
3
5
1
22
20
55
6
5
2
1
3
8
4
2
26
20
72
7
6
4
3
6
14
5
3
40
28
81
17
9
5
3
5
18
8
4
1,737
2,521
7,542
222
508
121
1,783
2,611
8,225
335
667
262
49
484
1,010
347
302
1,843
2,446
8,705
511
829
372
127
527
1,174
365
271
2, 165
2,281
8,947
750
1,013
441
239
512
1,571
428
213
125
248
760
18
21
25
1,612
2,273
6,683
153
475
96
7.2
9.8
10.2
10.5
4.2
20,7
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
99
51
12
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
3
8
3
32
472
894
287
376
37
95
18
30
435
799
269
346
7.8
10.6
6.3
8.0
Maryland
Virginia
Other States
i Based on membership with ago classification reported.
* See footnote 2, table 1.
8 Includes: District of Columbia, 1, and California, 1.
714
CENSUS OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHTJKCHES ANJ> AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
STATE
Total
num-
ber of
churches
Number
of church
edifices
VALUE OF CHUECH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHUECH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
i 115
113
95
$1,408,950
4
$112,006
New York
17
18
55
5
8
3
9
19
18
53
4
8
3
8
15
12
47
3
8
3
87
291,000
102, 000
789,050
3,450
115, 750
13,700
94,000
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
4
112, 006
Indiana
Maryland
Virginia
Other States
i See footnote 2, table 1.
z Includes: Ohio, 2; Illinois, 1; Delaware, 2; District of Columbia, 1; and California, 1.
TABLE 6. — CHUKCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITUKES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Salaries,
other
than
pastors'
.Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
United States .
U15
17~
18
55
3
5
3
8
3
3
108
$169,289
$25,763
3,979
3,976
13,045
$19, 712
2,683
2,686
11,488
$7, 602
New York
17
17
51
3
3
3
8
3
33
50,015
21,110
73, 068
577
726
7,509
11, 087
2,059
3,138
New Jersey . .
325
7,277
Pennsylvania
Ohio . . .
Indiana
240
1,175
4,181
480
687
10
556
1,792
272
225
Delaware ,. _, _
Maryland
Virginia.. ....
Other States
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief and
chanty
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To
general
head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
834, 668
85, 372
$2, 990
$1,695
$22, 552
$48,926
New York
8,526
6,244
13, 253
447
269
3,317
1,365
322
925
84
721
1,832
1,413
3,548
13, 194
100
42
1,376
2,129
300
450
33,330
4,734
10, 211
30
65
New Jersey „
583
1,791
293
977
Pennsylvania
Ohio
Indiana
75
310
1,360
685
305
25
400
Delaware
375
Maryland .
260
Virginia
Other States..
250
296
1 See footnote 2, table l.
2 Includes: Illinois, 1; District of Columbia, 1; and California, 1
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (HICKSITE)
715
TABLE 7. — NUMBEK AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, VALUE ANT> DEBT ON
CHURCH EDIFICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY YEARLY MEET-
INGS, 1936
YEABLY MEETING
Total number of
churches
Number of members
VALUE OF CHUECH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON
CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDI-
TURES
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
4J
Churches
reporting
40
O
!
Churches
reporting
Scholars
Total -
i 115
14,680
95
__
1
2
4
15
55
$1, 408, 950
169, 200
} 212,500
5,950
290, 500
930, 800
4
3112,006
108
$169, 289
72
5,200
Baltimore
19
1
2
7
18
68
2,090
63
211
640
1,865
9,811
18
1
2
5
18
64
16, 304
} 8813
1,203
53, 549
97, 420
14
/ - -
823
Genesee
f ...
Illinois
{
1 I
6
48
93
97
317
3,870
Indiana
New York
Philadelphia
4
112, 006
1 See footnote 2, table 1.
a Amount for Genesee combined with figures for Illinois, to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The Society of Friends from its rise has put central emphasis upon the divine
power within each individual, which was called the "Inner Light" or the "Light
of Christ Within." Friends have never adopted a creed but have held that each
individual should be free to follow the truth as his light revealed it to him. In
such a religious fellowship there is wide diversion of personal opinion on theolog-
ical issues. There has often been harmony of spirit even with a wide diversity
of religious experience.
The separation of 1827 was caused partly by the reaction to the Unitarian-
trinitarian issue of the time, partly by the difference between the evangelical
movement and the mystical movement within the society itself and partly by
misunderstanding between local groups. There had been liberal thinking in the
Society of Friends since the time of George Fox. The liberal group in 1827 made
no claim to be Unitarian in doctrine. They held, however, that each man should
have the right to believe that which his best judgment showed him to be true.
As the discussion developed, Ellas Hicks, a minister of remarkable personality,
became the central figure. Believing that "God is a Spirit," he held that "a man-
ifestation of His Spirit is given to every man everywhere, and that this alone if
followed and obeyed is sufficient for his salvation." While Elias Hicks was a
prominent personal factor in the discussion he was not a direct mover in behalf
of the separation. In the division each branch claimed to be the original Society
of Friends. The word Hicksite for the liberal branch has been used as a nick-
name, but never adopted by that body. They have not considered as a group
that they accepted the opinions advocated by Elias Hicks.
The separation occurred first in 1827 in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. It was
followed by a similar division in the Yearly Meetings of New York, Ohio, Indiana,
and Baltimore. At the time of the division the Hicksites were in the majority in
Philadelphia, New York, and Baltimore, and the Orthodox groups in the majority
in Ohio and Indiana. There was no division at this time in the Yearly Meetings
of New England, Virginia, and North Carolina, each of which maintained its
affiliation with the Orthodox body.
The history of the Hicksite branch since 1827 has been similar to that of the
Orthodox branch, except that it was not influenced by the evangelical movement,
and it developed its own lines of work. Since 1917 all branches of Friends have
been increasingly working together. The significant items in present-day history
include all groups of Friends.
i This statement, which differs somewhat from that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious Bodies,
1926, has been revised by J. Barnard Walton, secretary, Friends' General Conference, Philadelphia, Pa.,
and approved by him in its present form.
716 CEiNsro OF EBLIGIOTJS BODIES, 193 6
DOCTRINE
The Hicksite Friends hold that the fundamental principle of the society has
always been a belief in and a reliance upon the "light within." This means that
there is a, measure of the divine spirit in each individual. This leads to a rever-
ence for the personality of every man, and to a recognition of the brotherhood of
all men. The application of this principle leads to the recognition of the equality
of men and women, to the treatment of dependents and delinquents in the light
of their infinite possibilities, and to the use of nonviolent methods in seeking
justice in controversial issues, whether industrial, interracial, or international.
ORGANIZATION
In method of church government and in worship this branch follows the method
of the early Friends. In worship, the responsibility is placed equally upon every
individual. Communion with God is sought not through outward ritual, but
through the influence of the divine spirit within. No one is appointed to conduct
a service and no salary is paid to a minister. The meeting for worship depends
upon the values to be found in silent meditation and prayer, and in the democratic
ministry that may be shared by all who are present.
In government, the monthly meeting of the congregation is the primary execu-
tive body. It is presided over by a clerk who is the servant of the body. Issues
that are raised are discussed with an earnest purpose to find the way that is in
accordance with truth. No vote is taken, but the whole group seeks to reach a
unity on the question in hand. When this unity is reached the clerk prepares a
minute which when agreed to is the action of the meeting.
District organizations including several monthly meetings are called quarterly
meetings. A number of quarterly meetings in an area about the size of a State
form a yearly meeting. The six yearly meetings of this branch are united in
Friends' General Conference which holds biennial gatherings in the even years.
WORK
The major interest of this group of Friends has been expressed in social service
and in education. It took an active part in the abolition movement and founded
two schools for Negroes in South Carolina after the war. It has worked for
temperance, social hygiene, peace, and prison reform. At present it is con-
cerned with standards of community life and standards of public and private
relief.
Under the care of this branch of Friends or acknowledging the application of
its principles are — 1 college located at Swarthmore, Pa,, and 16 preparatory and
secondary schools situated in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware,
Maryland, and the District of Columbia. The college has 600 students and the
other schools an aggregate of 3,541 pupils. All are coeducational.
Some social work is conducted by local meetings in their own locality. Most
of the social work of Friends, however, is the result of their participation in com-
munity organizations, and therefore it cannot be reported statistically.
A hospital for nervous and cancerous diseases has been conducted at Fox
Chase, Philadelphia, since 1928, A social settlement is maintained in an old
Friends ^ meeting house in Philadelphia and is now supported by the Welfare
Federation. One high and industrial school is conducted for Negroes in North
Carolina with 350 pupils and an annual budget of $17,500.
In some sections there are Friends homes for elderly people and in some cities
there are Friends centers conducted as residences for transients, for young people
who are at work and for elderly people. There are 13 of these institutions in
New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, and Indiana, accommodating about
400 persons.
The young people's work of this body is organized through the Young Friends
Movement. The objectives are (1) the interesting of young people in religious work
and (2) the furnishing of an opportunity for young people to take an active part in
the work of the society. The Young Friends Movement is a united activity of
the branches and one of its dominant motives is to build toward a real unity in
the Society of Friends.
Since 1902 a definite attempt has been made to coordinate the society's activi-
ties, extend its influence, and promote its principles. This effort took shape in
the appointment of a committee for the Advancement of Friends Principles and
the opening of headquarters in Philadelphia with a secretary. This movement
attempts to train the rank and file of the members to be spokesmen of the Society
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (HIOKS1TE) 717
of Friends and to interpret its teachings to those who are interested. It helps in
the starting of new meetings.
The Advancement Committee founded in 1915 at Swarthmore, Pa., a school for
religious and social study called Woolman School. In 1917 this school was
reorganized under a board of representatives of all Friends. In 1925 it was moved
to Wyncote, Pa. In 1929 it was again reorganized under a more representative
board of all Friends with the name of Pendle Hill. It was located at Wallingford,
Pa. It is now the center for the promotion of religious and social studies for all
Friends in America.
The_ united work of all Friends for foreign service, for peace education, and for
social-industrial issues in America, is conducted through the American Friends
Service Committee.
ORTHODOX CONSERVATIVE FRIENDS (WILBURITE)
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification, — A general
summary of the statistics for the Orthodox Conservative Friends (Wilburite) for
the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these
figures between urban and rural territory.
In this body the membership consists of those who are enrolled by the local
meeting, including both "birthright" members, who are enrolled because their
parents were members, and those who have joined upon application.
TABLE 1.-
-SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND HlJRAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Bural
Cimrch.es (local organizations) numbsr
31
3,351
108
1,648
1,703
96.8
357
2,294
700
13.5
28
28
$81, 550
$78, 550
$3,000
$2-9g
1
1
$2, 000
29
$11, 672
$561
$684
$3,853
$65
$2, 417
|761
$60
$1, 727
$1, 544
$402
13
99
507
4
IS
46
5
657
131
301
356
84.6
71
586
26
2,694
104
1,347
1,347
100.0
286
1,708
700
14.3
24
24
$49, 550
«
Members, number
19.6
80.4
Avf«*agft mftrnhfirphip pA.r church
Membership by sex:
Male
18 3
20.9
81.7
79-1
Female.. . . _ .
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years _ _
19.9
25.5
80.1
74.5
100.0
IS years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 3
10.8
4
4
$32, 000
$32, 000
QTmr&h 6di-flr.es , T1tTFT>T"»er -. ^ - .*. ^_,^,,-. .,-.
Value—- number reporting ~ ~
Amount reported 1 . .
39.2
40.7
60.8
59.3
100.0
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936-
Average value per church
$8, 000
$2,065
1
$2,000
24
$8,884
$561
$354
$2, 949
$65
$1, 681
&701
$60
$1, 327
$1, 126
$370
11
96
487
3
2
32
Number reporting * 'no debt" - - -
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting « . . .
Amount reported
100.0
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number-
5
$2,788
Amount reported - _ __
23.9
76.1
100.0
51.8
76.5
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries
$330
$904
48.2
23.5
Repairs firtc\ ("rnproVPTlPntS
Payment on church debt, excluding
interest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
$736
30.5
69.6
100.0
Local relief and charity, Eed Cross, etc
Foreign missions __ .
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
$400
$418
$558
2
3
20
1
17
14
23.2
27.1
76.8
72.9
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers andlteachers - - - ~ -
Scholars _
3.9
06,1
Parochial schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers »
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
718
ORTHODOX CONSERVATIVE EMENDS (WILBTJEITE)
719
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Orthodox Conservative
Friends (Wilburite) for the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
TABLE 2. — COMPAKATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
31
-10
41
-9
50
2
48
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number
Percent 2
Members, number
3,351
385
13 0
108
28
28
$81, 550
$2,913
2,966
-407
— 12 1
72
41
38
$08, 050
$2, 580
1
$400
3,373
-507
-13.1
67
46
43
$95, 380
$2, 218
2
$1, 600
3,880
Increase * over preceding census:
Number _ _
Percent _ _
Average membership per church _ -
81
47
47
$93, 500
$1,989
Church, edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported „
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
Parsonages, number -
1
1
$2, 000
29
$11, 672
$561
$684
$3, 853
$65
$2,417
$761
$60
$1,727
$1, 544
$402
13
99
507
Value — number reporting
Aznount reported
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
39
$15, 533
i $7, 856
i $7, 677
$398
8
31
239
43
$10, 144
$6, 301
$3, 843
$236
8
32
244
Amount reported.™ ..-, „
Pastors' salaries .
All other salaries __
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc.
Foreign missions... _ *
To general headquarters for distribution
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number _ ._
7
33
205
Officers and teachers
Scholars.- .
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
* Percent not shown where base is less than 300.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for the Orthodox Con-
servative Friends (Wilburite) by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the
number and membership of the churches classified according to their location in
urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools.
Table 4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for
the four census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936
classified as "under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5
shows the value of church edifices and, also, presents the church expenditures,
showing separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc., for 1936.
In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church,
separate presentation in table 5 is limited to those States in which three or more
churches reported value and expenditures.
Ecclesiastical divisions. — Table 6 presents, for each yearly meeting, the more
important statistical data for 1936 shown by States in the preceding tables,
including number of churches, membership, value of church edifices, expenditures,
and Sunday schools.
720
OBNSTUSI 0$ RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBEESHIP OF CHURCHES IN UKBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER, OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY
SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
1
31
I
£
5
1
O
fl
1
p
1
•I
Female
8
^j§
en e)
1J
8
o
fl
cS en
si
1*
o
Scholars
United States
NEW ENGLAND:
JWtassacfaiisetts
26
1
2
9
4
6
1
1
3,351
657
2,694
1,648
1,703
15
52
19
565
209
574
22
122
31
94
96,8
13
99
507
1
25
79
35
1,133
399
1,161
43
242
69
165
25
10
27
16
568
190
587
21
120
38
71
Rhode Island - ~ -
2
2
2
79
1
1
8
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
35
720
399
1,181
43
242
69
EAST NOBTH CENTRAL'
Ohio.-
11
4
2
413
100 5
90 9
102.3
4
2
4
12
41
30
109
150
85
WEST NORTH CENTEAL:
Iowa
fi
Kansas - -
1
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
North Carolina
2
9S.4
2
15
155
EAST SOUTH CENTRAI :
Alabama
1
PACIFIC:
California
1
1
165
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHTJKCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND MEM-
BERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
STATE
NUMBEE OF
CHURCHES
NtJMBEB OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1936
1916
1906
1936
1996
1916
1906
Under
13 years
13 years
and
over
Age
not re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13i
United States
Massachusetts
31
41
~2~
2
12
5
7
2
7
4
50
-.;:,":::.
3
4
13
6
9
3
S
4
48
~~T
i
16
7
11
4
6
2
3,351
2,966
3,373
3,880
357
2,294
700
13.5
1
2
11
4
6
1
2
»4
25
79
1,133
399
1,161
43
242
269
39
86
1,090
256
757
88
335
315
38
82
1,113
232
965
276
402
265
55
62
1,220
353
1,087
621
327
155
25
65
964
376
387
24
202
251
Rhode Island
14
169
23
74
19
40
18
Ohio - . _
14.9
5.8
16.1
Indiana _ _
Iowa
700
Kansas
North Carolina
16.5
6.7
Other States
i Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
* Includes- New York, 2; Alabama, 1; and California, 1.
ORTHODOX CONSERVATIVE FHIENDS (WILBURITE)
721
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value or expenditures]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHUBCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
United States.
Ohio
31
28
28
S81, 550
29
$11, 872
$561
$684
233
105
116
230
11
4
6
10
10
3
6
9
10
3
6
19
30, 650
4,300
19, 900
26, 700
11
3
6
»9
3,843
2,200
771
4,858
Indiana
461
Iowa.
Other States
100
STATE
EXPENDITUEES— continued
Repairs
and
improve-
ments
Payment
on church
debt,
excluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Foreign
missions
To
general
head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
$3, 853
$65
$2, 417
$761
$60
81, 727
81, 544
Ohio
968
422
180
2,283
665
446
133
3,173
151
405
50
155
50
664
238
287
538
1,112
58
5
369
Indiana
65
Iowa
Other Stntes
10
* Includes: Massachusetts, 1; Rhode Island, 1; New York, 2; Kansas, 1; North Carolina, 2; Alabama, 1;
and California, 1
2 Includes: Massachusetts, 1; Rhode Island, 2; New York, 1; Kansas, i; North Carolina, 2; Alabama, 1;
and California, 1.
TABLE 6. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, VALUE OF CHURCH EDI-
FICES, EXPENDITURES, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY YEARLY MEETINGS, 1936
YEARLY MEETING
Total
num-
ber of
churches
Num-
ber of
mem-
bers
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Scholars
Total
31
3,351
35
1,204
104
242
1,202
564
28
$81, 550
29
1
7
3
2
12
4
$11,672
13
507
Canada 1 . _ ._
2
7
3
2
12
5
2
7
2
2
11
4
22,400
%
32, 150
9,300
17, 700
(2)
781
1,^602
3,908
2,653
2,728
Iowa _
4
1
2
4
2
85
8
155
109
150
New England
North Carolina
Ohio
Western
Combinations
1 Two churches in the State of New York come under this jurisdiction.
3 Amount included in figures on the line designated "Combinations," to avoid disclosing the statistics
of any individual church.
722 CELSIUS OJ RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The second separation among Orthodox Friends was brought about by a pro-
test against what was believed by Wilbur and others to be radical departures
from the original principles of the society.
John Wilbur, a minister of the New England Yearly Meeting, while visiting
in Great Britain during the years 1831-32, believed that Joseph John Gurney
was advocating doctrines contrary to the accepted teachings of Friends from the
beginning; and when Gurney later came to America, in order to prevent his
being received and thus spreading what was thought to be insidious doctrines,
Wilbur adopted a disciplinary course which was not acceptable to the larger
part of his meeting. There was a separation of those who with Wilbur believed
that the society was departing from the original principles and the ancient faith
of Friends, and a yearly meeting was set up in New England in 1845. There was
increasing unrest in Ohio Yearly Meeting resulting in a part of the membership,
who were in sympathy with Joseph John Gurney, withdrawing in 1854; as in
New England, the minority groups withdrew from Kansas and Iowa in 1877-79,
and North Carolina in 1904.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
Fully believing that the doctrines set forth by the society in the beginning
should be maintained in their purity, they endeavor to bear witness to the spiritual-
ity of the Gospel. They own and believe in Christ Jesus, the beloved and only
Son of God, and in redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.
They believe in the Holy Spirit, or Comforter, whom Christ declared He would
send in His name to lead and guide His followers into all truth; that the Holy
Spirit convicts for sin, and if obeyed, gives power to the soul to overcome and
forsake sin. They hold that the Holy Scriptures contain a declaration of all the
fundamental doctrines and principles relating to eternal life and salvation;
though they do not call them the "Word of God," believing that term to be
applicable to Jesus only, yet they are believed to be the words of God, written
by holy men as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Believing in the resurrec-
tion, they reject, however, the belief in the resurrection of the body, as nothing
material ever enters the spiritual world. In consequence of their belief that the
baptism which saves is inward and spiritual, they do not practice water baptism ;
and, as all true and acceptable worship of God is offered in the immediate moving
of His own Spirit, they seek in public worship to wait before Him without outward
form or ceremony.
The ministry among them is exercised by men and women, freely, without
money and without price, as freshly called forth. In general, they hold and
believe as did the early Friends. As a rule, they have not been in favor of Bible
schools, but of late such schools have been set up in some of the meetings.
WORK
They have 1 academy, with 78 students, and 3 elementary and graded schools,
with 28 pupils. The value of property used for educational purposes is estimated
at $171,500, and there is an endowment of about $140,000.
They have no missionary enterprises and no philanthropic institutions, but
as individuals they are interested in numerous efforts along many lines and
contribute to the work maintained by other Friends.
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by James Walton, Barnesville, Ohio, and approved by him in its present form.
FRIENDS (PRIMITIVE)
STATISTICS
The only meeting of Primitive Friends in 1936 was in the State of Pennsylvania,
a rural church which reported a membership of 14, comprising 6 males and 8
females, all of whom were reported as "13 years of age and over."
In this branch of the Society of Friends, as in all the others, the membership
consists of those who are enrolled by the local meeting, including both "birthright"
members, who are enrolled because their parents were members, and those who
have joined upon application.
There was no debt on the church edifice reported, and there was no parsonage
or Sunday school.
Comparative data, 1906-36. — The following table presents, in convenient form
for comparison, the available statistics of this body for the census years 1936,
1926, 1916, and 1906.
COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1936
1916
1906
Churches (local organizations), number
1
1
2
8
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number ,__
—1
—6
Percent 2 .«
Members, number
14
25
60
171
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number __ _„ _
-11
—35
—111
Percent 2_
-64.9
Average membership per church _
14
25
30
21
i A minus sign (-) denotes decrease.
a Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
The Primitive Friends withdrew from the Wilburite body because of the failure
of that branch to bear what seemed to them practical testimony against the
modified and modernized beliefs and practices introduced into the Society of
Friends during the middle and latter part of the nineteenth century. Their
chief interest is to "maintain the ancient testimonies of the society" intact, with
the idea of bearing witness to the spirituality of the Gospel,
The general Meeting of Men and Women Friends (Primitive) of Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, Delaware, etc., was organized in the year 1861, at Fallsington, Pa.
This was organized^by a few members of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting who
were not satisfied with what they considered the Unitarian tendency of Elias
Hicks, about 1828, and the influence of the Church of England upon Joseph
John Gurney, who came to America in 1845.
This society was composed of three monthly meetings, namely, Philadelphia,
Falls Monthly Meeting of Men and Women Friends, and Nottingham and
Little Britain monthly meetings, which met quarterly at Philadelphia and twice
a year at Fallsington.
One by one the monthly meetings have been laid down, until, at the present
time, Falls Monthly is the only survivor. This general meeting has been affiliated
with a small meeting held at Fritchley, England, and also with Friends at Poplar
Ridge, N. Y., and Newport, R. I.
1 This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, has been revised by Charles Henry Moon, clerk of Falls Monthly Meeting, Woodbourne, Pa.,
and approved by him in its present form.
275318—41 47 723
HOLINESS CHURCH
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification, — A general
summary of the statistics for the Holiness Church for the year 1936 is presented
in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between urban and
rural territory. Of the 15 churches reporting, 14 were in California and 1 in
Kentucky. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent directly to the
Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the data relate to
these churches only.
The membership of this denomination includes all persons who have made pro-
fession of faith and a belief in the doctrines of the church, and have been admitted
by a majority vote. Baptism by water is required, but the exact mode is left
to individual choice.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OP
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Chxirclies (local organizations), number
15
404
27
145
259
56.0
12
392
3.0
14
14
$37,890
$37, 890
$2, 706
2
$1, 500
9
14
11
$18, 310
15
$13, 370
$5, 488
$305
$407
$100
$2, 490
$310
$271
$1, 180
$1, 593
$1,226
$891
15
126
610
3
5
18
10
270
27
99
171
57.9
2
268
0.7
10
10
$32, 250
$32, 250
$3, 225
2
$1,500
6
10
9
$15,810
10
$9, 417
$4, 100
$192
$268
$100
$1,427
$186
$217
$1,075
$960
$892
$942
10
88
403
2
4
13
5
134
27
46
88
(3)
10
124
7.5
4
4
$5, 640
$5,640
$1,410
Members, number -
66.8
33:2
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
68.3
66.0.
31,7
34.0
Female . -
IVlales per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
13 years and over „ .
68.4
31.6
Percent under 13 years
Church edifices number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported. . .
85.1
85.1
14.9
14.9
Constructed prior to 1936
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported "
100.0
Number reporting "no debt"
3
4
2
$2, 500
5
$3, 953
$1, 388
$113
$139
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported -
86.3
13.7
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported
70.4
74.7
63.0
65.8
100.0
57.3
60.0
80.1
91.1
60.3
72 8
29.6
25.3
37.0
34.2
Pastors' salaries _. _.
All other salaries ...
Repairs and improvements. -
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including
interest
$1, 063
$124
$54
$105
$633
$334
$791
5
38
207
1
1
5
42.7
40.0
19.9
8.9
39.7
27.2
Local relief ^and charity, Bed Cross, etc. _.
Home missions
Foreign missions ...
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes ... .. . » _
Average expenditure per church - ..
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers , _
69.8
66.1
30.2
33.9
Scholars. „
Weekday religious schools:
Churches reporting, number, -.. _. __
Officers and*teacbers
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Katio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
724
HOLINESS CHURCH
725
Comparative data, 1916-86. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Holiness Church for the cen-
sus years 1936, 1926, and 1916.
The decrease shown between 1926 and 1936 in this denomination is due, in part,
to the fact that these self-directing local churches frequently merge with congre-
gations of like doctrine or organization.
TABLE 2. — COMPABATIVE SUMMAEY, 1916 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
Churches (local organizations), number _
15
32
33
Increase 1 over preceding census:
Number
—17
—1
Percent 2__ _
Members, number _
404
861
926
Increase 1 over preceding census.
Number __.._„ _
—457
-65
Percent
—53 1
—7 0
Average membership per church _. _. __ -
27
27
28
Church edifices, number
14
30
28
Value — number reporting-
14
29
28
Amount reported
$37 890
$148 650
$34 200
Average value per church. _
$2, 706
$5, 126
$1, 221
Debt — number reporting
2
5
3
Amount reported
$1, 500
$1, 175
$652
Parsonages, number .
14
Value — number reporting
11
16
7
Amount reported. _
$18, 310
$39 350
$5, 600
Expenditures:
Churches reporting, number
15
30
28
Amount reported
$13, 370
$23, 913
$8, 988
Pastors' salaries _
$5 488
All other salaries
$305
Repairs and improvements
$407
> $19 239
$6, 427
Payment on church debt, excluding interest..
$100
All other current expenses, including interest . .
$2, 490
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
$310
Home missions
$271
Poreign missions ...
$1, 180
> $4 674
$2 361
To general headquarters for distribution
$1, 593
All other purposes
$1 226
Not classified
$200
Average expenditure per church
$891
$797
$321
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
15
25
21
Officers and teachers - _ _
126
151
111
Scholars
610
811
C80
i A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
» Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
DENOMINATIONAL HISTORY
About 1880 Rev. Hardin Wallace, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, accompanied by James J. A. Singer, of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
and Henry Ashcroft, a minister of the Free Methodist Church, went through the
southern part of California preaching repentance and forgiveness of sins, or justi-
fication by faith, of the sinner; and, for believers, sanctification or heart purity,
which also might be received by faith and subsequent to regeneration or justifi-
cation. A considerable number of persons followed his line of teaching, and
numerous bands were formed under the name "Holiness Band," the members
retaining, however, their membership or identity with the churches of which they
were already members. Also many new converts joined, who had had no church
connection.
i This statement, which is the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious Bodies, 1926,
has been approved in its present form by James R. Adams, president of the Holiness Church, El Monte,
Calif.
726 GECNSTJSi OF RELIGIOUS- BODIES, 1936
With the development of these bands and the acquisition of property for the
conduct of their worship, certain legal difficulties arose, and in 1896 they became
incorporated under the laws of the State of California.
From California the work extended into other States and was especially promi-
nent in Kentucky and Tennessee. The churches in Tennessee constitute a dis-
trict assembly of the entire body, but the churches in Kentucky are included in
the corporate body of California.
DOCTRINE
The doctrine of the Holiness Church is Methodist or Wesleyan, following the
Erinciples laid down by John Wesley. It teaches repentance, restitution, con-
ission, and the forsaking of sin, as the part for the sinner; and the forgiveness
of sin and the divine light received by the repentant sinner, as the part from God.
The church teaches that it is the privilege as well as the duty of every believer
to consecrate himself to God without reserve and that the result of such conse-
cration will be sanctification, meaning by that term freedom from the "carnal
mind" and the tendency to sin. Specific conditions of church membership are
baptism by water (the mode being chosen by the candidate) and sanctification.
The church ajso emphasizes belief in prohibition, abstinence from drugs and
tobacco, and from all poisons that are "against the best for God"; also belief in
the second coming of Christ, and divine healing by faith. Divorce is allowed for
but one cause, adultery; membership in secret societies is disapproved and for-
bidden; and plain dress, avoiding extravagance and the use of jewelry, especially
for show, is inculcated.
ORGANIZATION
Local churches are self-directing, but there is a board of 12 elders who care for
the spiritual welfare of the church and serve between the meetings of the assem-
bly. There is, in addition, a board of nine trustees, whose office it is to look after
the properties of the church and who hold that property subject to the General
Assembly, which is composed of representatives from the churches. District
assemblies are formed under the care of superintendents who are members of the
board of elders of the General Assembly, but who have also their own official
board which transacts the business pertaining to the district and handles its
property without special voice of the General Assembly. Ministers are selected
on their qualifications, upon examination by the church. For those holding per-
manent credentials there is a regular form of ordination. Those having pastorates
are looked upon as leaders rather than dictators, no fixed salaries are paid, and
as many of the congregations are small and unable to pay a minister, they are
frequently obliged to take other work for the support of their families.
WORK
The Holiness Church is missionary in spirit and evangelistic in practice, carrying
on its activities largely by freewill offerings of the churches, there being no tax-
ation or assessment.
INDEPENDENT CHURCHES
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Independent Churches for the year 1936 is
presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
The qualifications for membership are those of the individual organizations and
cannot be defined for the whole group.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOE CHURCHES IN UEBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
384
40, 276
105
15, 685
22, 718
1,873
69.0
2,528
35, 506
2,242
6.6
325
-313
$3, 725, 653
$3, 556, 197
$169, 456
$11, 903
60
$534, 221
166
126
116
$342,090
372
$692,046
$252, 871
$69, 929
$60, 361
$46, 611
$149, 138
$16, 341
$29, 657
$54, 263
$2,018
$10,857
$1,860
346
4,680
32, 864
79
518
4,360
115
21, 650
188
8,226
12, 024
1,400
68.4
1,447
19, 378
825
6.9
89
85
$2,679,055
$2,565,449
$113, 606
$31, 518
34
$493, 361
32
36
33
$174,500
110
$482, 173
$138, 620
$57, 981
$36,090
$38,810
$119, 142
$11, 422
$25, 281
$47, 600
$1,059
$6, 168
$4,383
107
2,033
16, 037
22
167
1,722
269
18, 626
69
7,459
10, 694
473
69.7
1,081
16, 128
1,417
6.3
236
228
$1,046,598
$990, 748
$55,850
$4, 590
26
$40,860
134
90
83
$167,590
262
$209, 873
$114,251
$11,948
$24,271
$7,801
$29, 996
$4, 919
$4, 376
$6, 663
$959
$4,689
$801
239
2,647
16, 827
57
351
2,638
29.9
53.8
70.1
46.2
Members, number _. . _ . _ _ ....
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
52.4
52 9
74.7
47.6
47.1
25.3
Female
Sex not reported. _. _„ _„ _
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years- . - __-__.
57.2
54.6
36.8
42.8
45.4
63.2
13 years and over
Age not reported- _ _ _ -- ...
Percent under 13 years 2
Church edifices, number _ > __
27.4
27.2
71.9
72.1
67.0
72.6
72.8
28.1
27.9
33.0
Value — number reporting
Amount reported _ _ _
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per church
Debt— number reporting— .
Amount reported
92.4
19.3
28.6
28.4
51,0
29.6
69 7
54.8
82.9
59.8
83.3
79.9
69.9
85.2
87.7
52.6
56.8
7.6
80.7
71.4
71.6
49.0
70.4
30.3
45.2
17.1
40.2
16.7
20.1
30.1
14.8
12.3
47.5
43.2
Number reporting "no debt" - _.
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported- .
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported -T _
Pastors' salaries .
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements - ... - -
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including
interest
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc...
Home missions
Foreign missions— - _
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes - ____ _
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number . _ ._ .
30.9
43.4
48.8
69.1
56.6
51.2
Officers and teachers
Scholars . _ . _
Summer vacation Bible schools:
OhttrchQS reporting, nu^nber
Officers and*teachers. _
32.2
39.5
67.8
60.5
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Based on membership with age classification reported.
727
728
OF 'RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOE, CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL !
Urban
Rural
Weekday religious schools:
CTmrchfts reporting nmnbpr
17
66
801
4
46
285
9
33
519
2
21
148
8
33
282
2
25
137
Officers Hud tp&ctiers
SctiolErs
64.8
35.2
Parochial schools :
Ohnrch^s reporting), TiirmTw
Officers and "teachers
Scholars . _ _ . .. _
51.9
48.1
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
Comparative data, 1906-36.— -Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of Independent Churches for the
census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906.
This group represents a constantly shifting number of organizations. A most
important change, as affecting the comparability of the figures, is the fact
that tbe denominational federated churches, which were formerly included in
Independent Churches, are in 1926 and 1936 shown as a separate group, comprising
361 churches and 508 churches respectively.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMARY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
19161
19061
Churches (local organizations) , number
384
259
613
1,293
Increase 2 over preceding census:
KfUTri'hP'T
125
-354
-680
Percent
48 3
-57.7
-52.6
Members, number - --
40, 276
40, 381
56, 757
86, 130
Increase 2 over preceding census:
Number - -
—105
-16, 376
—29, 373
Percent
-0.3
—28 9
-34.1
Avpr^gft rne.TnbfirsMp pp.r <vhiirrth
105
156
93
67
Church edifices, number «. _
325
203
488
853
Valn^ — TitTmbftr reporting
313
189
464
839
Amount reported
$3, 725, 653
$4, 400, 278
$4, 459, 148
$3, 960, 177
Average value per church
$23. 282
$9, 610
$4, 720
Debt — number reporting
' 60
55
96
232
$534, 221
$332, 332
$296, 504
$481, 725
Parsonages, number _. _ .. _..__.
126
Value — number reporting
116
60
86
93
$342, 090
$240, 100
$362, 300
$185, 450
Expenditures :
372
229
534
^^^^p^ reported '
$692, 046
$1, 059, 330
$767, 778
Pastors' salaries
$252, 871
All other salaries
$69, 929
Repairs and improvements
$60, 361
L $811,008
$521, 881
Payment on church debt, excluding interest
All other current expenses, including interest-..
Local relief and chanty, Bed Cross, etc
$46, 611
$149, 138
$16, 341
Home missions _ * _. _
$29, 657
Foreign missions. , ......
$54, 263
[ $112,648
$155, 923
To general headquarters for distribution.
$2, 018
All other purposes
$10, 857
Not classified
$135, 674
$89 974
Average expenditure per church
$1, 860
$4, 626
$1, 438
Sunday schools:
ChjTrchfis rApQrfrinp", jrurnbBr
346
215
478
859
Officers and teachers
4,680
2,866
4,457
6 890
Scholars
32 864
27 435
39 691
59 Q56
1 The figures for 1916 include the Church Transcendent and Nonsectarian Churches of Bible Faith and
those for 1906 include the Gospel Mission, the Christian Catholic Church in Zion, and Nonsectarian
Churches of Bible Faith, which were shown separately for those years. In both years the figures include
also the churches reported as federated churches, which are shown as a separate group in 1926 and 1936.
a A minus sign (— ) denotes decrease.
INDEPENDENT1 CHURCHES
729
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Independent
Churches by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or
rural territory, membership classified by sex, and data for Sunday schools. Table
4 gives for selected States the number and membership of the churches for the four
census years 1906 to 1936, together with the membership for 1936 classified as
"under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over." Table 5 shows the value
of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on church edifices for 1936.
Table 6 presents, for 1936, the church expenditures, showing separately current
expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the
financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables 5 and
6 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value and
expenditures.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
I
3
•8
P
115
1
«
1
EH
.0
|5
1
<X>
03
%
r23
13
&
i
f-"T3
+A OS
§1
ga
CQ
G> S3
P<«w~
|H
co I Churches
^ 1 reporting
Officers and
teachers
I
United States
884
269
40, 276
650
934
21, 650
88
430
18, 626
562
504
15, 685
231
332
142
311
25
540
2,456
1,108
1,404
1,361
305
2,009
757
210
245
226
362
39
24
449
163
95
40
6
163
61
172
305
105
15
20
30
150
223
142
20
3
92
8
5
282
244
805
22, 718
389
602
236
484
44
617
3,351
1,589
1,854
2,089
394
2,950
1,206
307
327
367
471
39
27
542
305
186
40
10
294
94
261
443
149
25
25
30
250
375
174
33
4
113
14
t)
349
353
1,297
1,873
30
69.0
1
59.4
55.1
60.2
64.3
4,680
32, 864
925
580
256
475
123
734
4,253
1,960
3,203
2,855
431
3,877
1,818
320
448
640
634
29
50
1,032
834
195
34
60
460
110
392
443
150
50
98
125
85
464
255
141
75
295
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
17
4
16
16
7
4
8
1
5
42
11
41
26
8
31
15
7
8
11
10
2
1
6
9
1
2
1
4
2
5
8
1
1
1
1
1
5
3
3
1
3
142
100
49
93
14
129
609
238
477
392
66
622
213
57
89
110
94
10
4
120
106
27
9
9
54
11
44
59
11
6
8
10
9
63
35
20
10
50
New Hampshire
Vermont
378
378
399
M assachusetts
10
2
8
795
69
1,157
7,137
2,717
3,325
3,450
699
4,959
1,963
517
572
776
848
78
51
991
492
281
80
16
457
155
433
773
254
396
69
869
4,054
2,510
597
2,370
341
3,837
1,401
138
50
127
72
Rhode Island
Connecticut
6
45
11
43
28
11
32
18
10
8
12
12
1
6
9
1
2
1
4
3
10
8
13
5
17
t
I
]
___.
2
1
1
3
35
3
36
15
6
15
lc
10
1]
3
5
7
"""I
1
4
1
1
13
288
3,083
207
2,728
1,080
358
1,122
562
379
522
649
776
78
51
478
328
""""35
16
457
92
60
773
254
40
45
60
400
174
192
76
7
205
22
56
240
353
537
87.5
73 3
69.7
75.7
65.2
77.4
68.1
62.8
68.4
74.9
61.6
76.9
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1,330
20
67
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio .
Indiana
Illinois „_- _ _
Michigan .» _
Wisconsin .
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota ._
Iowa _ __ _
183
15
Missouri _
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska ......
513
164
281
45
......
373
"""24
82.8
53.4
51.1
Kansas,. ..
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware _ _ __ _ __
Maryland
Virginia. .. „
West Virginia
55,4
North Carolina
Florida ,. .
2
5
13
?
1
4
25
65.9
68.8
70.5
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
1
1
1
1
1
5
1
3
1
2
1
1
5
7
7
40
45
60
400
598
316
76
7
225
22
70
631
597
2,182
------
Mississippi m
1
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
1
Louisiana
1
""424
124
60.0
59.5
81.6
Oklahoma
6
3
3
1
2
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho -
23
Wyoming
1
Colorado
3
1
1
20
14
391
244
1,645
20
New M^exico
Arizona
2
7
9
22
1
2
2
15
50
80 8
69.1
62.1
2
7
8
17
23
110
102
276
170
850
685
2,250
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
80
i Eatio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
730 CEN'OTSl OE 'RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906]
NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, 1906 TO 1936, AND
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE IN 1936, BY STATES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE, 1936
1936
1936
19161
19061
1936
1926
19161
19061
Un-
der
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age
not
re-
ported
Per-
cent
under
13 »
United States
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
384
259
613
1,293
12
40, 276
650
934
378
795
69
1,157
7,137
2,717
3,325
3,450
699
4,959
1,963
517
572
776
848
78
51
991
492
281
80
16
457
155
40, 381
56, 757
86, 130
2,528
35, 506
2,242
33
8
30
6.6
3.6
2.2
17
7
4
10
1
6
45
11
43
28
11
32
18
10
8
12
12
2
1
6
9
1
2
1
4
2
4
2
5
8
1
2
20
2
16
13
4
24
14
7
8
11
13
3
7
6
11
4
2
2
4
1
17
92
21
343
716
48
471
2,703
1,190
2,044
1,326
167
8,984
2,021
294
634
1,185
1,422
159
461
882
844
60
307
907
432
503
651
346
22
20
595
906
348
789
69
1,037
6,460
2,331
3,058
3,302
624
4,779
1,733
298
511
495
771
37
36
884
334
New Hampshire
Vermont
16
38
5
7
50
14
44
35
13
36
27
19
22
13
27
7
7
9
12
5
38
5
10
85
24
136
50
42
57
37
20
28
32
73
8
8
18
42
3
18
17
33
50
8
14
19
28
37
36
23
58
16
58
55
824
3,190
1,068
225
6,482
2,057
4,645
2,912
924
5,883
3,069
1,589
1,618
1,789
2,288
452
236
601
391
280
2,093
364
664
10, 066
1,600
8,351
2,994
3,221
14, 363
2,149
1,477
1,340
2,782
2,949
275
334
885
1,016
66
1,738
949
2,541
2,252
485
1,538
553
908
2,587
1,409
2,404
2,269
637
1,563
1,566
Massachu setts
6
.8
Rhode Island
Connecticut
120
545
31
200
148
75
180
70
130
61
43
62
11
15
67
27
10.4
7.8
1.3
6.1
4.3
10.7
3.6
3.9
30.4
10.7
8.0
7.4
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
132
355
67
New Jersey.
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana - -
Illinois
Michigan „»__
160
89
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Miinnesota
Iowa
238
15
30
Missouri „
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska - ,~
40
131
281
7.0
7.5
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware __ - - _
Maryland
7
9
19
11
3
2
8
6
8
13
5
9
7
13
9
1,678
369
1,212
632
355
181
479
467
428
1,367
509
519
289
354
961
2
78
Virginia
16
West Virginia .
12
24
445
131
2.6
15.5
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
3
3
4
907
191
1,200
Florida . _ _ -
5
13
?
433
773
254
40
45
60
400
598
316
167
38
266
645
254
40
45
40
350
487
308
38.6
5.6
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
90
Tennessee
Alabama
1
M ississippi
1
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
1
1
1
16
20
50
38
8
Louisiana _ __
12.5
7.2
2.5
Oklahoma .
6
3
6
4
fi
372
390
334
56
231
73
Texas _ -
MOUNTAIN:
Montana.
Idaho _
3
3
1
2
6
76
225
22
70
631
597
2,182
7
12
20
2
6
31
81
184
41
185
20
8
437
516
1,806
7
23
20
"~~9.1
Colorado
5
6
8
1
4
21
9
43
4
124
210
361
30
25
1,172
323
2,969
236
New Mexico .
Arizona _
2
7
9
22
31
2
7
6
13
3
585
1,306
681
5,778
118
56
163
PACIFIC:
Washington .
11
13
25
6
552
780
4,000
397
6.6
13.6
9.2
Oregon
California
192
Other States
1 The figures for 1916 include the Church Transcendent and Nonsectarian Churches of Bible Faith and
those for 1906 include the Gospel Mission, the Christian Catholic Church in Zion, and Nonsectarian
Churches of Bible Faith, which were shown separately for those years. In both years the figures include
also the churches reported as federated churches.
2 Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
3 1 church in Wyoming.
INDEPENDENT CHURCHES
731
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF
PARSONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churche
reporting
Amount
Churche
reporting
Amount
United States
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
384
325
313
$3,725,653
60
$534, 221
116
$342, 090
17
7
4
10
6
45
11
43
28
11
32
18
10
8
12
12
6
9
4
5
13
3
7
9
22
32
16
7
3
10
6
42
10
36
25
9
28
15
7
8
11
11
6
8
4
5
7
3
6
8
15
19
16
7
3
10
5
40
9
36
23
9
27
15
7
7
11
11
6
8
3
5
6
3
6
8
13
219
39, 040
78, 500
39, 500
73, 200
278, 000
715, 806
359, 000
265, 468
307, 150
29, 100
721, 880
122, 700
19, 500
64, 700
51, 900
33, 300
58,000
19, 000
30, 500
17, 500
7,500
1, 375
50, 335
50, 600
150, 349
141, 750
4
5
2
3
2
23
4
13
5
2
9
8
2
3
4
7,000
18, 000
0)
10, 500
0)
65, 800
20, 500
28, 600
29, 690
(*)
43, 500
20, 700
0)
4,500
5,500
New Hampshire ...
Massachusetts
2
1,750
Connecticut
2
8
1
9
4
2
8
1
3
40, 000
79, 800
30, 000
33, 875
39, 010
8,300
249, 854
600
4,650
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio.
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL-
Minnesota _..
Iowa_
2
1
1
1
1,800
200
6,000
1,915
Missouri
Nebraska
3
3
1
2
10, 000
1,800
0)
0)
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
West Virginia
Florida
2
2
2,670
300
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
1
4
4
4
5
0)
6,750
5,550
9,000
54, 700
PACIFIC:
Washington
2
1
5
3
12, 037
4,450
7,300
3,710
Oregon
California
Other States
1 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
2 Includes 2 churches in each of the following States—Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and
Colorado; and 1 in each of the following— North Dakota, South Dakota, Delaware, Virginia, Tennessee
Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Wyoming.
732
OF 'RELIGIOUS' BODIES, 1936
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITTJBES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
report-
ing
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and
improve-
ments
United States 384
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine 17
New Hampshire... 7
Vermont.., 4
Massachusetts. __ 10
Connecticut... 6
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York 45
New Jersey 11
Pennsylvania.- _ 43
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio. _ 28
Indiana, 11
Illinois _, 32
Michigan __ is
Wisconsin 10
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa 12
Missouri _._ 12
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
West Virginia 4
Florida _ _ 5
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma
Texas- ,
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho-
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Washington-.
Oregon
California
Other States.,,
S72
$692, 046
$252, 871
26
8,537
10, 975
5,685
14, 980
19, 023
97, 535
67, 586
36, 594
65, 183
4,857
140, 111
41, 654
7,651
5,860
10, 356
3,018
12, 690
5,134
2,010
3,656
10, 511
2,560
918
2,010
20, 614
13, 273
57, 420
17, 830
5,916
6,727
3,130
6,640
6,935
40, 220
18, 315
16, 234
17, 007
2,642
11, 930
4,620
3,747
4,772
2,020
4,571
3,180
1,530
1,600
1,345
3,365
1,955
600
1,465
8,176
6,100
22, 331
9,477
1,310
220
525
9,975
8,609
3,311
2,508
212
20, 812
2,843
275
240
93
696
238
233
1,411
90
22
170
910
1,435
$80, 361
1,008
1,013
1,433
897
1,682
4,561
2,391
3,103
4,539
1,045
8,367
18, 743
359
1,081
112
2,592
332
1,705
220
50
50
890
1,085
1,133
962
i Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— North Dakota, Maryland, North Carolina Tennes-
see, and Arizona; and 1 in each of the following—Rhode Island, South Dakota, Delaware, Virginia, Alabama
Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Wyoming. '
INDEPENDENT CHURCHES
733
TABLE 6. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having three or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Pay-
ment on
church
debt,
exclud-
ing
interest
Other
current
expenses,
includ-
ing
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To
general
head-
quarters
All
other
purposes
United States
$46, 611
$149, 138
$16,341
$29, 657
854, 263
$2, 018
$10, 857
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine _ _
65
948
1,291
433
2,610
7,544
20, 622
17, 708
5,830
15, 583
465
37, 168
3,368
1,115
620
1,015
426
1,808
225
75
341
162
3,189
335
72
265
3,327
1,570
18, 183
2,840
100
150
65
267
252
2,640
2,140
1,067
2,970
25
1,749
387
85
118
285
42
389
151
46
94
26
37
293
2,565
7,406
952
5,508
60
6, 933
1,556
99
201
110
61
66
66
10
260
64
448
20
10
131
160
13
156
192
7,840
6,124
2,297
12, 686
10
14, 076
1,776
460
148
130
45
285
345
20
195
50
1,837
25
79
15
10
230
81
500
New Hampshire _
Vermont
239
925
1,500
7,846
4,250
1,312
3,515
350
14, 375
250
450
300
2,600
45
20
100
182
M assachusetts
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1,084
643
2,194
784
48
243
299
200
109
123
209
1,141
32
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
294
83
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio _
Indiana
Illinois
67
502
25
30
Michigan
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa , _„
Missouri _
10
422
Nebraska
720
211
Kansas -
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
West Virginia. „
15
25
13
Florida
330
50
50
35
28
125
25
15
87
194
2,060
840
475
158
13
10
25
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
K^nt'octey
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Oklahoma
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Idaho
35
45
Colorado-
PACIFIC:
Washington
3,536
2,604
1,025
158
320
180
1,165
1,101
1,523
840
1,908
912
1,845
20
366
15
Oregon
California
Other States
90
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION
HISTORY
Under this head are presented those single churches which are not identified
with any ecclesiastical body and have not even such affiliation as would entitle
them to inclusion under a special name. Although any general classification is
impracticable, through the several censuses certain distinct types have persisted.
The first class embraces those churches variously called union, community,
nondenominational, and interdenominational. These represent the growing
movement toward nonsectarian unity and the consolidation of church work to
eliminate weak churches and the waste of duplicated effort in overchurched
localities, and they also show a trend toward churches which serve the religious
and social needs of the entire community, regardless of its specific creedal beliefs,
and emphasize social righteousness rather than individual salvation. In the
current census all churches of this class which have any ecclesiastical affiliation
734 GKNSTTSI OF RELIGIOUS BODEEIS, 1936
are shown with their respective denominations, while the federated churches,
formerly included with the independent churches, are presented as a separate
group. Community churches and nondenominational churches together com-
prise nearly one-half of the number of so-called independent churches, while
about one-fifth of the whole report themselves as union or interdenominational
churches. Of these latter, "Union" may be simply a part of the name and have
no other significance, or the term may be historic and suggest a former denomina-
tional connection. Interdenominational churches, as included in this group, are
those having organic unity in which the several denominations represented have
fully merged their individuality. t
The second class includes churches which use a denominational name, but tor
one reason or another are not included in denominational lists and are not
reported by the denominational officers. In the past a number of Lutheran
churches were so listed because not included in the synodical returns, but the
Lutheran bodies, as a part of the larger movement toward union, now report both
synodical and nonsy nodical churches. Among other bodies it occasionally
happens that a Baptist, Presbyterian, Congregational, Methodist, Reformed, or
other church, for some reason—doctrinal, ecclesiastical, or geographical — is not
included in the lists of any association, presbytery, classis, or other body. In
some cases these have simply grown up dissociated from the ecclesiastical bodies,
and have preserved their independent status from habit rather than from differ-
ence of opinion. Not being included in the denominational returns, however,
they are classed as independent. .
The third class includes churches which were organized by individuals inde-
pendent of any denominational status, some that originally had denominational
connection, and some which are the result of holiness or evangelistic movements.
With regard to all these classes it is to be noted that they represent a con-
stantly shifting number. In each class, occasionally, a church which is one year
reported as independent will in another year be reported as identified with some
ecclesiastical body. Others, lacking the support of some general body, drop out
of existence entirely or become consolidated with other churches. _ Classified
with the Independent Churches are several Christian Churches which did not
pin the Congregational and Christian merger and now have no denominational
affiliation,
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
The withdrawal from the list of Independent Churches of the denominational
federated churches has left a group for which no special features either of doctrine
or polity can be definitely stated. Each of the organizations included in this
report draws up its own creed, adopts its own form of organization, chooses its
own officers, makes its own conditions of membership, and conducts its own
worship as it chooses, and no general statement is practicable, except that the
union and interdenominational churches accord more or less closely to the cus-
toms of the denominations represented in their organizations.
While it is probable that most of the individual churches carry on the usual
programs of religious and social activities, no reports on these were received.
INDEPENDENT NEGRO CHURCHES
STATISTICS
Summary for the TTnited States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Independent Negro Churches for the year 1936
is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
The qualifications for membership are those of the individual organizations and
cannot be defined for the whole group.
The Independent Negro Churches were not shown separately prior to 1936,
hence no comparative data are available.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PEECENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
Members, number
50
12, 337
247
4,478
7,859
57.0
325
11,517
495
2.7
22
19
$180,300
$135, 800
$44, 500
$9, 489
11
$56, 768
5
6
4
$14, 300
39
$44, 232
$9, 199
$2, 429
$2, 664
$2,863
$21, 251
$2, 202
$1, 685
$47
$838
$1, 054
$1, 134
45
12, 226
272
4,43,5
7,791
56.9
319
11,412
495
2.7
19
16
$178, 200
$134, 200
$44, 000
$11, 1J88
10
$56, 665
5
6
4
$14, 300
35
$43, 396
$9, 001
$2,404
$2, 391
$2,812
$21, 232
$2, 146
$1, 506
$47
$813
$1,044
$1, 240
5
111
22
43
68
(a)
6
105
99.1
0.9
A Vftj-Rgft membflrs'hip p^r <1)HOr<^"> ..
Membership by sex:
Male
99.0
99.1
1.0
.9
Female
Males per 100 females _ _ _
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
98.2
99.1
100.0
1.8
.9
13 years and over
Age not reported „„
Percent under 13 years 3 -
5,4
3
3
$2, 100
$1, 600
$500
$700
1
$103
Church edifices, number
Value — number reporting _. » „ _ .
Amount reported
98.8
98.8
98.9
1.2
1.2
1.1
Constructed prior to 1936 _ .
Constructed, wholly or m part, in 1936-
Average value per church
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
99.8
.2
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number
Value — 'number reporting
Amount reported
4
$836
$198
$25
$273
$51
$19
$56
$179
100.0
„,
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported - -„_
98.1
97.8
99.0
89.8
98.2
99.9
97.5
89.4
1.9
2.2
1.0
10.2
1.8
.1
2.5
10.6
Pastors' salaries .
All other salaries _ _ _ „,
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest - - -
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc
Home missions - . -
Foreign missions
To general headquarters for distribution-
All other purposes
$25
$10
$209
97.0
99.1
3.0
.9
Average expenditure per church
* Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
3 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
3 Based on membership with age classification reported.
735
736
OEasrstosi OF 'RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OP STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Kural
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
39
361
2,006
4
23
251
5
19
156
35
339
1,885
3
20
235
4
15
147
4
22
121
1
3
16
1
4
9
Officers and teachers- - -
93.9
94.0
6.1
6.0
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools :
CThntchfip reporting, urn Tiber
Officers and teachers
Scholars
93.6
6.4
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars - -
94.2
5.8
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 2, 3, and 4 present the statistics for 1936 for the Independ-
ent Negro Churches by States. Table 2 gives for each State the number and
membership of the churches classified according to their location in urban or rural
territory, membership classified by sex and age, and data for Sunday schools.
Table 3 shows the value of churches and parsonages and the amount of debt on
church edifices. Table 4 presents the church expenditures, showing separately
current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing
the financial statistics of any individual church, separate presentation in tables
3 and 4 is limited to those States in which three or more churches reported value
and expenditures.
INDEPENDENT NEGRO CHURCHES
737
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX AND AGE, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES,
1936
NUMBER OF
NUMBER, OF
MEMBERSHIP
MEMBERSHIP BY
SUNDAY
CHURCHES
MEMBERS
BY SEX
AGE
SCHOOLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVI-
8
00
•g
4
g
o> ™
1
SION AND STATE
3
&
p
1
P
tf
1
g
1
*3
S
•i
S
•3
1
Males per
females
Under
years
P
S
«|sj
M
-<
CO
is
tr
PH
Church
reportin
Officers a
teachers
Scholars
United States..
50
45
5
12, 387
12, 226
111
4,478
7,859
57.0
325
11,517
495
2.7
39
361
2,008
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
2
2
15£
159
89
70
159
1
g
65
Pennsylvania. --
4
4
417
417
—
142
275
51.6
30
387
7.2
4
31
263
E. N. CENTRAL:
Illinois
1
1
6
6
6
6
Michigan
1
1
52
fi?
23
29
2
50
1
7
30
W. N. CENTRAL:
Missouri
g
fi
7,888
7,888
3,105
4,783
64.9
60
7,828
s
4
67
212
Kansas.
2
1
1
48
35
13
11
37
10
38
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
s
f
85
85
36
49
15
70
1
6
30
Dist.of Col
24
24
3,126
3,126
944
2,182
43.3
187
2,444
495
7.1
21
197
1,058
Virginia
]
1
14
14
9
4
10
1
2
30
E. S. CENTRAL:
Kentucky
1
1
40
40
10
30
4
36
1
4
30
Alabama
1
1
14
14
4
10
14
1
5
16
Mississippi
1
1
12
12
6
6
12
W. S. CENTRAL:
Louisiana
1
1
20G
206
22
184
12 0
fi
200
? 9
1
7
89
Oklahoma
1
1
18
18
7
11
18
1
S
45
Texas
1
1
233
233
62
171
36 3
S
230
1 T
1
16
130
PACIFIC:
Washington
1
1
19
19
12
7
4
15
1
3
s
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
2 Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
TABLE 3. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting- value of edifices]
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
District of Columbia
Other States.
50
22
19
$180, 300
11
$56, 768
4
$14, 800
24
26
8
14
8
211
101, 500
78, 800
8
3
53, 190
3,578
1
3
C1)
14, 300
i Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
3 Includes 2 churches in Pennsylvania; and 1 in each of the following States— Michigan, Missouri, Mary-
land, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.
738
CEOSTSIUS OF RELlIGI'OUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 4. — CHURCH EXPBNDITUKES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
1
EXPENDITURES
•a
tuo
£
•§«
>< M
i
i
o
!3
m
1
Is
4^3
•S
CO
1
1
STATE
%
S1
4-3
fl
•8
"S
•5 w
nB
ll
1
0
"w
§r
&
2
tf
S-cS
.E2
H
co
TO
to
§ §
g ^
OJ-i-i
•£H
a
"eS-S
»
fl
1
1
S
o
"3
S^lfl
sll
2
a
1
1
S
a
o
O
iJC]
o
3
a
o
§rc^ -S
S P< 9
S
o
o
O
r-1
EH
0
tf
PM
0
Hi
w
Pm
^
United States _
50
39
$44, 232
$9, 199
$2, 429
$2, 364
82, 863
$21, 251
$2, 202
SI, 685
$47
$838
$1,054
Pennsylvania. .
4
4
4
4,668
12, 628
1,751
501
214
302
150
144
619
380
1,318
8,498
460
1,270
10
1,233
22
32
son
92
Missouri
District of Columbia
24
19
17, 681
3,630
777
1,610
1,813
8,543
135
170
25
481
497
Other States
17
i 12
9,255
3,317
1,136
760
51
2,892
337
272
— -
25
465
i Includes 2 churches in New York; and 1 in each of the following States— Illinois, Michigan, Maryland,
Virginia, Kentucky, Alahama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION
HISTORY
Churches which were reported without any denominational designation and
which were not included in any of the denominational lists received by the Census
Bureau are called independent churches. One group of these churches which use
denominational names, were either organized without any thought as to ecclesi-
astical connection, or had severed denominational ties which they formerly had.
The second group includes organizations which do not use denominational names
and which probably never have had any denominational affiliation. Some of
these churches are the result of movements, especially the spiritual movement
among Negroes. Both groups of independent churches are perhaps indicative of
the initiative of persons who have desired to become leaders of religious bodies,
and the inability or disinclination to conform to the practices of well-established
churches.
DOCTRINE AND ORGANIZATION
Since each of the organizations included in this report draws up its own creed,
adopts its o"wn form of organization, makes its own conditions of membership,
and conducts its own worship as it chooses, no general statement concerning
doctrine and organization is practicable.
Not any of the Negro independent churches supplied a statement relative to
"work"; however, it is known that some of the churches carry on well-planned
religious and social activities.
INTERNATIONAL CHURCH OF THE
FOURSQUARE GOSPEL
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel
for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of
these figures between urban and rural territory. These statistics were compiled
from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual
churches and the data relate to these churches only.
Members must possess such qualifications and furnish such evidence of spiritual
fitness as prescribed by the Board of Directors.
This body was not reported prior to 1936, hence no comparative data are
available.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL,
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number -
205
16, 147
79
5,783
8,826
1,538
65.5
1,389
13, 250
1,508
9.5
114
108
$612, 019
$528, 643
$83, 376
$5,667
$117, 568
24
35
24
$35,375
199
$391, 743
$130, 650
$19,448
$27,962
$25,999
$104, 584
$3, 637
$7, 810
$37, 397
$20, 028
$14, 228
$1,969
151
13, 176
87
4,616
7,208
1,352
64.0
1,133
10, 799
1,244
9.5
79
75
$513, 084
$453, 258
$59, 826
$6,841
43
$97, 098
16
19
13
$25, 975
146
$344, 568
$114, 038
$17, 790
$24, 079
$22, 399
$93, 706
$3, 045
$6,641
$32, 784
$17, 542
$12,544
$2, 360
54
2,971
55
1,167
1,618
186
72.1
256
2,451
264
9.5
35
33
$98, 935
$75, 385
$23, 550
$2, 998
21
$20, 470
8
16
11
$9,400
53
$47, 175
$16, 612
$1, 658
$3, 883
$3, 600
$10, 878
$592
$1, 169
$4, 613
$2, 486
$1, 684
$890
73.7
81.6
26.3
18.4
Members, number
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male-
79.8
81 7
87.9
20.2
18 3
12.1
Female _ _ _
Sex not reported __
Males per 100 females
Membership by age.
Under 13 years
81.6
81.5
82.5
18 4
18.5
17.5
13 years and over - „ . -
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 3-
Clmrch edifices, number.-
69 3
69.4
" 83.8
85.7
71.8
30.7
30.6
16.2
14.3
28 2
Value — number reporting- „ „_
Amount reported _
Constructed prior to 1936
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936-
Average value per church
X)ebt~~"*number reporting
Amount reported
82.6
17.4
Number reporting "no debt"
Parsonages, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
73.4
73 4
88.0
87.3
91.5
86.1
86.2
89.6
83.7
85.0
87 7
87.6
88.2
26 6
26.6
12.0
12.7
8.5
13.9
13.8
10 4
16.3
15.0
12 3
12.4
11.8
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported- _ .
Pastors' salaries
All other salaries - - _ ._
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest _ _ __ . _ _
All other current expenses, including in-
terest - .
Local relief and charity, Red Cross, etc—
Foreign missions - . -
To general headquarters for distribution..
All other purposes
Average exoenditure oer church
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
* Based on membership with age classification reported.
27581 8— 41 48
739
740
OBisnsrusi OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 193 6
TABLE 1* — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936 — Continued
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL *
Urban
Rural
Sunday schools :
0 lurches reporting, number- . _
185
2,068
39,584
17
139
1,037
13
56
400
137
1,621
16, 286
15
125
964
8
36
296
48
447
3,298
2
14
73
5
20
104
74 1
78 4
83.2
25.9
21 6
16.8
Officers and teachers
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers.. _ _ _..
89 9
93 0
10.1
7.0
Scholars
Weekday religious schools:
Churches reporting number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
74.0
260
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
State tables. — Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5 present the statistics for 1936 for the Inter-
national Church of the Foursquare Gospel by States. Table 2 gives for each
State the number and membership of the churches classified according to their
location in urban or rural territory, and membership classified by sex. Table 3
gives the number and membership of the churches, membership classified as
"under 13 years of age" and "13 years of age and over," and data for Sunday
schools. Table 4 shows the value of churches and parsonages and the amount
of debt on church edifices. Table 5 presents the church expenditures, showing
separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order to
avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, separate pres-
entation in tables 4 and 5 is limited to those States in which three or more
churches reported value and expenditures.
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, AND MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
mTMBEB OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
Total
Urban
Rural
Total
Urban
Rural
Male
Female
Sex
not
re-
ported
Males
per
100
fe-
males l
United States
205
151
54
16, 147
13, 176
2,971
5,783
8,826
1,538
65.5
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
3
9
4
7
5
4
2
9
3
1
2
8
3
7
2
3
2
8
2
1
1
1
1
......
1
......
1
317
891
278
571
312
332
205
476
189
42
56
280
723
27
148
870
138
571
84
182
205
462
164
42
169
21
140
151
309
107
206
118
127
15
185
96
9
' 31
108
258
10
166
542
146
365
154
205
20
291
93
33
25
172
430
17
91 0
57.0
73.3
56.4
76.6
62 0
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio-
40
25
Indiana
Illinois,
Michigan
228
150
40
Wisconsin .
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota.. _
170
Iowa
14
25
63.6
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota __
2
4
10
1
......
5
1
2
2
5
56
81
176
Nebraska
199
547
27
62 8
60.0
Kansas
35
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
North Carolina __
* Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
INTERNATIONAL, CHURCH OF THE FOURSQUARE GOSPEL 741
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP or CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, AND MEMBERSHIP BY SEX, BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBEE OF
CHURCHES
NUMBEE OF MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP BY SEX
Total
Urban
Rural
Total
Urban
Eural
Male
Female
Sex
not
re-
ported
Males
per
100
fe-
males l
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
2
2
3
1
1
8
2
2
2
19
2
7
6
84
1
1
2
83
304
65
91
32
495
68
75
64
863
103
564
1,606
7,035
43
40
304
18
136
17
33
11
178
32
30
21
247
44
194
689
2,403
25
168
48
58
21
253
36
45
43
390
59
264
917
3,840
40
Tennessee _
81.0
Mississippi
3
1
1
5
1
1
2
10
2
6
4
68
65
91
32
275
24
63
64
529
103
519
1,556
6,173
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Texas.- _ _
3
1
1
220
44
12
64
70.4
MOUNTAIN.
Montana
Idaho . , _
Wyoming
Colorado
9
334
226
63 3
Arizona
PACIFIC-
Washington . _
1
2
16
45
50
862
106
73.5
75.1
62.6
Oregon .
California
792
1 Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OP CHURCHES, MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
mem-
bers
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age not
report-
ed
Per-
cent
under
13i
Churches
reporting
Offi-
cers
and
teach-
ers
Schol-
ars
United States....
205
16, 147
1,389
13, 250
1,508
9.5
185
2,068
19, 584
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
3
9
4
7
5
4
2
9
3
1
2
4
10
1
2
2
3
1
1
8
317
891
278
571
312
332
205
476
189
42
56
280
723
27
83
304
65
91
32
495
67
10
54
55
17
35
8
47
3
250
841
199
516
255
297
27
429
186
42
42
196
521
27
33
302
57
90
32
410
21.1
1.2
21.3
9.6
6.3
10.5
3
9
4
7
5
3
1
9
2
1
2
3
8
1
2
2
3
1
1
7
29
110
48
83
50
23
16
115
19
11
15
32
81
6
9
34
17
14
8
64
298
910
230
653
335
173
150
667
168
47
129
174
707
100
68
370
130
125
65
466
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
40
25
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
40
Wisconsin
WEST NORTH CENTRAL;
Minnesota
170
Iowa
9.9
1.6
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
14
61
13
Nebraska _
23
189
10.5
26 6
Kansas - ...
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
North Carolina
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky
10
2
8
1
40
------
Tennessee
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Texas
85
17.2
i Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
742
CENSTTO OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES, MEMBERSHIP BY AGE,
AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936 — Continued
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
mem-
bers
MEMBERSHIP BY AGE
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Under
13
years
13
years
and
over
Age not
report-
ed
Per-
cent
under
131
Churches
reporting
Offi-
cers
and
teach-
ers
Schol-
ars
MOUNTAIN:
Montana
2
2
2
19
2
7
6
84
68
75
64
863
103
564
1,606
7,035
68
71
58
569
78
419
1,292
5,943
2
2
2
14
2
7
6
76
17
28
13
140
16
92
71
907
183
120
93
990
72
705
858
10, 598
Idaho
4
6
28
25
39
201
472
Wyoming
Colorado
266
4.7
24 3
8.5
13 5
7.4
Arizona
PACIFIC:
Washington. _
106
113
620
Oregon
California
* Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
TABLE 4. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
VALUE OF PARSON-
AGES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States. - ..
205
114
5
8
5
6
14
4
3
48
23
108
$612, 010
64
8117, 568
24
835, 375
(')
(0
2,500
3,575
0)
0)
P>
19, 000
10, 300
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Illinois
7
9
10
8
19
7
6
84
55
5
8
5
6
13
4
3
44
220
15,800
21, 400
15, 500
10, 594
38, 206
14, 500
45, 000
351, 619
99,400
1
7
4
4
8
2
3
23
12
650
7,198
5,500
3,224
8,547
2,600
6,600
61, 832
21, 417
1
2
4
3
1
1
1
9
2
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa
Kansas
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Texas
MOUNTAIN-
Colorado -
PACIFIC-
Washington
Oregon
California
Other States
1 Amount included m figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual
church.
2 Includes 2 churches m each of the following States— Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Nebraska,
and Tennessee; and 1 in each of the following—Michigan, North Dakota, North Carolina, Kentucky,
Mississippi, Oklahoma, Idaho, and Wyoming.
INTERNATIONAL CHURCH OF THE FOURSQUARE GOSPEL 743
TABLE 5. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
number
of
churches
EXPENDITURES
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
Pastors'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
"United States
205
199
$391, 743
$130, 650
$19, 448
$27, 962
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
P ennsy 1 vania
3
9
4
7
5
4
9
3
4
10
3
8
19
7
6
84
20
3
9
4
7
5
3
9
3
4
9
3
8
19
7
6
82
i 18
4,070
25, 605
2,774
18, 973
9,488
3,912
11,826
4,581
6,965
11, 583
2,664
7,546
22, 369
16, 730
38, 535
180, 479
23, 643
1,303
9,734
1,126
7,478
2,454
1,468
3,644
1,870
1,757
3,673
1,091
3,851
6,495
6,763
7,010
62, 509
8,424
98
528
132
256
50
745
361
2
493
100
669
350
161
588
1,884
176
1,367
19, 677
951
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana -
Illinois . -.
553
503
224
279
Michigan
Wisconsin _ _. _ _ _ _
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa- _.
Missouri _ ____ ___
Nebraska
Kansas __
156
48
830
578
2,323
2,869
9,289
1,170
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL.
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
PACIFIC:
Washington - „_ . -
Oregon
California _.
Other States- -
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
EXPENDITURES— continued
Payment
on church
debt, ex-
cluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local re-
lief and
charity
Home
missions
Foreign
missions
To gen-
eral head-
quarters
All other
purposes
United States
$25, 999
$104, 584
$3, 637
$r, sio
$37, 397
571
1,365
330
2,315
1,076
541
1,009
$20, 028
$14, 228
30
832
75
594
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
Pennsylvania
355
1,575
300
930
1,536
10, 120
817
4,248
3,562
1,145
3,441
1,688
1,875
4,179
919
296
4,670
3,341
18, 542
36, 851
7.354
10
70
5
112
15
35
305
71
429
557
192
211
280
97
263
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
820
Indiana
Illinois _- _
1,569
960
180
240
543
158
624
300
688
2,166
962
Michigan
Wisconsin _ .
160
1,631
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Iowa _
42
100
270
836
Missouri
Nebraska
611
1,002
726
972
145
313
990
1,170
5,140
17, 526
3,208
802
364
Kansas...
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Texas
300
3,203
500
2,588
12,201
643
230
50
6
5
2,665
57
209
777
528
714
2,334
808
241
1,556
961
300
7,550
87
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado _
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California .__
9,877
941
Other States
* Includes 2 churches in each of the following States— Minnesota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Idaho, Wyo-
ming, and Arizona; and 1 in each of the following— North Dakota, North Carolina, Kentucky, Arkansas,
Oklahoma, and Montana.
744 OBNSTDTBI OF RELIGIOU'Si BODIES, 1936
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
HISTORY
The great religious awakening which was coincident with the World War of
1914-18 resulted in America in a definite desire for a more personal knowledge of
God and a closer communion in the Spirit.
From this yearning there has sprung a large number of so-called Full Gospel
movements, i. e., an earnest endeavor to reproduce the spirit of first century
Christianity in a church that was founded by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
at Pentecost, immediately following the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension
of Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer.
To a large number of believers the most complete and satisfying expression of
this faith was that preached by Aimee Semple McPherson in a series of nation-
wide evangelistic tours, reaching from Maine to Florida and eventually across
the nation to Los Angeles. In her life history Sister McPherson, as she is known
to all of her churches, gives the folio wing account of her early life.
Her birthplace was in a farmhouse in the Canadian Province of Ontario, some
5 miles distant from the town of Ingersol. She was an only child, and many of
the "homey1' tasks fell to her lot. She rejoices in the fact that her idioms of
speech — which have given her message so wide an appeal — date back to the
early Me on the farm.
During her girlhood, her conversion occurred under the preaching of the
evangelist, Robert Semple. Shortly afterward she married Robert Semple, and
the two were sent to Hong Kong to do missionary work among the Chinese, and
were housed most uncomfortably next to a Hindu Temple, the back yard of which
was used as a "burning ghat" where one day she saw the horrible sight of a human
body being cremated. Robert Semple was, however, indefatigable and continued
his labors among the Chinese until they went down to the coast at Macac where
he was taken very seriously ill with malaria fever and carried back in this con-
dition to Hong Kong. He died a few weeks later at the Matilda Hospital and the
romance so happily begun ended in a newly turned grave in the Hong Kong
cemetery called Happy Valley.
Following this, Sister McPherson with her baby, who had been born a month
after the death of Robert Semple, returned to the United States. Soon she was
the victim of a serious illness, from which she was miraculously delivered with
the strong impression that God had commanded her to go forth to preach,
A long period of evangelism followed. The summer of 1917 was spent in
the East with camp meetings at Long Branch, N. J., and Huntington, N. Y.
Her second southern campaign extended from the northernmost town in Maine
to the southernmost city in Florida, with meetings in Virginia and Delaware.
In Philadelphia a gospel tent was purchased, a city of tents erected and a nation-
wide camp meeting, followed by a series of meetings extending from Massa-
chusetts to New York. The decision to come to California was made in Chicago.
The transcontinental gospel tour began in Tulsa with the conviction growing
upon Sister McPherson that God had summoned her to California for a special
purpose, a conviction which strengthened as sh^e approached the coast. The
family entered California at San Bernardino and proceeded at once to Los Angeles.
Almost her first congregation insisted in joining in the building of "the little
grey home in the West," of which she had dreamed, and soon she was perma-
nently settled in her new home.
Los Angeles is widely known as the Athens of America; it is a city of accom-
plishment. It is populated with men and women who come here to spend their
declining days. A religion to appeal to them must contain factual elements
and be spoken by one who knows how to reach both the heart and the head.
Our evangelist preached this from the first, but when she added to this the final
revelation of the Foursquare faith, the enthusiasm of the city knew no bounds.
Angelus Temple. — The most important building of the denomination is Angelus
Temple which was dedicated on January 1, 1923. With its twin structure, the
L. I. F. E. Bible College building, located on the shore of beautiful Echo Park
Lake in Los Angeles, it forms the most complete evangelistic unit on the continent.
From its crowded commissary where it is said that more than a million Americans
have been fed, through its auditoriums, classrooms, and prayer tower, it is a
great machine, a skillfully conducted vehicle for evangelism, education, and
charitable aid. It is thronged night and day.
* This statement was furnished by Giles M. Knight, of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel,
Los Angeles, Calif.
INTERNATIONAL CHURCH OF THE FOURSQUARE GOSPEL 745
The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel was incorporated in 1927.
Its headquarters are in the administration building, which also houses its principal
educational unit, L. I. F. E. Bible College. The meaning of this name is Light-
house of International Foursquare Evangelism.
This college has a faculty of 14 instructors and an enrollment of approximately
700 students. From these ranks are drawn the future pastors, evangelists, and
missionaries of the Foursquare organization.
Spreading from Los Angeles the International Church now claims 400 estab-
lished branch churches in practically all parts of the United States and Canada
and an important missionary movement which includes branches in China,
Philippine Islands, Belgian Congo, the Union of South Africa, Panama, Bolivia,
South America, Northern China, and Puerto Rico. About 200 local mission
stations are tributary to these stations. In Northern China and Luisa in the
Belgian Congo, Bible colleges have also been established with the intention of
creating an indigenous ministry among the natives.
One of the important features of the work is the radio station, KFSG, which
broadcasts from Los Angeles 6 days weekly. Application has recently been made
for the short-wave system and a new 235-foot tower erected on the roof of Angelus
Temple.
DOCTRINE
The doctrine of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel is published
in its "Declaration of Faith" compiled by Aimee Semple McPherson and is di-
vided into 21 paragraphs, including: The Holy Scriptures, the Eternal Godhead,
the fall of man, the plan of redemption, salvation through grace, repentance and
acceptance, the new birth, daily Christian living, baptism and the Lord's Supper,
the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit-filled life, the gifts and fruits of the Spirit,
moderation, divine healing, the second coming of Christ, church relationship,
civil government, the final judgment, heaven, hell, and the spirit of evangelism.
Emphasis is laid upon the Deity as well as the perfect humanity of the Son of
God and the true divinity of the Holy Ghost, and maintaining that the canonical
Scriptures are true, immutable, steadfast, unchangeable as its author, the Lord
Jehovah.
The Eternal Godhead is accepted on a trinitarian basis, the work of the Holy
Spirit being defined as the ' 'Spirit of the Father shed abroad, omnipotent, omni-
present, performing an inexpressibly important mission upon earth, convicting
of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, drawing sinners to the Savior, rebuking,
pleading, searching, comforting, guiding, quickening, teaching, glorifying, baptiz-
ing, and enduing with power from on high, them who yield to His tender ministra-
tions, preparing them for the great day of the Lord's appearing."
The fall of man is accepted and the plan of redemption is stated to be through
the atoning death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, "Who by divine appoint-
ment of the Father taking the sinner's place, bearing his sins, receiving his con-
demnation, dying his death, fully paying his penalty, and signing with His life's
blood, the pardon of every one who should believe upon Him; that upon simple
faith and acceptance of the atonement purchased on Mount Calvary the vilest
sinner may be cleansed of his iniquities and made whiter than the driven snow."
Salvation of the sinner is through grace, by "pleading the merits and the
righteousness of Christ the Savior, standing upon His word, and accepting the
free gift of His love and pardon."
The result is the new birth, the belief that the sinner is then born again in
such a glorious and transforming manner that old things are passed away and
all things are become new; insomuch that the things once most desired are now
abhorred.
The institutions of the baptism and the Lord's Supper are definitely accepted,
in addition to which the "Declaration of Faith" speaks of the baptism of the
Holy Spirit in the following language:
"We believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the incoming of the promised
Comforter in mighty and glorious fullness to endue the believer with power from
on high; to glorify and exalt the Lord Jesus; to give inspired utterance in witness-
ing of Him; to foster the spirit of prayer, holiness, sobriety; to equip the individual
and the church for practical, efficient, joyous, Spirit-filled soul-winning in the
fields of life; and that this being still the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, the
believer may have every reason to expect His incoming to be after the same
manner as that in which He came upon Jew and gentile alike in Bible days."
A second important tenet is divine healing described as follows:
"We believe that divine healing is the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to heal
the sick and the afflicted in answer to believing prayer; that He who is the same
746 cENsrcns OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 193 6
yesterday, today, and forever has never changed but is still an all-sufficient help
in the time of trouble, able to meet the needs of and quicken into newness of
life the body, as well as the soul and spirit in answer to the faith of them who
ever pray with submission to His divine and sovereign will."
The second coming of Christ in clouds of glory is fully^ accepted as also the
obligations of church relationship and of obedience to the civil government,
ORGANIZATION
The organization is declared to be for the purpose of the propagation of the
Foursquare Gospel as presented in the Declaration of Faith compiled by Aimee
Semple McPher&on.
The principal place of business is in the city of Los Angeles, Calif. The mem-
bership of the corporation and those entitled to vote at the General Assembly are
the officers of the corporation and ordained ministers who are pastors of chartered
churches, and other ordained and licensed ministers and evangelists who are ap-
proved by the board of directors and 1 delegate for each 100 members of a branch
church or a fraction thereof. An annual meeting of the General Assembly is held
in January of each year.
The trustees or board of directors consist of five members. The office of presi-
dent is held by Aimee Semple McPherson during her lifetime. The power of the
board of directors includes the right to manage the business and affairs of the
corporation. Two meetings monthly are held. The board appoints five field
supervisors who are given charge of the five districts into which the work of the
International Church of the Foursquare Gospel branch churches is divided. These
include the California district, the Northwest district, the Midwest district, the
Great Lakes district, and the Canadian division.
The Ordination Board and Missionary Board are two groups including the di-
rectors of this corporation, the dean of the Bible college, and such other persons
not exceeding two as the president shall appoint, whose duty and power is to ex-
amine into the qualifications and fitness of applicants desiring admission to the
ministry, licensed evangelists, and workers of this church.
The missionary work is under the direction of a missionary board consisting of
the president of the corporation, the International Board, and the field super-
visors, who meet semiannually or by special order of the president.
Branch churches. — Branch churches are organized throughout the United
States and Canada and number approximately 400 at this time. Members must
E assess such qualifications and furnish such evidence of spiritual fitness as may
e prescribed by the board of directors. Each member must subscribe to and
adhere to the doctrine of the Foursquare Gospel as outlined in the Declaration
of Faith compiled by Aimee Semple McPherson; members shall be received by the
pastor of any branch church once each month, and are examined prior to admission
by the pastor and must show evidence satisfactory to the pastor of a genuine born-
again experience of salvation and godly Christian life. Members at all times are
requested to conduct themselves in accordance with the standards of Christian
living and with the rules and regulations of the corporation.
Branch churches are governed by a church council, which consists of the pastor,
who is ex officio the chairman thereof, and either four or six members elected by
the membership of the church at the annual or organization meeting of the church
membership.
Each branch church contributes one offering each month, taken preferably on
the third Sunday of the month, for the home and foreign missionary work of this
corporation.
Crusader movement. — The young people are organized in a youth movement
known as the Foursquare Crusaders, represented by groups in practically every
church. Membership to this organization requires the signing of the covenant,
which is a pledge to a consecrated life. The organization of bands is encouraged
in each group and frequent rallies are held in all parts of the United States.
Uniform.- — The organization is uniformed, including full regulation dress for
women, which consists of a white dress, blue cape, and black tie.
The distinguishing insignia is an open Bible with the figure "4" enclosed in a
square. The Crusader organization adds to this a triangular shield.
Flag. — The flag adopted by the church has the colors of the Tabernacle —
red, yellow, blue, and purple — with the red cross on a white ground with a blue
square on which the figure "4" is prominently displayed in gold.
Music. — Band music is a feature of all Foursquare work. The hymns of the
denomination include many marches written by Sister McPherson and possess
distinctive joyous notes.
ITALIAN BODIES
GENERAL STATEMENT
Under this head are included in 1936 two bodies, similar in general type but
not affiliated in any way. The General Council of the Italian Pentecostal As-
semblies of God is a group of closely affiliated churches and vests its authority
in a general executive board. The Unorganized Italian Christian Churches of
North America are incorporated locally only, and each congregation is a distinct
organization governed by local officers.
The principal statistics as reported for 1936 by the two bodies are given in the
following table.
SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR ITALIAN BODIES, 1936
DENOMINATION
Total
number
of
churches
Num-
ber of
mem-
bers
VALUE OF CHTJECH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
SUNDAY SCHOOLS
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Schol-
ars
Total for the group
General Council of the Ital-
ian Pentecostal Assem-
blies of God
120
11, 114
57
$442,860
103
$60, 350
69
13
56
2,967
455
2,512
16
104
1,547
9,567
6
51
90, 500
352,360
13
90
8,724
51, 626
The Unorganized Italian
Christian Churches of
North America. „
747
GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE ITALIAN PENTECOSTAL
ASSEMBLIES OF GOD
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the General Council of the Italian Pentecostal
Assemblies of God for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also
the distribution of these figures between urban and rural territory. There were
no parsonages reported. These statistics were compiled from schedules sent
directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk of the individual churches and the
data relate to these churches only.
The membership of this denomination consists of persons who accept the Scrip-
tures as the only law for right living, and have been baptized.
This body was not reported prior to 1936, hence no comparative data are
available,
TABLE 1. — SUMMAEY OF STATISTICS FOB CHTTBCHES IN UEBAN AND RTTKAL
TEEBITOBY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT Off
TOTAL l
Urban
Kural
ClmrcliGS (local organizations) number
16
1,547
97
605
942
64.2
237
1,193
117
16.6
6
6
$90, 500
$64, 500
$26,000
$15,083
6
$26,200
13
$8, 724
$960
$824
$1, 250
$4, 609
$328
$143
$90
$15
$505
$671
13
57
455
1
3
25
12
1,310
109
525
785
66,9
176
1,017
117
14.8
5
5
$87, 500
$61, 500
$26, 000
$17, 500
5
$25, 500
10
$8,074
$960
$549
$1, 050
[ $4,494
$313
$133
$90
$15
$470
$807
9
44
342
1
3
25
4
237
59
80
157
51.0
61
176
25.T
1
1
$3, 000
$3, 000
Members, number — — - -- .. .«..».
84 7
15,3
Averas^ membership Der church
Membership by sex:
Male
86.8
83.3
13.2
16.7
Female „
Mates per 100 females . ~.~
Membership by age:
Under 13 years . , ,.
74.3
85.2
100.0
25.7
14.8
13 years and over - -
Age not reported
Percent tinder 13 years ^
CluiTch. edifices, number ,— -» - - * _»_»
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
96 7
95.3
100.0
3.3
4.7
Constructed prior to 1936 .- _
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936-
Average value per church
$3, 000
$700
3
$650
I")flM' — "nninber reporting
Amount reported
97.3
2.7
Expenditures :
Churches reporting, number
Amount reported -,
92 5
100.0
66.6
84.0
97.5
95,4
93.0
7.5
Pastors* salaries
Repairs and improvements .
$275
$200
$115
$15
$10
33.4
16.0
2.5
4.6
7.0
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Local relief and charity, Eed Cross, etc.,.
Home missions
Foreign missions
To general head Quarters for distribution
All other purposes
$35
$217
4
13
113
93 1
6.9
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools:
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars . -,
75.2
24.8
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers ancTteachers— _. >
Scholars
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 Based on membership with age classification reported.
748
ITALIAN PENTECOSTAL ASSEMBLIES OF GOD
749
State tables. — Tables 2 and 3 present the statistics for 1936 for the General
Council of the Italian Pentecostal Assemblies of God by States. Table 2 gives
for each State the number and membership of the churches classified according
to their location in urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex and
by age, and data for Sunday schools. Table 3 shows the value of church edifices
and the amount of debt on such property, and presents the church expenditures,
showing separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences, etc. In order
to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church, separate
presentation in table 3 is limited to those States in which three or more churches
reported.
TABLE 2. — NUMBEE AND MEMBEBSHIP OP CHTJBCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TEREITOBY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX AND AGE, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES.
1936
NUMBER OF
NUMBER OF
MEMBERSHIP
MEMBERSHIP BT
SUNDAY
CHURCHES
MEMBERS
BY SEX
AGE
SCHOOLS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
s
CQ
03
1
S
1
i
^
STATE
$8
£
H
n*^
0
S <p*
o3
"'IS
p/oj
CO
§"£
40 CO
S'-J3
rQ
OT
7?
fl
2
3
3
t-4
0
"3
1
1°
a
M a
|l
"o
o
3
o
3
fl
P
t>
rt
PR
^
<l
PH
0
O
m
United States
16
12
4
1,547
1,310
237
605
942
64.2
237
1,193
117
16.6
13
57
455
NEW ENGLAND:
Connecticut
3
3
71
71
39
32
6
20
45
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York.
7
5
3
1,087
943
144
415
673
fi1 8
134
891
73
13 3,
fi
31
341
New Jersey _
fi
5
1
343
296
47
140
303
69 0
91
252
3fi 5
R
?1
184
Pennsylvania .
1
1
46
46
11
35
16
30
1
5
30
i Ratio not shown where number of females is less than 100.
» Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
750
OF RELIGIOUS BODIES, 193 6
TABLE 3. — VALUE AND DEBT ON CHURCH EDIFICES AND CHURCH EXPENDITURES
BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
Total
Num-
VALUE OF CHURCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
EXPENDITURES
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
number
ber of
AND STATE
of
church
churches
edifices
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Total
amount
United States
16
6
6
$90, fiOO
6
$26, 200
13
88, 724
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York.
7
3
3
73, 000
3
17, 400
7
3,895
New Jersey
6
3
3
17, 500
3
8;800
5
4,589
Other States
i 3
1
240
EXPENDITURES— continued
Pay-
Other
ment
current
To
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Pas-
tors'
sala-
ries
Repairs
and im-
prove-
ments
on
church
debt,
exclud-
ex-
penses,
includ-
ing in-
Local
relief
and
charity
Home
mis-
sions
For-
eign
mis-
sions
gen-
eral
head-
quar-
All
other
pur-
poses
ing
terest
ters
interest
United States
8960
$824
81, 250
$4, 609
$328
$143
$90
815
$505
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
360
50
250
2 655
40
60
50
430
New Jersey -
600
534
1,000
1,954
288
83
40
15
75
Other States
240
1 Includes: Connecticut, 2, and Pennsylvania, 1.
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION l
HISTORY
The Pentecostal movement was started some 32 years ago by a group of Ital-
ians who were converted In an American church in Chicago. The movement
grew rapidly and today there are some 200 little missions and assemblies through-
out the United States. There are 100 or more throughout Italy, and over 60
accounted for in South America in the Italian tongue.
For this reason Rev. Rocco Santamaria and his father, Rev. John Santamaria,
with the cooperation of Rev. Pietro Giordano, conceived the idea of forming a
council similar to the American one to try and unite all these little groups.
It is now 3 years since this council was started. We already have about 25
churches affiliated together. It is hard work to try to merge them. As a rule
the majority do not believe in organization, but with the help of God some day
we will succeed.
The General Council of the Italian Pentecostal Assemblies of God is governed
by an executive board and a board of presbyters. We have checked up and have
up to date 17 ordained ministers, 20 licensed ministers, 6 who have exhorters'
papers, and 23 Christian workers.
The General Council also publishes a monthly paper called "Fede, Speranza,
Carita" (Faith, Hope, Charity). This paper is published with the money re-
ceived by voluntary offerings from the various assemblies. We have also a yearly
subscription of $1 for whoever wishes to subscribe for it.
i This statement was furnished by Eev. Rocco R. Santamaria, general superintendent, General Council
of the Italian Pentecostal Assemblies of God, Newark, N. J.
IT ALT AH PENTECOSTAL ASSEMBLIES OF GOD- 751
DOCTRINE
We believe in the Almighty God, that He is a Spirit, Omnipotent, Omniscient,
Omnipresent, that He so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever beHeveth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. We
believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died for our sins, that He is
coming again on earth. We believe the Holy Bible to be the inspired word of
God written by godly men who were so moved by the Spirit of God. We believe
in the speaking in tongues as quoted in the book of the Acts of the Apostles,
chapter 2, verse 4. We believe in the gifts given to the church as written in I Cor.,
chapter 13. We believe there is a place of punishment for the wicked when they
die, that there is an eternal resting place for the godly and that after death on
earth the good shall always be with God in a place described as heaven. We
believe in clean morals — worldly amusements have no part in our churches; the
church is the place to worship God and not to preach politics. We believe
America is the land for Americans and all people should believe and have faith
in our Government and uphold the Constitution of the United States, and we
also believe in saluting the flag of the United States of America. We believe in
the Holy Supper observed by the breaking of the bread and drinking of the wine
celebrated in church every time seen fit to do it. We believe in the baptism of
water by immersion and that when a person receives the baptism of water he
should be of an age to understand its meaning.- We do not believe in infant
baptism. Lastly, we believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit given as a gift to
all believers by God, and that the speaking in tongues as the Spirit giyesi utterance
is a sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We are against fascism, nazism,
bolshevism, communism, and "socialism. We shun all forms of idolatry and be-
lieve in one God in three divine persons — the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost.
THE UNORGANIZED ITALIAN CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
OF NORTH AMERICA
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for The Unorganized Italian Christian Churches of
North America for the year 1936 is presented in table 1, which shows also the
distribution of these figures between urban and rural territory. These statistics
were compiled from schedules sent directly to the Bureau by the pastor or clerk
of the individual churches and the data relate to these churches only.
The membership of these churches consists of persons who have been admitted
into the local church upon profession of faith and baptism by immersion.
This body was not reported prior to 1936, hence no comparative data are
available.
TABLE 1. — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOB CHURCHES IN UEBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Churches (local organizations), number
104
9,567
92
4,329
5,238
82 6
2,250
7,305
12
23.5
55
51
$352, 360
$340, 345
$12, 015
$6, 909
35
$95, 810
10
6
1
$1, 300
90
$51, 626
$4, 436
$280
$6, 323
$15, 376
$18,509
$2, 785
$1, 854
$815
$362
$886
$574
56
215
2,512
1
1
20
2
7
54
90
9,111
101
4,115
4,996
82.4
2,152
6,951
8
23.6
50
46
$337, 060
$325, 045
$12, 015
$7, 327
35
$95, 810
5
5
1
$1, 300
78
$50, 638
$4,436
$270
$6, 293
$15, 376
$17, 671
$2, 710
$1, 839
$815
$362
$866
$649
49
203
2,406
14
456
33
214
242
88.4
98
354
4
21.7
5
5
$15, 300
$15, 300
86,5
95.2
13.5
4.8
Memb^Ts, rmrn"bftr , „..-,._ - .,- - .
Average membership per church
Membership by sex:
Male
95.1
95.4
4.9
4.6
Female
Males per 100 females
Membership by age:
Under 13 years
95.6
95.2
4.4
4.8
13 years and over ..
Age not reported
Percent under 13 years 2
Clvurcli edifices, number
Value — number reporting
Amount reported^- . -, -„„_-,
95.7
95.5
100.0
4.3
4.5
Constructed prior to 1936 _ ...
Constructed, wholly or in part, m 1936
Average value per church
$3, 060
Debt — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Number reporting "no debt"
5
1
Parsonages, number-
Value — number reporting
Amount reported
100.0
Expenditures:
Ohnrehfijs rAporti'ng'J niTTuhfir
12
$988
$16"
$30
Amount reported ,
98.1
100.0
96,4
99.5
100.0
95.5
97.3
99.2
100.0
100.0
97.7
1.9
i~6
.5
Pastors' salaries _.. _ -
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on church debt, excluding in-
terest . _ .
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
$838
$75
$15
$20"
$82
7
12
106
1
1
20
4.5
2.7
.8
2.1
Local relief and charity, Bed Cross, etc...
Home missions
Foreign missions _
To general headquarters for distribution __
All other purposes
Average expenditure per church
Sunday schools :
Churches reporting, number
Officers and teachers. __ __
94.4
95.8
5.6
4.2
Scholars
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Churches reporting, number. - _ _ _ „
Officers and teachers— - .
Scholars
Weekday religious schools :
Churches reporting, number
2
7
54
Officers and teachers
Scholars . . - .
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100. 3 Based on membership with age classification reported.
752
UNORGANIZED 'ITALIAN CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OF N. A. 753
State tables. — Tables 2, 3, and 4 present the statistics for 1936 for The Unor-
ganized Italian Christian Churches of North America by States. Table 2 gives
for each State the number and membership of the churches classified according
to their location in urban or rural territory, membership classified by sex and by
age, and data for Sunday schools. Table 3 shows the value of church edifices
and the amount ^ of debt on such property. Table 4 presents the church ex-
penditures, showing separately current expenses, improvements, benevolences,
etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual church ,
separate presentation in tables 3 and 4 is limited to those States in which three
or more churches reported value and expenditures.
TABLE 2. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CHURCHES IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, MEMBERSHIP BY SEX AND AGE, AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS, BY STATES,
1936
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
NUMBER OF
CHURCHES
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
MEMBERSHIP
BY SEX
MEMBERSHIP BY
AGE
SUNDAY
SCHOOLS
3
S
I
I
1
1
1
"f
S
Males per 100 females1
Under 13 years
13 years and over
Age not reported
Percent under 13 2
bo
a
1
X)
O
Officers and teachers
Scholars
United States
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
104
90
14
9,567
9,111
456
4,329
5,238
82.6
2,250
12
7,805
12
23.5
56
215
2,512
1
1
2
30
6
31
8
1
4
1
3
2
27
3
25
8
1
4
3
3
6
33
303
35
3,148
370
2,295
951
106
499
481
210
229
43
154
208
80
36
37
349
33
303
35
3,036
293
2,107
951
106
499
481
210
229
~~164
208
80
112
77
188
16
125
15
1,446
143
1,082
403
48
226
230
87
109
20
74
92
35
10
15
153
17
178
20
1,702
227
1,213
548
58
273
251
123
120
23
80
116
45
26
22
196
"70.~2
85.0
63 0
89.2
73.5
~82~S
91,6
70.7
90.8
21
303
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York _
1
9
50
6
744
89
530
172
32
96
161
60
65
9
51
107
25
29
2,396
277
1,765
779
74
403
320
150
164
34
103
101
55
36
8
4
23.7
24.3
23.1
18.1
30.2
19.2
33 5
28.6
28,4
16
3
17
4
4
3
2
2
56
12
53
17
2
36
4
12
8
769
105
567
150
20
381
133
96
151
New Jersey. _. __.
Pennsylvania
E. N. CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois _. -
Michigan. „
4
2
2
1
4
2
2
1
Wisconsin
43
36
W. N. CENTRAL:
Missouri __ _ _
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Maryland
Dist. of Columbia.
West Virginia
E. S. CENTRAL:
Tennessee
1
3
1
1
3
1
33 1
61.4
1
1
1
3
2
1
40
30
20
W. S. CENTRAL:
Arkansas
1
1
Texas -- -
1
4
1
4
37
349
78.1
3
88
31
261
PACIFIC:
California
25.2
1 Batio not shown where number of females is less than 100
* Based on membership with age classification reported; not shown where base is less than 100.
754 C'ENISUJ'S' OF KE'LIGIOUS BODIES, 1936
TABLE 3. — VALUE OF CHURCHES AND AMOUNT OF CHURCH DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting value of edifices]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
Total
num-
ber of
churches
Num-
ber of
church
edifices
VALUE OF CHUKCH
EDIFICES
DEBT ON CHURCH
EDIFICES
Churches
reporting
Amount
Churches
reporting
Amount
United States
104
55
19
11
5
3
3
14
51
$352, 360
35
$95, 810
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
30
31
8
4
4
27
16
11
5
3
3
113
117, 700
57, 950
25, 300
6,266
24, 015
121, 129
10
8
3
2
3
9
42, 190
10, 815
6,400
215
2,415
33, 775
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTBAL:
Ohio „
Michigan
PACIFIC:
California ... , ,
Other States
1 Includes 2 churches each in the States of Illinois and Missouri; and 1 in each of the following — New Jer-
sey, Indiana, "Wisconsin, Maryland, West Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Texas, and the District of
Columbia.
TABLE 4=. — CHURCH EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more churches reporting]
0
EXPENDITURES
%*
s
*
a
11
61
1
w
"§
1
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
^f
0,
a
1
"S
-S
*gg
11
ll
g
J'PH
^22
a
AND STATE
a ^
£
3
o
*3
«
co Q
§8^
6.s
ST!
'S'S
p<
~°
1
a
03
"»
1
M f>
to O
«||
2|
a
?n
ll
40
%
"3
S
o
§.'§**
03 § *
*3
H
'S
bo
o
O
,3
o
S
!Td
<B
j^T3.9
^3 ft.9
o
o
o
?=!
H
o
fc
^
«
PH
o
^
^
H
United States
104
90
$51, 626
84,436
$280
$6, 323
$15, 376
$18, 509
82, 785
81, 854
S815
$362
£886
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
30
27
15, 558
400
1,901
2,325
8,717
794
752
340
329
New Jersey
6
5
1,912
1,080
125
167
440
100
Pennsylvania - -
7,537
1,018
1,132
3,678
542
763
274
130
EAST NORTH CENTBAL:
Ohio
8
8
3,737
126
575
1,090
1,451
250
60
an
155
Illinois
4
4
3,828
1,637
1,050
605
314
is
65
Michigan. „_, .
4
a
901
219
263
135
135
qq
50
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
West Virginia
3
o
2,800
868
1,060
706
19
29
18
100
PACIFIC:
California
4
4
2,949
720
1,301
903
25
Other States
14
1 12
12,404
1,368
154
1,067
7,032
1,746
625
125
25
262
i Includes 2 churches each in the States of Wisconsin and Missouri; and 1 in each of the following— Massa-
chusetts, Rhode Island, Indiana, Maryland, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Texas, and the District of Columbia.
UNORGANIZED 'ITALIAN CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OF N. A. 755
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
This church was founded in 1907 by Louis Francescon in Chicago, 111., who
under divine guidance was called upon to work in the Lord's work. The church
is nondenominational and nonsectarian. Mr. Francescon was directed by God
to spread the gospel in the United States, mostly to the Italian people. This work
has spread not only throughout the length and breadth of the United States and
Canada, but also to Italy, Brazil, and Argentina. The various churches in the
United States are incorporated locally under State laws as separate congregations.
Each congregation is a separate entity and authority is vested in elders, deacons,
and trustees as the law may require in the various States. However, the church
in Italy is combined into one corporation named " Congregation e Cristiana"
(Christian Congregation) .
In Brazil the various congregations are grouped into one corporation known as
"Congregaca'o Christa do Brasil" (Christian Congregation of Brazil).
The "Congregazione Cristiana," Chicago, 111., is the mother church. Mr.
Francescon is senior elder and missionary. Active missionary work has been
carried on in the United States and abroad by Mr. Francescon since the beginning.
In April 1927 a convention of the various congregations was held in Niagara
Falls, N. Y., and articles of faith were adopted. Briefly stated they are: We
believe that the Bible is the infallible word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit;
there is one only living and true God, eternal, with unlimited powers, Creator
of all things, and in one God are three distinct persons: The Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit; that the Son of God is the Word, made flesh, who in reality suffered
death, not only for the primitive transgression, but also for the actual sins of
man; in the existence of a personal devil, who, with all evil spirits, will be eternally
punished in the lake of fire; that regeneration or the new birth is received only
through faith in Christ Jesus who was delivered for our trespasses and was raised
for our justification; in water baptism by single immersion; in the baptism of
the Holy Spirit as an experience received subsequent to salvation, with the
sign of speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance; in the sacrament of the
Lord's Supper; that it is necessary to abstain from things offered to idols, from
blood, from things strangled, and from fornication, as decreed by the Holy
Spirit in the General Assembly held at Jerusalem; that Jesus Christ, Himself,
bore our infirmities, and therefore we obey the following commandment: "Is
there any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let
them pray over hi Jv. anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the
prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has
committed sins, they shall be forgiven him"; that the Lord, Himself (before the
millennium) , shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch-
angel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, then
we that are alive that "are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds,
to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord; there shall
be a bodily resurrection of all dead, just and unjust, and these shall go away into
everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.
i This statement was prepared from information furnished by Mr. Louis Francescon, senior elder and
missionary of The Unorganized Italian Christian Churches of North America, Chicago, 111.
275318—41-
JEWISH CONGREGATIONS
STATISTICS
Summary for the United States, with, urban-rural classification. — A general
summary of the statistics for the Jewish Congregations for the year 1936 is pre-
sented in table 1, which shows also the distribution of these figures between
urban and rural territory.
All Jews in communities where there is a congregation are included in this
enumeration.
The classification of members by age and by sex was not reported.
TABLE 1.- — SUMMARY OF STATISTICS FOR CONGREGATIONS IN URBAN AND RURAL
TERRITORY, 1936
ITEM
Total
In urban
territory
In rural
territory
PERCENT OF
TOTAL 1
Urban
Rural
Congregations (local organizations^ number _ -
3,728
4, 641, 184
1,245
2,851
2,024
$123,284,677
$118,832,300
$4, 452, 377
$60, 911
1,171
$30, 649, 721
122
82
$410, 360
2,159
$14, 404, 427
$2, 559, 549
$3, 083, 672
$787, 050
$830, 428
$4, 174, 227
$374, 986
$135, 428
$146, 973
$712, 179
$1, 599, 935
$6, 672
1,028
6,145
104, 392
61
243
3,213
1,192
2,973
85, 420
17
4,963
3,580
4, 599, 587
1,283
2,754
1,968
$122,469,193
$118,311,463
$4,157,730
$62, 230
1,151
$30, 570, 021
120
81
$408, 360
2,091
$14, 260, 056
$2, 527, 561
$3, 066, 796
$778, 324
$822, 474
$4, 128, 259
$368, 772
$131, 316
$144, 998
$699, 076
$1, 592, 480
$6,820
1,000
6,018
103, 221
60
235
3,088
1,165
2,911
84, 738
17
4,963
142
41, 597
293
97
56
$815, 484
$520, 837
$294, 647
$14, 562
20
$79, 700
2
1
$2, 000
68
$144, 371
$31, 988
$16,876
$8, 726
$7, 954
$45, 968
$6, 214
$4, 112
$1, 975
$13, 103
$7, 455
$2, 123
28
127
1,171
1
8
125
27
62
682
96.2
99 1
3.8
.9
Members number - - -
Average membership per congregation
Synagogue bull dings t number - - ---
96.6
97.2
99.3
99.6
93 4
3 4
2.8
.7
.4
6.6
Value — congregations reporting
Amount reported _. -
Constructed prior to 1936 -
Constructed, wholly or in part, in 1936.
Average value per congregation
Debt — congregations reporting
98.3
99 7
98.4
1.7
.3
1.6
Amount reported.
Parsonages,* number
Value — congregations reporting
Amount reported ., __ _.,
99.5
96 9
99 0
98.8
99.5
98.9
99.0
98.9
98.3
97.0
98.7
98.2
99.5
.5
3.1
1.0
1.2
.5
1.1
1.0
1.1
1.7
3.0
1.3
1.8
.5
Expenditures :
Congregations reporting, number
Amount reported .
Rabbis^ salaries
All other salaries .
Repairs and improvements
Payment on congregation's debt, excluding
interest _ _
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Relief, charity, and all other benevolences..
Support of national philanthropic work
Relief abroad.
All other purposes _ ~ -
Not classified
Average expenditure per congregation
Sabbath schools :
Congregations reporting number
97.3
97.9
98.9
2.7
2.1
1.1
Officers and teachers > _., _.
Scholars. _, _
Summer vacation Bible schools :
Congregations reporting, number
Officers and teachers -_
96,7
96.1
97.7
97.9
99.2
3.3
3.9
2.3
2.1
,8
Scholars __
Weekday religious schools:
Congregations reporting, number
Officers and teachers
Scholars
Parochial schools :
Congregations reporting, number,. __ _
Scholars _ . .
100.0
1 Percent not shown where base is less than 100.
2 By parsonage is here meant a rabbi's dwelling owned by the congregation.
756
,1 liWHS 1 1. COW GffilEG ATIKXNS
757
Comparative data, 1906-36. — Table 2 presents, in convenient form for com-
parison, a summary of the available statistics of the Jewish congregations for
the census years 1936, 1926, 1916, and 1906. In 1906 the membership included
heads of families and a small number of persons known as "seat holders'7; in
both of these classes the person counted was frequently representative of a whole
household. The figures given for 1916 included other contributors besides the
seat holders, but the figures were admittedly incomplete, since there were known
to be 282 organizations that made no report of members. The figures given for
1926 and 1936 included all persons of the Jewish faith residing in communities
where there was a congregation. The number and percentage of increase between
1916 and 1926 are not given in table 2, therefore, as the figures are not comparable.
TABLE 2. — COMPARATIVE SUMMAEY, 1906 TO 1936
ITEM
1936
1926
1916
1906
Congregations (local organizations), number- .
3,728
610
19.6
4, 641, 184
559, 942
13 7
1,245
2,851
2,024
$123, 284, 677
$60, 911
1,171
$30, 649, 721
122
82
$410,360
2,159
$14,404,427
$2,559,549
$3,083,672
$787, 050
$830,428
$4,174,227
$374,986
$135,428
$146,973
$712, 179
$1,599,935
$6,672
1,028
6,145
104,392
3,118
1,499
92.6
1 4, 081, 242
(<)
(4)
1,309
1,782
1,135
$97,401,688
$85,816
792
$21,921,691
1,619
467
40.5
» 357, 135
255, 678
252.0
221
874
814
$31, 012, 576
$38, 099
566
$6, 502, 872
1,152
Increase over preceding census:
Number
Percent
Members, number _ . _
'101,457
Increase over preceding census:
Number
Percent _ _ _ _ _ _.
Average membership per congregation
88
821
747
$23, 198, 925
$31,056
449
$4, 556, 571
Synagogue buildings, number.- .
Value — congregations reporting
Amount rfipnrtfid ,„.. ™ .. ., .
Average value per congregation
Debt — congregations reporting
Amount reported _
Parsonages, * number . .
Value — congregations reporting
53
$441,600
1,290
$19,076,451
$13, 390, 597
• $1, 074, 680
$4, 611, 174
$14, 788
531
4,123
70,380
93
$164, 150
1,516
$4,352,935
$3, 087, 161
$426,916
$838,858
$2,871
615
3,528
66,522
81
$270, 550
Amount reported
Expenditures :
Congregations reporting, number . . . ..
Amount reported
Kabbis' salaries - .
All other salaries
Repairs and improvements
Payment on congregation's debt, excluding
interest
All other current expenses, including in-
terest
Relief, charity, and all other benevolences. _
Support of national philanthropic work
Relief abroad
All other purposes
Not classified
Average expenditure per congregation
Sabbath schools:
Congregations reporting, number
561
2,239
49, 514
Officers and teachers r -
Scholars .
* All Jews in communities having congregations.
3 Heads of families, seat holders, and other contributors, but admittedly incomplete.
8 Heads of families, principally male heads.
* Increase not shown, as data are not comparable,
« See footnote 2 to table 1.
State tables. — Tables 3, 4, 5, and 6 present the statistics for the Jewish congre-
gations by States. Table 3 gives for each State for 1936 the number of congrega-
tions and their membership (Jews), classified according to their location in urban
or rural territory, and data for Sabbath schools. Table 4 gives for selected
States the number and membership of the congregations for the 4 census years
1906 to 1936. Table 5 shows the value of synagogues and parsonages and the
amount of debt on synagogues for 1936. Table 6 presents, for 1936, the syna-
gogue expenditures, showing separately current expenses, improvements, benev-
olences, etc. In order to avoid disclosing the financial statistics of any individual
congregation, separate presentation in tables 5 and 6 is limited to those States in
which three or more congregations reported value and expenditures.
758
OF M2LIGIOUS BODIBIS, 1936
TABLE 3. — NUMBER AND MEMBEBSHIP OF CONGREGATIONS IN URBAN AND
RURAL TERRITORY, AND SABBATH SCHOOLS, BY STATES, 1936
GEOGRAPHIC
DIVISION AND
STATE
NUMBER OF CON-
GREGATIONS .
NUMBER OF MEMBERS
SABBATH SCHOOLS
Total
Urban
Rural
Total
Urban
Rural
Congre-
gations
report-
ing
Officers
and
teachers
Schol-
ars
United States--.
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
3,728
3, 586
142
4, 641, 184
4, 599, 587
8,328
2,789
1,661
244, 142
27, 030
87, 201
2, 186, 900
247, 489
423, 174
175, 892
25, 438
377, 809
99, 366
37, 360
39, 160
11, 888
83, 292
1,503
605
12, 922
5,260
6,292
75, 125
18, 350
22, 964
4,966
4,637
4,318
19, 504
18, 769
16, 339
23, 275
10, 135
2,843
4,188
13, 464
5,396
43, 796
696
300
690
19, 766
553
1,480
2,710
245
17, 119
10, 862
151, 596
41, 597
58
207
66
13, 852
281
3,413
10, 518
10, 272
769
50
56
1,028
5
4
2
44
7
23
231
62
130
48
22
60
21
13
11
12
21
3
2
5
5
3
13
10
21
15
12
9
15
17
12
11
14
12
7
11
5
36
1
1
1
7
1
2
3
1
8
4
45
6,145
17
4
4
284
89
124
1,352
278
594
450
101
396
117
62
80
47
255
3
6
24
21
20
65
78
138
78
59
48
75
105
82
110
70
82
31
81
32
285
6
1
1
50
3
16
10
1
29
28
253
104, 392
211
145
45
4,171
1,159
1,954
25, 439
4,621
14, 689
7,895
1,169
8,311
2,198
1,207
1,231
629
4,175
80
29
436
203
295
1,651
1,427
1,266
537
418
381
1,072
1,465
912
1,576
772
394
271
1,134
327
3,098
45
10
20
1,015
15
107
139
20
721
586
4,721
23
13
10
186
27
92
1,560
236
350
125
44
189
83
45
35
26
61
8
3
12
8
6
67
15
34
22
24
19
27
30
17
18
20
18
12
21
10
60
4
2
2
23
4
4
4
1
16
11
101
21
11
1 8
162
24
75
1,524
208
343
124
43
189
83
44
35
26
60
7
3
12
8
6
66
15
33
20
22
17
26
30
17
18
20
16
11
21
10
57
4
2
2
22
4
4
4
1
16
11
101
2
2
2
24
3
17
36
28
7
1
1
8,386
2,996
1,727
257, 994
27, 311
90, 614
2,197,418
257, 761
423, 943
175, 942
25, 494
377, 809
99, 366
37, 375
39, 160
11, 888
83, 358
1,533
605
12, 922
5,260
6,292
75, 225
18, 350
23, 564
5,391
4,711
4,408
19, 545
18,769
16, 339
23, 275
10, 135
2,897
4,224
13, 464
5,396
43,970
696
300
690
20, 116
553
1,480
2,710
245
17, 119
10, 862
151, 596
New Hampshire, .
Vermont- -..
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
C onnecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York . _
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
E. N. CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
1
15
W. N. CENTRAL:
Minnesota .
Iowa
Missouri
1
1
66
30
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
Maryland _
1
1"
2
2
2
1
100
Dist. of Columbia
Virginia - -
600
425
74
90
41
West Virginia
North Carolina-
South Carolina. __
Georgia -
Florida
E. S. CENTRAL:
Kentucky
Tennessee.
Alabama
Mississippi , .
2
1
54
36
W. S. CENTRAL:
Arkansas, ._ __ _
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas __ . -_ .
3
174
MOTTNTAIN:
Montana. __„__
Idaho -- __
Wyoming __ _
Colorado
I
350
New Mexico
Arizona
Utah _
Nevada
PACIFIC;
Washington
Oregon
California
JEWISH OO'NORBGATIOiNIS
759
TABLE 4. — NUMBER AND MEMBERSHIP OF CONGREGATIONS, 1906 TO 1936,
BY STATES
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more congregations in either 1936, 1926, 1916, or 1906
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND STATE
NUMBER OF CONGREGATIONS
NUMBER OF MEMBERS 1
1936
1936
1916
1906
1936
1926
1916
1906
United States
3,728
3,. 118
1,619
1,152
4, 641, 184
4, 081, 242
357, 135
101, 457
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine.
23
13
10
186
27
92
1,560
236
350
125
44
189
83
45
35
26
61
8
3
12
8
6
67
15
34
22
24
19
27
30
17
18
20
18
12
21
10
60
4
23
4
4
4
16
11
101
25
20
8
5
161
22
69
1, 228
188
293
116
46
168
69
38
33
28
60
9
4
11
8
4
68
11
29
23
22
19
22
27
16
17
21
19
14
19
9
51
3
22
4
4
4
11
9
81
5
6
3
4
99
3
37
798
57
105
46
27
87
17
12
7
18
16
1
2
7
3
1
29
10
15
5
8
8
15
6
7
10
15
10
12
15
11
29
4
7
1
3
3
8
7
23
2
4
2
3
48
14
18
378
56
120
53
29
56
21
26
22
12
18
1
8,386
2,996
1,727
257, 994
27, 311
90, 614
2, 197, 418
257, 761
423, 943
175, 942
25,494
377,809
99,366
37,375
39, 160
11, 888
83, 358
1,533
605
12, 922
5,260
6,292
75, 225
18, 350
23, 564
5,391
4,711
4,408
19, 545
18, 769
16, 339
23, 275
10, 135
2,897
4,224
13, 464
5,396
43, 970
696
20, 116
553
1,480
2,710
17, 119
10, 862
151, 596
1,235
7,582
2,129
1,433
213, 085
24, 034
90,165
1, 899, 597
219, 455
393, 517
166, 154
23, 622
339, 730
83, 161
31, 839
39, 925
12, 714
76, 604
1,626
380
12, 271
4,973
5,000
69, 974
16,000
22, 414
4,936
3,724
3,956
18, 366
11, 975
15, 548
18, 993
9,218
2,871
4,940
13, 845
4,098
39, 089
671
18, 950
367
933
2,290
13, 050
12, 000
122, 724
1,314
565
358
590
38, 867
762
8,688
113, 924
15,720
32, 276
20, 151
5,461
33, 377
5,383
2,612
2,740
2,595
8,347
45
270
1,695
170
250
12, 056
3,225
2,690
280
572
570
2,880
746
2,695
2,022
2,947
1,928
1,451
4,284
1,166
6,258
740
2,356
90
170
670
2,950
1,315
8,178
50
205
80
166
4,388
1,025
1,733
35, 342
4,603
15, 479
5,678
1,383
5,286
1,530
1,199
1,725
412
2,392
12
New Hampshire
Vermont - __.
Massachusetts ._
Rhode Island... . _
Connecticut
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey ___
Pennsylvania.-
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan _
Wisconsin _
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri. _
North Dakota _
South Dakota
Nebraska
8
5
2
31
3
18
3
9
7
13
5
10
12
13
17
11
20
2
25
3
13
3
1
3
6
4
24
435
175
207
2,153
698
915
220
234
312
897
323
1,147
919
1,141
746
673
1,618
72
1,676
152
853
120
20
183
488
414
2,028
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware.. _ _ __
Maryland .. . __
District of Columbia
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Kentucky _ _,
Tennessee. ._
Alabama _.
Mississippi.. _.
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana „_
Oklahoma . _ . ..
Texas
MOUNTAIN:
Montana _ .__
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona..
Utah
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
Other States
i See footnotes to table 2.
a Includes: Idaho, 2; Wyoming, 2; and Nevada, 1.
760
CELSIUS OF BlELiaiO'TJS BOD-IBS, 1936
TABLE 5. — VALUE OF SYNAGOGUES AND PAESONAGES AND AMOUNT OF SYNAGOGUE
DEBT BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more congregations reporting value of synagogue
buildings]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
Total
num-
ber of
con-
grega-
tions
Num-
ber of
syna-
gogue
build-
ings
VALUE OF SYNA-
GOGUE BUILDINGS
DEBT ON SYNA-
GOGUE BUILDINGS
VALUE OF PAR-
SONAGES I
Con-
grega-
tions
report-
ing
Amount
Con-
grega-
tions
report-
ing
Amount
Con-
grega-
tions
report-
ing
Amount
United States
3,728
2,851
2,024
$123, 284, 677
1,171
$30, 649, 721
82
S410, 360
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
23
13
10
186
27
92
1,560
236
350
125
44
189
83
45
35
26
61
8
12
8
6
67
15
34
22
24
19
27
30
17
18
20
18
12
21
10
60
23
4
16
11
101
20
18
9
7
172
23
71
1,007
209
292
102
37
162
64
38
34
24
49
6
9
8
5
56
13
33
13
20
12
22
26
17
18
18
15
9
23
9
54
21
4
14
11
83
14
12
6
4
107
14
49
850
115
176
61
27
88
36
27
24
20
35
4
6
6
3
29
12
21
12
13
9
16
21
12
12
15
13
8
15
6
43
17
4
12
7
47
MO
154, 500
72, 500
39, 000
6,493,319
595, 000
2, 107, 761
59,025,734
6, 187, 525
8,565,000
6,260,926
880,250
7,407,156
1,434,260
1, 127, 500
1,049,000
479, 250
3,731,000
48,000
288,000
168,100
140,000
2, 175, 600
607,950
492,000
382, 000
269, 150
132,000
810,000
665, 700
829, 746
788, 500
460, 000
227, 500
239, 000
1, 307, 677
100, 250
1, 870, 793
474,544
95,000
675, 656
468,000
3,823,330
136, 500
6
4
3
79
7
36
45"6
71
107
40
12
57
23
20
16
9
26
2
4
4
3
19
9
14
7
4
2
5
13
8
5
4
5
5
9
3
25
4
1
8
5
29
2
19, 200
14, 300
10, 200
2, 837, 200
151, 100
629, 730
14,018,603
1, 738, 475
2, 203, 823
1, 018, 678
121,925
2, 283, 700
620, 934
215, 847
253, 595
97, 225
1, 252, 097
3,450
32, 000
30, 750
49, 000
289, 950
118, 000
105, 150
50, 700
6,900
4,550
236,000
153, 100
225, 613
91, 300
58, 325
20, 500
8,900
380, 300
19, 850
282, 875
41, 347
1,500
89, 150
122, 650
728,729
6,500
1
1
2
8
(2)
New Hampshire
VQnriQ'nt
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut - __ __
2
32
3
8
1
1
0)
129,560
21, 500
78, 000
00
<2)
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania -
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio .
Indiana - -
Illinois - - - _
Michigan
5
2
29, 000
0)
Wisconsin.
WEST NORTH CENTRAL-
Minnesota
Iowa
3
9,300
]VIissou.ri
North. Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware _ . -.
Maryland
2
1
8
District of Columbia-
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
2
1
8
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTBAL:
Kentucky ._ . -.
Tennessee . - -
1
1
2
1
3
(2)
8
(3)
16, 150
Alabama
Mississippi
WEST SOUTH CENTEAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
5
1
33, 250
(3)
MOUNTAIN:
Colorado
Utah
PACIFIC:
Washington
Oregon
California
1
(>)
93, 600
Other States _
* See footnote 2 to table 1.
8 Amount included in figures for "Other States," to avoid disclosing the statistics of any individual con-
gregation.
3 Includes: South Dakota, 1; Montana, 2, Idaho, 1; Wyoming, 1; New Mexico, 2, Arizona, 2; and
Nevada, 1.
JKWl'riH OONG BEGAT JONS 761
TABLE 6. — SYNAGOGUE EXPENDITURES BY STATES, 1936
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more congregations reporting]
Total
r
XPENDIT0EE
a
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION AND
STATE
number
of congre-
gations
Congre-
gations
reporting
Total
amount
Rabbis'
salaries
All other
salaries
Repairs
and im-
provements
United States ,.
3,728
2,159
£14,404,427
82, 559, 549
83,083,672
$787,050
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
23
15
38, 670
9,310
7,200
3,800
New Hampshire......
13
8
20,906
4,800
300
414
Vermont
10
4
8,977
125
2,180
2,983
Massachusetts
186
120
833, 851
113, 818
152, 988
43,979
Bhode Island. _
27
18
97,318
20,855
21, 604
3,079
Connecticut
92
59
310, 644
51, 948
53, 743
17, 618
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
1,560
789
5,397,345
767, 565
1,364,341
282,427
New Jersey -
236
127
756, 166
118, 801
139, 766
45, 401
Pennsylvania
350
200
1,379,087
213, 107
268,947
80,266
EAST NORTH CENTRAL-
Ohio
125
84
756, 724
152,002
189, 359
36, 366
Indiana
44
35
175,951
48, 261
21, 246
17,908
Illinois
189
108
943, 263
163,365
187,490
50, 652
Michigan. . .
83
50
260,386
37, 264
40, 113
13, 197
Wisconsin, _
45
28
142,498
22,237
18, 764
4,727
WEST NORTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
35
26
200,719
26,980
24, 871
4,588
Iowa
2C
22
70, 598
21,582
7,592
2,158
Missouri _
61
38
392, 735
97, 705
93, 410
13, 237
North Dakota
8
7
10,441
3,625
384
50
Nebraska
12
8
56, 727
15,300
15, 755
9,960
Kansas
8
6
22, 304
6,638
1,420
765
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
6
4
29,265
8,450
9,155
1,000
Maryland
07
34
296, 413
52,340
80,758
45, 527
District of Columbia
15
12
130, 698
28,330
34,320
17,155
Virginia
34
26
81,614
33,520
9,450
2,542
West Virginia.
22
17
53,637
16, 150
6,391
1,422
North Carolina,,
24
17
63, 995
22, 125
6,800
3,453
South Carolina
19
10
26, 596
6,150
1,383
709
Georgia ..
27
17
85,884
36, 310
14,311
3,498
Florida
30
22
110,558
29, 810
9,672
3,685
EAST SOUTH CENTRAL*
Kentucky „
17
11
107, 138
31,920
24, 257
12,693
Tennessee _._
18
14
121,054
33,980
27,491
7,371
Alabama
20
17
63,468
15,900
6,200
3,725
Mississippi
18
15
53,471
18,857
4,214
2,850
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
12
7
36,560
18,400
4,320
850
Louisiana
21
17
138, 962
43, 433
29,850
10,045
Oklahoma
10
6
30,813
8,475
4,615
1,097
Texas
60
45
315, 131
85,901
50, 204
9,651
MOUNTAIN:
Montana „ „ „_ . „ ..
4
3
4,385
2,400
590
650
Colorado
23
10
101,008
26,688
21, 639
10,183
New Mexico .
4
3
7,161
4,800
380
119
Utah
4
4
13,480
3,000
2,465
100
PACIFIC:
Washington
16
12
104,308
10,000
7,301
1,710
Oregon
11
10
66,444
12,751
19,959
1,845
California
101
62
467,359
107,471
95, 624
10,995
Other States-
12
18
19, 715
7,100
850
600
i Includes: South Dakota, 1; Idaho, 2; Wyoming, 1; and Arizona, 2.
762 CELSIUS OF BEILTGIOUS BOD'IEIS, 1936
TABLE 6. —-SYNAGOGUE EXPENDI-PUKES BY STATES, 1936— Continued
[Separate presentation is limited to States having 3 or more congregations reporting]
GEOGRAPHIC DIVISION
AND STATE
EXPENDITURES— -continued
Payment
on congre-
gation's
debt,
excluding
interest
Other
current
expenses,
including
interest
Local
relief
and
charity
Support
of na-
tional
philan-
thropic
work
Relief
abroad
All other
purposes
Not
classified
"United States
3830,428
84,174,227
$374, 986
$135,428
8146, 973
$712, 179
81, 599, 935
NEW ENGLAND:
Maine
4,300
5,810
9,984
512
302,593
35,743
90,532
1,697,558
237,632
419, 120
229,056
33,885
264,064
70, 252
43, 436
32, 740
9,898
93,030
1,332
7,287
2,095
5,061
50,977
38, 118
19,079
16,486
8,787
2,185
23,025
31,735
20,959
27,425
4,533
9,395
8,165
31,397
6,500
45,841
550
23,951
1,685
857
27,493
18, 970
163, 044
1,450
550
1,025
553
14, 532
1,193
5,486
177,029
21, 155
32, 655
11,447
701
21, 915
8,735
4,350
2,577
2,815
9,511
500
550
200
500
6,631
2,700
1,795
108
4,300
1,350
1,200
1,787
1,325
68
3,885
1,759
1,550
4,224
3,335
9,155
250
750
4,075
106
38,806
1,829
10,263
347,098
26,727
46, 634
24,710
14,019
53,818
9,336
10,425
8,683
2,480
16,581
500
500
100
100
8,212
4,700
6,143
6,230
9,785
1,850
1,366
5,182
2,900
2,966
4,200
2,149
400
618
3,141
6,700
New Hampshire
308
1,510
5,473
540
3,190
42, 526
9,929
3,425
7,101
10,250
12, 196
2,462
200
1,250
1,335
410
300
400
Vermont
700
42, 364
11,930
21, 289
211,950
36,976
165,017
45, 613
5,930
71,511
22,483
5,953
8.065
1,100
12,882
200
1,300
2,000
4,899
32,069
3,600
2,752
4,250
2,645
737
1,724
18,300
10, 559
8,550
3,666
2,750
300
7,895
3,650
19, 200
308
4,701
120
2,648
65,602
16, 126
6,841
1,488
250
9,392
1,568
250
4,450
3,193
175
100
Massachusetts
114,597
425
53,927
441, 249
103, 653
143,075
59, 582
23,501
108,860
54,976
32, 156
86, 515
18, 445
55,794
3,450
5,675
9,051
Rhode Island
Connecticut- -
MIDDLE ATLANTIC:
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
EAST NORTH CENTRAL:
Ohio
Indiana. .
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin,
WEST NOBTH CENTRAL:
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas -. . . ».
35
50
1,593
625
2,185
1,000
1,700
850
2,100
750
1,025
388
1,500
2,625
1,300
3,700
SOUTH ATLANTIC:
Delaware
50
1,132
1,150
700
950
2,600
882
550
637
1,500
815
650
1,340
1,275
1,850
Maryland
18, 174
District of Columbia..,
Virginia.. ...
3,448
650
1,800
10,500
1,800
9,000
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina.
Georgia
Florida
EAST SOUTH CENTBAL:
Kentucky— . „
Tennessee
12,000
19,209
7,532
Alabama
Mississippi-
WEST SOUTH CENTRAL:
Arkansas
Louisiana
5,950
Oklahoma
Texas.
11,710
5,365
10, 182
67, 922
195
850
MOUNTAIN.
Montana, „
Colorado
9,851
1,780
100
258
1,200
806
8,626
65
100
100
5,866
77
400
3,100
335
14, 837
New Mexico
Utah.. . .
300
100
6,000
50,204
8,903
44,517
9,650
PACIFIC:
Washington
3,300
1,850
16, 318
Oregon
675
3,757
350
2,170
California.
Other States
JEWISH OO'NaREiGATIONIS 763
HISTORY, DOCTRINE, AND ORGANIZATION1
HISTORY
There were Jews in the original colonies before 1650. In New York, then New
Amsterdam, there were Jews in 1654, and in the fall of that year a company of
Jewish refugees arrived from Brazil, who settled in the colony. Although the
Dutch authorities of New Amsterdam favored the Calvinist church and did not
permit persons of pther^faiths to hold public assemblies, the Jews established their
worship upon their arrival in the town, the population of which then numbered
only about 800 persons. Like other residents of dissident faiths, the Jews gath-
ered among themselves according to their opportunities, in their own homes or
in a hired room, beginning to do so as soon as there were enough persons to hold
public worship. In July 1655 they applied to the authorities for a plot for
a cemetery. With the granting of this application, in 1656, the Congregation
Sheerith Israel (Remnant of Israel), the first Jewish congregation in North
America, entered upon its career as an institution. Its first minister was one
named Saul Brown (originally Moreno, Spanish for Brown), who came to the
congregation from Newport, R. L, and he officiated in the synagogue regularly.
He died in the year 1682, at which time the congregation was occupying a rented
building on Mill Street, now South William Street.
Other Jewish communities were formed in Newport, R. I. (1658); in Savannah,
Ga., Jews having been in the company which came with Oglethorpe; in Charles-
ton, S. C.; in Philadelphia, Pa.; and in Richmond, Va.; all in colonial times. In
1850 there were 77 Jewish congregations, located in 21 of the then 31 States of the
Union. In 1877 there were at least 277 congregations in the country and 230,000
Jews; m 1890, 533 congregations and probably 475,000 Jews; in 1906, 1,700
congregations and about 1,775,000 Jews; in 1916, 1,900 congregations and about
3,300,000 Jews; in 1926, 3,118 permanent congregations and 4,081,000 Jews; and
in 1936, 3,728 congregations and 4,641,184 Jews residing in the cities, towns, and
villages in which the congregations were located.
DOCTRINE
The Jewish religion is a way of life and has no formulated creed, or articles of
faith, the acceptance of which brings redemption or salvation to the believer, or
divergence from which involves separation from the Jewish congregation. On
the other hand, it has certain teachings, sometimes called doctrines or dogmas,
which have been at all times considered obligatory on the adherents of the Jewish
religion.
The unity of God. — The fundamental doctrine of the Jewish religion is that
God is One, At all times the religion of the Jew vigorously protested against
any infringement of this dogma of pure monotheism, whether by the dualism of
the East or by the Trinitarianism of the West. It never permitted the attributes
of justice and of love to divide the Godhead into different powers or personalities.
God is a Spirit without limitations of form, eternal, noncorporeal, unique, omnis-
cient, omnipotent, and one. "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is
One" is the declaration of faith which the Jew pronounces daily and breathes it
even in his hour of death. God is the Creator of the world. He is also the
preserver of the world, its ruler, and the arbiter of its destiny. He was God from
the very beginning, and the worship of other gods is a rebellion against the
universal God beside whom there is no other. "Look unto Me, and be ye saved,
all the ends of the earth; for I am God and there is none else" (Isaiah, xlv, 22).
He is the God of righteousness, mercy, love, and holiness; the ideal of moral
perfection. God is "our Father, our Redeemer for everlasting" (Isaiah, Ixiii, 16) ;
He is not remote from mortal man in his need, but He is rather, as Jewish sages
have put it, "near, nearer than any other help or sympathy can be," who "appears
to each according to his capacity or temporary need." A Jew cannot compromise
with idolatry or polytheism; indeed he is enjoined to give his life rather than to
renounce the purity of his religion.
The world and man. — The world is a cosmic unit and it is good. The Holy
One created and sustains the earth and the heaven, light and darkness, life and
death; and the world is ruled by everlasting wisdom and kindness. There is
no cosmic force for evil, no principle of evil in creation. There is no inherent
impurity in the flesh or in matter, and man is not subject to Satan. There is
i This statement, which is substantially the same as that published in vol. II of the Report on Religious
Bodies, 1926, was furnished by Dr. H. S. Linfield, director of the Jewish Statistical Bureau, New York
City.
764
no original sin; sin is the erring from the right path. The crown and the acme of
God's creation is man. He is capable of perfection without the aid of an extra-
neous being, and, being born free, is able to choose between good and evil, and is
endowed with intelligence; "God created man in His own image" and made him
"but little lower than the angels." From one man did all the races of the earth
descend, and thus they constitute one family. This doctrine of the unity of the
human family is a corollary of the doctrine of the unity of God. The One God
is in direct relation with man, all men, there being no mediator between God
and man, and all men may attain to immortality through following the good life;
for immortality, the Jewish religion teaches, is the reward of human righteousness.
There is in this respect no distinction between its own adherents and those of
other faiths. As one ancient teacher exclaims : "I call heaven and earth to witness
that whether it be Jew or gentile, man or woman, manservant or maidservant,
according to their acts does the divine spirit rest upon them."
The future of mankind and Israel. — The perfection of humanity through the
unfolding of the divine powers in man is the aim of history. There is to be a
divine kingdom of truth and righteousness on this earth. Daily the Jew concludes
his prayers by declaring his hope to behold speedily the time when God, in the glory
of His might, will be manifested, and the abominations will be removed from the
earth and idolatry utterly cut off, and He will perfect the world as the kingdom
of the Almighty, and all flesh will call upon His name. This kingdom is the hope
of mankind and the goal toward which it is striving. Whether or not this universal
kingdom of God will be preceded by the day of God or by a universal judgment
when "all that work wickedness shall be stubble," Jewish religion teaches the
coming on this earth of a social order of human perfection and bliss, of peace
without end, when none shall hurt or destroy, and when the earth shall be full
of the knowledge of the Lord (Isaiah chapters ix, xi); this is the Messianic era.
Israel is a unique people that shall never cease (Jeremiah xxxi, 36) . It is not
claimed that this people is better than others or that it possesses a special share of
the divine love; but it is affirmed, and the Jew daily declares this faith in his
g:ayers, that God has brought them near to His great name, to give thanks unto
im, and to proclaim His unity. In this sense Israel is called a "kingdom of
priests and a holy nation" (Exodus xix, 6), selected or assigned by God for His
special purpose. Because of this duty they are taken to task more severely than
others: "You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will
visit upon you all your iniquities" (Amos iii, 2). It is a widespread Jewish inter-
pretation that the Servant of the Lord described in Isaiah refers not to an indi-
vidual but to the Jewish people as a group. Israel is God's witness (Isaiah xli-
xliii), testifying to His existence and His unity. The duty of Israel, its imperish-
ability and restoration (Deuteronomy xxx, 1-4) and the blessed future that awaits
mankind, are doctrines of the Jewish religion.
The Law. — The belief in the unity of God, in the future hope of the world, and
in the other doctrines is of no value unless one lives in accordance with the require-
ments of the beliefs. The emphasis is not on belief, but on righteous conduct.
What is required is service of the Lord, a just system of human conduct in accord-
ance with statutes and ordinances, "which if a man do, he shall live by them."
The duty of man, created in the image of God, is to order his life entirely in
accordance with the will of God, and only by so doing can he attain perfection and
fulfill his destiny. And what does God desire of man? That was definitely con-
veyed to him. Already the first man, Adam, had received divine revelation for
his conduct and for that of his descendants; others followed, until Moses received
the full revelation, all the commandments and the statutes and the ordinances,
which should govern the life of man and lead him to moral and religious perfection.
This revelation, as contained in the Five Books of Moses, constitutes the Law of
Moses, the Law, the Torah, the Written Law, and it must be understood in the
light of Jewish tradition, the Oral Law. This Torah of divine origin, which will
not be^changed, is the foundation of the Jewish faith; and that the Jew must
order his life in accordance with the Torah has always been a basic principle of the
Jewish religion. To fear God and to keep His commandments is the whole duty
of man.
The Torah, written and oral, preeminently emphasizes the principle of justice;
other principles stressed are purity and truth, optimism and hope, joy and thanks-
giving, holiness and the love of God. Righteousness and compassionate love are
demanded for the fatherless, the widow, the oppressed, the stranger, and even the
criminal; charity is zedakah, justice to the needy; and compassion is required even
for the dumb animal. Further, a man's life must be permeated by purity of heart
and built on truth. For, "the seal of the Holy One is truth" and "upon truth
rests the world." Hope and optimism are other requirements, and hope is but
J EWB3 H OO'NGBEGATI'OSnS 765
rarely deferred to the world to come, but a man must rather wait for the moral and
spiritual advancement of mankind in this world. At times this world is declared
to be "like a vestibule in which one prepares for the palace/' nevertheless, "one
hour devoted to repentance and good deeds in this world is more valuable than the
entire life of the world to come." A man should "rejoice before the Lord" and
gratefully enjoy his gifts and fill other hearts with joy and thanksgiving; ascetism
is discouraged. The whole life of man is holy, for the "Lord our God is holy/'
and man's life should be motivated by the love of God. Twice daily a Jew recites
the Shema', a declaration which contains the words "Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might. " It implies
the purest motives for action, specifically serving the Lord, not from fear but
rather out of love and for the sake of God and the glorification of His name; the
doing of good, not in view of any reward, but for its own sake; and the love of
man and the most "unselfish devotion and the willing surrender of one's life itself
whenever the cause of God demands.
Other fundamental teachings of the law, written and oral, are freedom of will
and human responsibility, divine providence, retribution, resurrection of the dead,
the power of repentance and of prayer. Man is free, the choice between good and
evil having been left to him as a participant of God's spirit; man is responsible for
his own actions. In close relation with the doctrine of divine providence stands
that of retribution — that God rewards the righteous and punishes transgressors.
The doctrine of the soul's immortality and of a future life in which retribution
shall take place is plainly set forth in the Talmud, and the belief in the resurrection
of the dead is closely connected with the doctrines of immortality and of retribu-
tion in the hereafter. Emphasis is laid on the power of repentance to avert from
man the evil which threatens and to procure for him God's grace, and on the effi-
cacy of the prayer "of all that call upon Him in truth." There is no need for any
mediator when one prays to God, "for the Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon
Him." He hears great and small alike.
The Torah emphasizes the need of study and education. It imposes a duty upon
every father to instruct his children and upon the community to provide for the
general instruction of old and young. The law sanctifies labor and makes the
teaching of a trade whereby one may earn his living a duty upon the father and
upon the communal authorities. Each man is enjoined to build a home and to
contribute to the welfare of human society; celibacy, except under rare circum-
stances, is unlawful. Systematic care of the poor is a duty of a community.
Love of one's country and loyalty to his government is enjoined upon every Jew,
and he is solemnly adjured to seek the peace of his country and to pray for the
welfare of its government.
Side by side with these universal principles of conduct the Torah surrounds
the Jewish people with numerous laws and rites. Some laws, also called testi-
monies, have been given to make Israel testify to God's miraculous guidance, such
as the festive seasons of the year; others, called signs, are tokens of the covenant
between God and Israel, such as circumcision and the Sabbath; and still others,
also called statutes, are divine marks of distinction — special means to preserve
Israel and its group life. The covenant at Sinai made Israel a society "of priests
and a holy nation" and laws were given to them designed to preserve the priestly
character of the nation. Some of these appeal to the human reason while others
do not, but even those which human intelligence is unable to grasp, are, through
belief in their divine origin, vouchsafed the same high religious importance.
Judaism is bound up with the Jewish people. "Ye shall be holy unto Me; for
I the Lord am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, that ye should be
Mine" (Leviticus xx, 26). These particularistic religious obligations of the
Torah, written and oral, enabled the small Jewish people to resist the disintegrat-
ing forces of the idolatry and error which surrounded them, and encouraged the
Jews to live by the principle, ascribed by the early rabbis to Abraham, "let all
the world stand on the one side, I side with God and shall win in the end." The
laws gave the Jews the strength to withstand the persecutions of the nations and
the vicissitudes of time, and to fight for the truth amidst a hostile world. The
Jewish religion knows of no sacraments, in the sense of rites by which a person is
brought in bodily relationship to God; but the whole life of the Jew, even his
commonest acts, are invested with religious obligations and meanings, and they
are regarded as a sign of merit; as the rabbis have put it, "The Holy One, blessed
be He, was pleased to bestow merit upon Israel and therefore heaped upon them
laws and commandments." A pious man is "eager in the pursuit of religious
obligations" and they fill the life of the Jew with a higher joy.
The Jewish religion in its relation to other faiths. — The Jewish religion enjoins
upon its adherents the application of one law for Jew and members of other faiths,
766
home-born or stranger; "Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger
as for the home-born57 (Numbers xxiv, 22). The harsh expressions found some-
times in ancient Jewish lore, concerning the heathen and the laws against him,
are directed against the moral depravity ascribed to the heathen because of his
unehastity and violence; he is always under grave suspicion of immoral conduct.
The Jewish religion recognizes two classes of proselytes — "a proselyte of the
gate" is one who abandons idolatry and accepts instead the seven Noachian laws
of humanity, while "a proselyte of righteousness" is one who submits to the
Abrahamic rite and becomes a full member of the House of Israel. No distinction
whatever is drawn between a born Jew and a proselyte of righteousness. In
former centuries, the Jews carried on an extensive proselytizing propaganda; later
the world conditions prevented it. But whether as a result of that interference
or not, proselytizing activities have since been neglected. In the fullness of time,
however, the prophetic promises of the universal recognition of God will be ful-
filled, and as the Jew expresses it in his prayers on New Year's Day, "God will
reign in His fjlory over the whole universe and all the living shall say, the Lord,
God of Israel, is King, and His kingdom ruleth over all."2
ORGANIZATION
The polity of the Jewish congregations is characterized by the independence
which the individual congregations enjoy. There is no synod, conference, as-
sembly, hierarchy, or other organization which directly controls the ritual and
synagogal customs of the congregation or its organization; nor do the Jewish
congregations feel the need of any; all congregations teach the doctrines of the
faith, accept the inspiration of the* Law, and hold to the unity of Israel.
Due to the fact that the Jews in the United States came from many countries,
some congregations differ slightly from others in the version of their prayer book
and synagogal customs — (nussah— version, or minhag =G\istom) — and also in
matters of polity. One important group of congregations uses a prayer book
designated as of "German version" and follows the synagogal customs that go
with it (Congregation So and So nussah Ashkenaz), and another important group
uses a prayer book known as of "Spanish version" (Congregation So and So
nussah Sefarad) . The great majority of the latter group are known also as hasidic
congregations. There are also others, like Spanish-Portuguese congregations
(Congregation So and So Portuguese minhag). These are sometimes designated
as orthodox congregations, to distinguish them from others known as conservative
congregations or as reform (or liberal, or progressive) congregations. The
conservative congregations, which as a rule use the "German version," are at
other times classed with the orthodox congregations as distinguished from the
reform congregations, whose version of the book of common prayer was once
known as "American custom" ("minhag America"), but which is now known as
the Union Prayer Book. These divisions are old. In the first American Jewish
directory of congregations, published in 1854, 41 congregations reported the rite
in use. Of these 19 described themselves as of German nussah, 12 Polish (Sep-
hardic) minhag, 7 Portuguese minhag, 1 Bohemian minhag, and 2 were designated
as Netherland or Dutch congregations. Congregations further differ in the use of
Hebrew and of the vernacular in the prayers and in the sermon. All congregations
use Hebrew in their prayers; but numerous congregations make extensive use of
English, while still others use little or none at all. As for the sermon, in some
congregations the rabbis preach in English only; in other congregations, in English
on some occasions and in other vernaculars, specifically Yiddish — a dialect of
German with a large admixture of Hebrew words — on other occasions; while in
still others, whose congregants are mostly immigrants, the rabbis preach solely
in Yiddish or other vernaculars best understood by the congregants. The con-
gregations differ also in the use of music in the services. Some congregations
abstain from the use of instrumental music, regarding the latter as unlawful in
synagogal services. Such congregations often have choirs of men, but not of
women; others admit women to their choirs. To pray in the synagogues with
covered heads is regarded as a synagogal custom by the great majority of the
congregations, but some congregations pray with uncovered heads. Another
point of difference is that of the seating of women side by side with men in the
a The reader is referred to the Jewish Encyclopedia, articles "Judaism" and "Theology." by K Kohler
and J. Z. Lauterbach, respectively; also to M. Friedlander, "The Jewish Religion," London, 1927. and
Morris Joseph , "Judaism As Creed and Life," London, 1925.
JEWISH OO'Ka'RBOATIO'NiS 767
auditoriums; most congregations seat their women worshipers in a separate part
of the halls of the synagogues. These differences, however, do not divide Israel.
All congregations are as one in the chief doctrines of the faith and its observances ;
and thus, although the reform congregations deny the validity of the Holy Scrip-
tures or any book whatever as a final authority in religion, there has been nothing
in the nature of a schism in Israel; there is no established synagogue, and all are
animated with a strong loyalty to the common cause of Judaism. In 1936 the
3,728 congregations represented Portuguese minhag, German nussah, Spanish
nussah, orthodox, conservative, reform, and others, all established to serve the
religious needs of the 4,641,184 Jews living in places in which the congregations
were located.
A congregation consists of a number of corporate members. New congrega-
tions are formed when some public-spirited and zealous Jews of a neighborhood
realize that the need for a congregation exists and, being able to bear its financial
and other responsibilities, organise one for the neighborhood or the town. To
join a congregation is not a matter of salvation; but it gives a Jew an opportunity
to serve his community, imposes upon him. fiscal and other responsibilities, and
confers upon him certain privileges and advantages which the institution offers
to members. There are no examinations for membership. But those congrega-
tion every one of whose members is a strict observer of the Sabbath will not
admit Jews who are not such; and no congregation will admit to membership
one who is not a Jew of unimpeachable character. Married women and un-
married children are not, as a rule, members of a congregation in their own name,
but they enjoy the privileges of the institution by reason of the membership
of the husbands or fathers. A woman or unmarried son, who is prominent
because of her or his public spirit or zeal or financial standing and who is able to
serve the community, is often a corporate member in her or his own name. Some
Jews, while they are not corporate members of their neighborhood congrega-
tion, are pew holders; through purchase or inheritance they acquire a [seat in
the synagogue and this entitles them to certain privileges, imposes upon them
responsibilities, and offers them opportunities to serve their community. Others
are neither corporate members nor pew holders, but regular or occasional wor-
shipers with the congregation. Such worshipers and others, and in many con-
gregations also corporate members, pay for the use of a seat in the synagogue
during the High Holidays. With the exception of the High Holidays and certain
special occasions, admission to the services of the congregations is free, though the
use of its educational and other institutions may not be free. Corporate members,
pew holders, worshipers, and High Holiday seat holders, as a rule, make freewill
offerings for the support of the activities of the congregation in accordance with
their means. The corporate members are usually few in number, and theoretically
they are the only ones who control the property of the congregation and its
activities. In some congregations, however, seat holders and others participate
in the management of the congregation and its institutions; their actual manage-
ment, however, is vested as a rule in the officers or trustees and in committees.
Congregations sometimes combine to form city-wide federations for the pur-
pose of meeting certain particular needs, such as the maintenance of religious
schools. Again, many congregations are members of one of the three national
federations of synagogues — the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, the
United Synagogue of America, and the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations
of America. The first aims to meet certain needs of the congregations that
commonly go under the name of reform; the second serves the conservative
congregations, and the last, the orthodox congregations. In 1936 the combined
membership of the 3 unions was nearly 900 congregations out of a total of
3,728 congregations.
The Jewish ministry consists of rabbis, trained men who have received ordina-
tion from one or more known rabbis, and they are graduates of theological semi-
naries, or former fellows of theological academies. Sometimes a congregation
will accept one as its rabbi who lacks ordination or who is not a graduate of a
seminary, but the practice is becoming rare. American trained rabbis are gradu-
ates of theological seminaries, college graduates, and are fully ordained. In addi-
tion to the rabbis, many congregations, realizing the importance of the prayer
service in synagogal worship, engage a reader or a cantor (Hazan) . The sexton,
too, occupies a more or less important position in the Jewish congregation. But
it is the rabbi who is the teacher, preacher, and leader of bis congregation; he
performs the office of the Jewish religious functionary, decides matters of Jewish
law and ritual, and guides his congregation or community.
768
WORK
The work of the Jewish congregations is inseparable from the work of the
Jewish community as a whole. It is the aim of the latter to care for the religious,
educational, charitable, and social needs of the Jews; and numerous organizations
exist for the purpose of serving as tools in meeting those needs. All these
organisations are voluntary and are supported by Jews as individuals and not
by central ecclesiastical organizations. It is not possible to speak of Jewish
congregational work in a way similar to that of the churches among other religious
bodies. The congregations perform some tasks and other Jewish organizations
perform other tasks, the totality of the results of which constitutes the life and
work of the Jewish community.
Worship and ritual. — The congregation is the chief organization of religion.
It supplies or seeks to supply adequate facilities for worship. During the past
decade, unlike former years, the facilities for Jewish worship kept pace with the
increase of the Jews of the country. Yet during the High Holidays the inade-
quacy of permanent buildings forces congregations to hire halls for overflow
meetings, and numerous benevolent organizations, and also private persons,
form High Holiday congregations and provisional synagogues. The promotion
of Sabbath and holiday observance is a field of activity which engages the con-
gregations and their functionaries, and there is also a national organization,
the Jewish Sabba,th Alliance of America, devoted to this work. . The solem-
nization of marriage is the work of functionaries of the congregations, especially
the rabbis. The latter also grant decrees of divorce in accordance with the
requirements of Jewish law, but only after a civil divorce has previously been
granted by the State courts. AJI ritual matters are the specific tasks of the
rabbis and^their congregations; they reveal their interest^ the important rituals
of circumcision and of ritual purity. The rabbis exercise supervision over the
slaughtering of animals for food, and care for the distribution of kosher meat
and meat products in accordance with the religious requirements of the Jews.
A few States have laws making it a misdemeanor to sell non-kosher meat or meat
products, while falsely representing them as kosher; and this law, in the State
of New York, has been declared constitutionally valid by the Supreme Court
of the United States. Chaplaincy is another field of activity of the congregations
and their functionaries, though there are also special societies for service among
Jews in State institutions. Religious work among men of the Jewish faith in the
United States Army and Navy is under the control of the Jewish Welfare Board,
a national organization which seeks to provide adequate opportunity for religious
worship and to assure the hospitality of Jewish communities adjacent to military
and naval posts, for Jews in the armed forces of the country. An important field
of activity of the congregations is the matter of the burial of Jews in accordance
with the requirements of the Jewish faith. As a rule, congregations own their
cemeteries or have cemetery societies, which offer facilities for the burial of mem-
bers, and also of nonmerabers and of the poor. There are, however, numerous
cemetery associations not connected with congregations, cemeteries owned by
benevolent organizations, free burial societies, and also Jewish private burial
associations, all of which bury the dead in accordance with Jewish religious custom.
Finally, the rabbis of the congregations render decisions in religious matters and
also in Jewish communal matters iti accordance with Jewish law, and a decision
of a known rabbi, or a group or a conference of rabbis, is accepted by Jews as
binding, in spite of the fact that the person or group which renders the decision
completely lacks the means of enforcing compliance.
The promotion of religious life in the Jewish community is the work not only of
the individual congregations and their functionaries, but also of other organiza-
tions. These are especially the city- wide federations of congregations, the
national federations of congregations, the city-wide associations of rabbis wherever
they exist, the national federations of rabbis, and finally the Synagogue Council
of America which aims to further the religious interests which its constituent
organizations have in common. Its constituents are the Union of American
Hebrew Congregations, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America,
and the United Synagogue of America; the Central Conference of American
Rabbis, the Rabbinical Assembly of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America,
and the Rabbinical Council of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of
America. One of the functions of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, it
may be added here, is to provide for relief of members, their widows, and orphans.
Broadly speaking, all Jewish organizations, whether engaged primarily in the
field of worship and ritual, of education and culture, or of charity and social work,
seek to further the religious life of the Jewish communities.
JEWISH OONG'RFJGATIONB 769
Education. — The religious education of the young is largely, but not wholly, in
the hands of the congregations. Numerically negligible are the Jewish parochial
schools (institutions where the children receive both their secular and religious
education) . Jewish children attend the public schools and receive their religious
education in congregational schools, in communal schools belonging to non con-
gregational societies, in private schools, or through private instruction. A Jewish
private school, generally known as heder or beth-sefer, consists usually of a group of
children whose religious education is in the hands of a master; and a small congre-
gation, unable to maintain a congregational school, sometimes arranges for the
establishment of a heder on its premises. The congregational and communal
schools, generally known as (Bate) Talmud Torah, are comparatively large institu-
tions, offering instruction to many groups of children at one time. The private
and the communal schools are generally weekday schools, which as a rule require
attendance four times a week in after public school hours; but even among the
congregational schools the system of weekday instruction is well developed.
In 1936, 1,028 congregations reported 104,392 pupils in their Sabbath schools,
which offered religious instruction on Sundays only; 1,192 congregations reported
85,420 pupils in their weekday schools. The teachers in the weekday schools are
always professional persons who receive remuneration for their work, and this is
also the case in the Sabbath schools, as a rule. There are a number of schools in
the country for the preparation of teachers, the most noteworthy of which are
connected with the institutions for the training of rabbis.
In the city of New York and in other large cities the work of the schools is
promoted by organizations generally known as bureaus, or departments, or asso-
ciations of Jewish education, which render assistance to the individual schools in
pedagogic and administrative matters; engage in increasing the enrollment of
pupils; and, often extend financial assistance and control the individual schools.
The Jews aim to provide a Jewish education for every child and to create the means
to render the education offered adequate.
The congregations also extend educational and recreational facilities to adoles-
cents and adults through their young folks' societies; through congregational
study circles, generally known as hebrah's, which consist of groups of adults en-
gaged in the study of the Holy Scriptures, the Talmud, Jewish history, etc.; and
through their "centers." The latter are similar to the noncongregational insti-
tutions commonly known as young men's or young women's Hebrew associations,
Jewish centers, Jewish educational alliances, Jewish or Hebrew institutes, which
care for the education and recreation of adults and serve the community in other
ways. These institutions enjoy the services of a national organization, the Jewish
Welfare Board, which stimulates the establishment of such organizations, assists
in their activities, and cooperates with them in the furtherance of Judaism and
food citizenship. In 1936, 305 young men's and young women's associations and
indred societies were constituent members of the national organization. Many
of the institutions for the recreation and the education of adults offer commercial
courses to young men and women. There is also a farm school, located in Bucks
County, Pa., for the preparation of Jewish boys for agricultural pursuits.
A number of Jewish societies, among them the B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundations,
seek through extra-curricular means to meet the religious and cultural needs of the
Jewish students that attend the colleges and universities. During the past
decade American Jews established, for the first time, in the city of New York, a
college offering a liberal education leading to the degree of bachelor of arts or of
science. A postgraduate institution with the right to confer the degree of Ph. 33. ,
the Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning is located in Philadelphia,
Pa. The institution is maintained for the promotion of Hebrew and cognate
languages and their respective literatures, the chief aim being the attainment^ of
ripe scholarship in Hebrew, the Bible, and rabbinic literature, connected with
original research. The college is free and open to students without distinction of
creed, color, or sex. There are several institutions for training of rabbis, and a
postgraduate school in New York for the preparation of young men and women
for Jewish social work. The Dropsie College, the theological seminaries, and
other organizations seek to promote Jewish learning in America in all its branches,
and these institutions have published important works. The former issues The
Jewish Quarterly Review, devoted to research in all the fields of Jewish learning.
The American Jewish Historical Society, organized in 1892, has issued 34 volumes
of its "publication" devoted to research in the history of the Jews of the United
States and of other countries of the Western Hemisphere. There are in the
country valuable libraries of Jewish books. Notable among these are the libraries
of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, New York City, and the Hebrew
770 CELSIUS OF EiELiaiOUS BODIEIS, 1936
Union College, Cincinnati, Ohio; and the Jewish collections in the Semitic Depart-
ment of the Library of Congress, in the New York and Philadelphia public libra-
ries, and in the library of Columbia University. The library of the Jewish Theo-
logical Seminary of America is famous for its large collections of Jewish manu-
scripts, incunabula, and rare books.
The Jewish Publication Society, a membership organization formed in 1888, is
engaged in the publication and the distribution of Jewish books in the English
language. It has issued a new English translation of the Holy Scriptures, which
has been declared to be one of the best translations of the Holy Scriptures into the
English tongue. Graetz's "History of the Jews/' translated from the German into
English, in 6 volumes, is another great work issued by the society, and recently it
has published a 1-volume "History of the Jewish People" by Margolis and Marx.
It is issuing a series of Jewish classics in Hebrew and in English, of which 9 volumes
have appeared. Another important publication, namely "The American Jewish
Year Book," the thirty-eighth volume of which appeared in 1936, is prepared by
the American Jewish Committee and published by the Publication Society. "The
Jewish Encyclopedia," a monumental work, in 12 volumes, was published more
than 25 years ago, by a private concern, and a new work under the name of "The
Universal Jewish Encyclopedia," in 10 volumes, is in the process of preparation.
In fact, as in other fields of Jewish activity, private concerns engage extensively in
the dissemination of the Jewish word, including prayer books, Bibles, and other
religious works. The majority of the Jewish periodicals are private undertakings.
In 1936 the Jews had 7 dailies, 78 weeklies, and 58 monthlies and other periodicals,
all of which showed great zeal for the welfare of the Jews.
Charitable and social work. — The congregations engage in charitable, quasi
charitable, and social work, A congregation may have its ladies' aid society,
men's aid society, free loan society, sick benefit society, funds for the shelter of
transients, burial society, etc. But the Jewish communities have generally found
it more efficient to have separate organizations to meet the needs of the family in
distress, the orphan, the delinquent, the widow, the sick, the immigrant and the
transient, the poor, the aged and indigent, and even the "poor dead." These
organizations are numerous; some maintain orphan asylums, hospitals, and homes
for the aged; others lend money without interest; and still others extend relief to
the needy, rehabilitate families, etc. There are also quasi charitable institutions,
such as homes for Jewish working girls and recreation camps. It is the aim of
Jewish philanthropy to care for its own needy; yet Jewish charitable institutions,
especially the hospitals, care for Jews and non-Jews alike.
One of the chief features of Jewish philanthropy is the charity federation. In
the large cities and in many smaller ones, the important charitable societies are
federated with a view to coordinating their work in the community and to effecting
economy in the collection and distribution of funds. In 1936 there were federa-
tions in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Cleveland, and 98 other cities.
In many communities city-wide societies, commonly known as Jewish welfare
funds, operate for the purpose of collecting and allocating funds for Jewish na-
tional institutions in America, as well as for relief work abroad. In other com-
munities the charity federations fulfill both functions.
The care of the immigrant Jew and the transient is carried on specially by the
Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society of America, located in New York
City, with branches in other cities. Jewish women immigrants are provided for
by the National Council of Jewish Women. These are large national organiza-
tions, that seek to aid the Jewish immigrant and to foster American ideals and the
knowledge of American history and institutions.
The Jewish Agricultural Society exists primarily for the encouragement of farm-
ing among Jews, through information and advice, agricultural instruction, farm
labor placement, and loans to farmers and prospective farmers; and the society
helps to form associations of farmers for economic, educational, social, and religious
advancement. Since 1900, when the society was organized, it has lent over
$8,000,000 to 13,000 Jewish farmers in 40 States. Another important economic
and quasi charitable activity of the Jewish community is the lending of money
without interest. Societies performing this function on a small scale exist in
connection with many congregations usually under the name of hebrath gemilluth
hasadim (society for the performance of good deeds); but there are communal
organizations for this work in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and other cities.
In the city of New York the Hebrew Free Loan Society (Hebrew Gemilluth
Hasadim) has, since its organization in 1892, lent without interest, $28,388,000 to
601,625 persons, Jews and non-Jews. In 1936 it lent $948,000 to 18,000 persons,
Jews and non-Jews, at the small loss of $5,000 for that year.
JEWISH OO'NG'REiaATTONS 771
Charitable work is also earned on by a class of societies the chief purpose of
which is mutual benefit. They pay to members or their beneficiaries sick benefits
and death insurance, pay burial expenses of members, and extend other benefits;
and all such societies contribute, as a rule, to the maintenance of charitable insti-
tutions and do other relief w°r^- These local societies are quite numerous, but
great numbers of such societies exist as "lodges" or as "chapters," of "orders" or
"brotherhoods." In 1936 there were 8 such orders or brotherhoods, national
organizations which had an aggregate membership of 218,000. There are also
numerous societies that do not pay insurance, nor extend other benefits, but
engage in social-philanthropic work. Like the mutual benefit societies, great
numbers of these social-philanthropic societies exist as branches of national socie-
ties. In 1936 there were 7 such brotherhoods, with a total of 163,000 members.
These include the society, B'nai B'rith, organized in 1843, which in the course of
its existence has organized and continues to maintain, in whole or in part, numerous
charitable institutions, such as: The Touro Infirmary, New Orleans, La. ; the Jewish
Orphans Home, Cleveland, Ohio -the National Jewish Hospital for Consumptives,
Denver, Colo.; the Leo N. Levi Hospital, Hot Springs, Ark.; and the B'nai B'rith
Hillel Foundations. To another class of societies belongs the Jewish War Veterans
of the United States, which in 1936 had 140 posts with 60,000 members.
Notable is the share of the Jewish women in the common cause of Judaism.
They work through a large number of women's local organizations and through
several influential national organizations. Each of the federations of congrega-
tions has an auxiliary federation of women's societies. These are the National
Federation of Temple Sisterhoods, the Women's League of the United Synagogue
of America, and the Women's Branch of the Union of Orthodox Congregations of
America. In 1936 the number of these societies was nearly 1,000. Two other
national organizations of women are the United Order of True Sisters, organized
about 1840, and the National Council of Jewish Women. In 1936 the former had
36 lodges, and the latter 200 sections. The work of the "Hadassah" Women's
Zionist Organization of America will be mentioned below; noteworthy is the work
of the National Council of Jewish Women and its sections, which maintain Sab-
bath schools, assist the Jewish immigrant woman, and care for the religious and
educational needs of Jews in rural areas and on the farms, and engage in other reli-
gious, educational, civic, and welfare work.
There is nothing among Jews corresponding to what is known among other
religious bodies as foreign mission work. Yet the Jews of America are deeply
interested in the welfare of Jews in foreign countries. Jewish work in foreign
fields may be classed as follows: (1) Work for the restoration of Palestine, and
(2) work for the protection from injustice, the relief of refugees, and the recon-
struction of Jewish communities that were destroyed or impoverished as a result
of political events and persecution abroad.
The Jew's interest in Palestine is universal and age-old. This interest has been
deepened since the declaration, made on behalf of the British Government on
November 2, 1917, by Lord Balfour, then British Secretary for Foreign Affairs,
that the "British Government views with favor the establishment in Palestine of
a national home for the Jewish people." In July 1922 the Council of the League
of Nations awarded the mandate for Palestine to Great Britain, imposing upon
her the "responsibility for placing the country under such political, administra-
tive, and economic conditions as will secure the establishment of a Jewish national
home." Previously, in 1922, the Senate and, later, the House of Representatives
of the United States, unanimously passed a joint resolution, signed by President
Harding, which provided "that the United States of America favors the establish-
ment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, it being clearly under-
stood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights
of Christian and all other non-Jewish communities in Palestine, and that the
holy places and religious buildings and sites in Palestine shall be adequately
protected." Since then, the policy of the mandatory, namely, Great Britain,
has fluctuated, and the work has not proceeded as expected. The Jewish agency
for Palestine, recognized by both the League of Nations and the mandatory, as
the supreme Jewish authority for the rebuilding of Palestine, has severely criticized
the policy of the mandatory in recent years. In spite of that, the interest of the
Jews in Palestine has not abated.
The principal organization in the United States for the restoration of the
Holy Land is the Zionist Organization of America, which in 1936 had 72,000
members, of whom 51,000 were enrolled in the "Hadassah" Women's Zionist
Organization; another Zionist body, the Mizrahi Organization of America, had in
1936, 27,000 members. The chief work of the women's branch is to maintain in
Palestine hospitals, clinics, and other health institutions where service is given
27f>.'tt8 — 41 -- 50
772 CEOTU'S' OF ElEtLiaiO'US BODIES, 1936
to Jews, Christians, and Mohammedans alike. American Jews contribute large
sums for the rebuilding of the Holy Land, settling refugees, religious and edu-
cational work including the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. During the past
10 years, namely, 1927-36, the chief agency for the raising of funds among
Jews of the United States for Palestine, received $13,412,632 for the work of the
restoration of the Holy Land.
American Jewry very early began to evince its interest in the welfare of the
Jews of foreign countries and in their rights as citizens of the countries where they
lived. As early as 1859 the then Board of Delegates of American Israelites con-
ceived it to be its duty to watch occurrences at home and abroad, that the civil and
religious rights of Israelites might not be encroached upon; and in 1878, when that
board was combined with the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, a stand-
ing committee, now abolished, was created under the name of the Board of Dele-
gates on Civil and Religious Rights. In 1906, following the pogroms in Russia of
1905, the American Jewish Committee was instituted. The objects of the com-
mittee are to prevent infraction of the civil and religious rights of the Jews, to
secure for the Jews equality of opportunity, to alleviate the consequence of perse-
cution, and to afford relief from calamities. It has issued a number of publications,
and since 1908 it has prepared the material for the American Jewish Year Book,
already mentioned. In 1913 the charitable society known as B'nai B'rith, men-
tioned above, organized its Anti-Defamation League, for the purpose of promoting
good will and the ideal of American democracy. The American Jewish Congress
was organized in 1916, and reorganized in 1920, to promote Jewish rights and to
defend such rights wherever they are violated. Finally, in 1934, the Jewish
Labor Committee was formed to help fight fascism and nazi-ism and the propa-
ganda of these subversive movements in our country, and to represent organized
Jewish labor in all Jewish social causes.
The World War and its aftermath, the pogroms in Russia, and the upheavals
in Germany and other countries have made large numbers of Jews terror-stricken
refugees, and have otherwise ruined millions of Jews in Europe and other parts
of the world. This catastrophic situation called forth an unprecedented activity
among American Jews for the relief of their brethren Between October 1914 and
the end of 1936, the central relief-distributing organ, the American Jewish Joint
Distribution Committee, distributed the amount of $86,342,514 for the relief of
Jewish and also non-Jewish war sufferers, Jewish pogrom victims, and German
refugees. Since 1914 American Jewry has been called upon to help save the
refugees, reconstruct the Jewish communities, and rehabilitate the religious and
educational institutions of literally millions of Jews; and American Israel could not
fail their suffering brethren abroad.
INDEX
773
INDEX
[Page references for the various denominations, with their statistical tables and statements covering their
history, doctrine, organization, and work, may be found m the table of contents, pp v to vu]
Page
Aaronic priesthood, m Mormon Church __ _ 802
Abdu'1-Baha (servant of Baha), successor to Baha'u'llah 80
Abhedananda, Swarm, founder of Vedanta Society _ 1663
Adler, Felix, founder of New York Society for Ethical Culture ._ 54
Advent Christian Church __ _ _ _ 7
Advent, Second, belief nr
Adventist bodies. ___ 3-48
American Baptist Association 249
Assemblies of God, General Council- _ 71
Brethren Church (Progressive Dunkers), The 288
Calvary Pentecostal Church 1359
Catholic Apostolic Church 350
Christadelprnans. _ - 356
Christian Nation Church 1241
Church of Christ (Holiness) U. S. A _ 389
Church of Christ (Temple Lot) 827
Church of Eternal Life. _ 1206
Church of God (Headquarters, Anderson, Ind.) 415
Church of God (New Dunkers) _ _ _ 290
Church of God (Salem, W. Va ) 425
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ._ 812
Church of the Full Gospel, Inc. _ 3243
Church of the Nazarene 461
Churches of Christ in Christian Union of Ohio. _ - 472
Colored Primitive Baptists _ „ 233
Congregational Holiness Church _. _ 532
Duck River and Kindred Associations of Baptists (Baptist Church of Christ) 211
Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas 696
General Association of Regular Baptist Churches in the United States of America 258
General Church of the New Jerusalem _ _ 510
Holiness Church 726
Independent Baptist Church of Amoiica 242
International Church of the Foursquare Gospel _ - 745
International Pentecostal Assemblies _ _ 1342
Italian bodies _ 747-755
Kodesh Church of Immanuel 1 255
Monnonite Brethren in Christ 1058
Missionary Church Association 672
New Apostolic Church ... ._ _ _ 1295
(Original) Church of God, The _ 420
Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ _ 1328
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World. 1348
Pentecostal Church, Inc , The 1336
Pentecostal Church of God of America, Inc 1353
Pentecostal Fire-Baptized Holiness Church 1356
Pentecostal Holiness Church. ___ 1321
Pilgrim Holiness Church _ ___ 1370
Pillar of Fire - 681
Plymouth Brethren •_ __ ._ 291-328
Primitive Baptists _ 225
Reformed Methodist Church _. - 1171
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 822
(Tomlmson) Church of God 432
Triumph the Church and Kingdom of God in Christ - _ 1274
Wesleyan Methodist Connection (or Church) of America - 1125
0753x5 — 41 go 775
776 INDEX
Page
Ad ventist bodies- __ „ _ - 3
African Methodist Episcopal Church _ 1175
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church., _ - ... 1187
African Orthodox Church _ 49
African Union Methodist Protestant Church _ . ___ 1206
Alaska, Russian Church in ._ 589
Albanian Orthodox Church 553
Albany Conference, declaration of Adventist principles by _ 4
Albright, Jacob, founder of Evangelical Association 626,634
Allen, Richard, first bishop of African Methodist Episcopal Church _ 1184
Amana Church Society 3237
American Baptist Association _ 243
American Board, first foreign missionary society... 88,521,1399,1506
American Catholic Church 1300
American Ethical Union 53
American Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Eastern Church _ 557
American Lutheran Church _ 866
American Lutheran Conference _ - 858
American Millennial Association, organization of - _ _ 5
American Old Catholic Church (Incorporated) _. _„_ _ 1302
American Rescue, Workers _._ _ 56
Amida (Infinite Life and Light) - ._ 344
Amish Mennonites ,.„, 1005,1006
Amman, Jacob, leader of Amish Mennonite movement _ 1006, 1023, 1039
Anabaptists,
baptism of Menno Simons by 1002
early history of _ .. 83,1002
Huttenan Brethren, Mennonites, founded by - * 1019
Unitarian beliefs of some _ - 1622
Andrew, James 0., bishop of Methodist Episcopal Church, South 1144
Angelus Temple, most complete evangelistic unit on continent 744
Anglicans,
in Westminster Assembly., 1381
proscription of, by Puritans - 1487
union with Presbyterians, as Puritans 519
Antimissionary movement among various Baptist bodies 84, 141, 186, 21 1, 224, 225
Apostles, bodies having office of:
Catholic Apostolic Church _ 350
Church of Christ (Temple Lot).. _ _.. 827
Church of God in Christ.— _ - 448
Church of Jesus Christ (Biekertonites) - 831
Church of Jesus Christ (Strangles). - _ 837
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints-. 812
New Apostolic Church . _ - 1295
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints _ 823
Apostolic Christian Church - 638
Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean) - 642
Apostolic Episcopal Church (The Holy Eastern Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox Church) . _ 560
Apostolic Faith Mission _ 646
Apostolic Methodist Church _ 1172
Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God - 60
Armenian Christians,
history of _ 381
persecutions of _ 381-383
Asbury, Francis,
contact with United Brethren churches 16E2
dedicated first Negro church _ 1184
elected as a bishop at "Christmas Conference" - 1097
established first Methodist Sunday school __ _ 1098
superintendent of Methodist Episcopal Church .' 1097
Askew, R, H , early leader of Church of the Full Gospel, Inc .- 1243
Assemblies of God, General Council , 63
Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, see The General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presby-
terian Church. 1451
Associate Reformed Synod of the South, see The General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presby»
terian Church , , _ _, , 1456
INDEX 777
Associate Synod of North America (Associate Presbyterian Church), see The Synod of the Associate
Presbyterian Church of North America ....... _______________________ ..... _________ ............ _ 1446
Assyrian Jacobite Apostolic Church _____________ ...... _________________________ ..... _____ .......... 73
Augsburg Confession, see Confession of Faith.
Augsburg, Friends of, see "Friends of Augsburg."
Augsburg Seminary, disagreement over, basis of organization of Lutheran Free Church ______ ..... 898
Augustana Synod ............... .. ______________ ........ _ ..... __________ ..... _ .......... __ ........ 874
Austin, Ann, pioneer Quaker in the United States ________ ......... _____ ....... . ........... _ ....... 706
B ab, The, see Mirza 'All Muhammad.
Baha'is _________ ..... _ .......... ___________________________ ........ ___________ ..... _ .......... _____ 76
Baha'u'llah, founder of Baha'i cause .............. _________ ..... _ ........ ___________ ..... __________ 79
Banks, A. A., founder National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Saving Assembly of the United
States of America ........ _ .......... _____ ..... _ ..... _ .................... _ ..... _ ................ 265
Baptism, by immersion
Adventist bodies ............ ___________ ...... _____________ .......... __________ ......... ________ 3-48
Assyrian Jacobite Apostolic Church ........ ___________ ............ _ ...... _ ............. .._ ..... 75
Baptist bodies ____________ ................. ________ ........ . ...... ______ ....... ... ............ 83-265
Calvary Pentecostal Church _ .......... ________________ ...... ______________________ ........... 1359
Ghnstadelphians ........... . ......... _________________________ ..... _____ ......... _____ ........ 356
Christian and Missionary Alliance, The _______________________ ...... _____ ...................... 358
Church of Armenia in America _______ .... ........... _________ ... ......... . ......... ____ ..... 383
Church of Christ (Holiness) U. S. A ........ .. ............ __________ ......... ... ................ 389
Church of Christ (Temple Lot) ............. ... ......... . ......... . ............ . ...... _____ ..... 827
Church of God _____ ........................................... ______ ....... ____________ ......... 407
Church of God (Apostolic) .................... - ............... _______ ...... _ .................... 656
Church of God (Headquarters, Anderson, Ind)- ..................... _______ .................... 415
Church of God (Salem, W. Va.) ...................... ... ............... ______________ ..... _____ 424
Church of God and Saints of Christ ..................................... ______ ...... . ........... 439
Church of Godm Christ... ..... ________ ................................... . ................... 448
Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertomtes) ...... . ......... ___ ................. . ___________ .......... 831
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ..... _ ..... . ................................. . ....... 812
Church of the Gospel ................................... - ....... . ........................... .... 1267
Churches of Christ ________ ................................... _ ............ . .............. . ...... 470
Churches of God, Holiness ............... ____ ........ - ..... ____________ ................ _ ...... 477
Churches of the Living God .......................... . ........... _______ ........ . ..... . ...... 486-497
Disciples of Christ.... ......................... . ................ . ........... ______ ..... . ........ 542
Eastern Orthodox Churches .............. _______________ ................... . ..... . ....... ____ 549-604
Faith Tabernacle .............. . .............. ... .................... . ................. - ....... 1270
General Eldership of the Churches of God m North America ............ - ....................... 485
German Baptist Brethren (Dunkers) ..... . ..... .. .......................................... ._ 266-290
House of God, the Holy Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth, House
of Prayer for All People, The ................ . ............................................... 1251
International Pentecostal Assemblies .......................................... . ................ 1342
Italian bodies .......................................................... . ...................... 747-755
Krimmer Mennonite Brueder-Gememde _____ ................................................... 1069
Latter House of tho Lord, Apostolic Faith, The ......................................... . ....... 1272
Mennonite Brethren Church of North America ......................................... . ....... 1064
Mennonite Brethren m Christ .................................................. - ............... 1058
Missionary Church Association ................................................................. 672
(Original) Church of God, The ................ . ..................................... - ........... 420
Pentecostal Church, Inc., The. ................................................................. 1335
Pentecostal Church of God of America, Inc ..... . ................. . ................. ---- - ....... 1353
Plymouth Brethren ..... ... ...................... . ................. - ......................... 291-328
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ........ . .............................. 815
River Brethren ....... . ....................................................................... 329-340
United Holy Church of America, Inc ........................................................... 1649
— -- optional form of:
Catholic Apostolic Church, ..................................... - .......... - .......... - ......... 849
Christian Union ................................................................................ 371
Church of God as Organized by Christ,. ..... .. ......... . ................................. , ..... 660
Church of the Full Gospel, Inc ......................... . ..... - ................................. 1244
Church of the Nazarene ......................................................................... 449
778 INDEX
Page
Baptism, optional form of— Continued
Congregational and Christian Churches _ 526
Congregational Holiness Church _ 532
Evangelical Free Church of America, The ._ _ 1581
Federated Churches _ _. 691
Free Christian Zion Church of Christ — 1249
Holiness Church _ _. 726
Kodesh Church of Immanuel - 1255
Liberal Catholic Church _ _ _ 845
Methodist bodies 1082-1234
Moravian bodies „ 1276-1290
Pentecostal Holiness Church - 1313
Pilgrim Holiness Church - 1370
Pillar of Fire 681
Presbyterian Church in the United States of America 1402
Protestant Episcopal Church _ 1492
Reformed Church in America _ 1506
Schwenkfelders _ - 1589
Social Brethren 1592
United Brethren bodies 1624-1644
Univcrsalist Church _ 1658
— infant:
African Orthodox Church... _ _ 49
Assyrian Jacobite Apostolic Church 75
Church of Armenia in America _ 383
Churches of the Now Jerusalem 505,510
Congregational and Christian Churches 526
Eastern Orthodox Churches 549-604
Evangelical and Reformed Church 605
Free Magyar Reformed Church in America - 1518
Lutherans ._ - _. - 849-1001
Methodist bodies 1082-1234
Moravian bodies 1276-1290
Presbyterian Church in the United States of America 1402
Protestant Episcopal Church _ _ 1492
Reformed Church in America 1498
Reformed Episcopal Church... _ 1522
Roman Catholic Church _ _._ 1546
Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America _ 1457
United Brethren bodies-. 1624-1644
United Presbyterian Church of North America - _. - 1426
Universalist Church..- 1658
Baptist bodies 83
Baptist Church of Christ, see Duck River and Kindred Associations of Baptists 207
Baptist Young People's Union of America 112
Becker, Peter, leader of first group of German Baptist Brethren (Dunkers) to America 200, 275, 287
Beissel, John Conrad,
adoption of Seventh-day Sabbath. _. ___ 261
early connection with Gorman Baptist Brethren _. 260,261
founder of Ephrata Society.. _ _ 261,276
Belgie Confession, see Confession of Faith.
Berghes, Bishop de Landas, early leader in the Old Catholic Churches in America 1297, 1302, 1307
Berkeley, Dean, influence of, on education in the Colonies 1487
Bickerton, William, prophet and president of Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonitcs) 830
Bjarnason, Jon, pioneer Icelandic Lutheran pastor _. 987
Blair, James,
charter for William and Mary College obtained by. _. _ 1487
sent by Bishop of London as missionary to Colonies 1487
Boehm, Martin, bishop of Church of the United Brethren in Christ 1632
Bohemian, see Moravian bodies.
Bohemian and Moravian Brethren Churches _ 1289
Bonn Agreement, established unity between Old Catholic and Anglican Churches. _ 1303
Book of Mormon, translation of, by Joseph Smith.. _ 801
Booth, Gen and Mrs. Balhngton, founders of The Volunteers of America 1668
Booth, William,
attitude regarding American funds, the occasion of organization of American Rescue Workers 58
founder of the Salvation Army _ _ 1562
INDEX 779
Page
Brethren Church (Progressive Dunkers), The _____________________ .............. _ ...... _._ ...... ... 283
Brethren in Christ ...... _ . _ ..... . ........ . ........... ________ ____ ..... _ ..... ___ ...... _____ ........ 331
Brethren, River,
origin of name ___________ ........ _ ............ ____________________________________________________ 329
union of branch, with Mennonite Brethren in Christ. ................... ____________ ..... _ ..... 1057
"Brmsers," see United Zion's Children ______ ...... _ ......... _____ ..... _ ...... _ ............. _ ........ 340
Brooks, Arthur Wolfort, Titular Bishop of Sardis, Apostolic Episcopal Church (The Holy Eastern
Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox Church) ....... _________ ..... ________________ ..... ____________ 561
Brown, E. D., founder Free Christian Zion Church of Christ ______ ...... _ ...... _______ ...... _______ 1249
Brown, Saul, first Jewish minister in North America _____________________________________________________ 763
Browne, Robert,
attacks upon established Church of England ____ ................................................ 519
principles accepted by John Robinson ........ ___ ............. .._ ......... _ ........ _ ............ 519
Buddhist Mission of North America ..................... _ ........................... _ .......... ____ 341
Buffalo Synod, see American Lutheran Church. ......... ___________ ............ _ ................... 86rt
Bulgarian Orthodox Church ............ _____________________________________________________________ 563
"Burning Bush," see Metropolitan Church Association ..... _ ............................. .. ........ 066
Cam, E. J , organizer of Church of the Living God, "The Pillar and Ground of Truth" ............. 497
Calvary Pentecostal Church ... ....... . ____________________ ................. . ....... ... ......... _. 1357
Calvin, John,
association with John Knox ....................... ____________ .......... .._ ........ _____________ 1462
doctrines emphasized by, perpetuated in Presbyterian churches ............ _ ........... . ......... 1381
influence of, on Heidelberg Catechism ..... _ .......... ______________ ............ _ ............... 616
leader in Protestant reformation ................ _ ........... _ ...... _ ........... ____ ............. 1496
presbytenan form of government as set forth by, adopted by Reformed Church in America ...... 1504
relations maintained by, with Moravians ............................................... ... ..... 1282
Calvimstic Methodists, divergence from mam body .............. ___________________ ...... _ ......... 1082
Sse also Welsh Calvimstic Methodist Church.
Cambridge Platform, union of Puritans and Pilgrims by ______ ............. _ ....................... _ 520
Campbell, Thomas and Alexander,
"declaration and address" ....................................................... _ ............ 469,540
organize "The First Church of the Christian Association" ..... ... .............................. 540
protest against creeds and systems ........................... _____ ............ ____________ 469,524,540
Camp meeting,
appearance of, in America ...................................................................... 1132
disapproval of, by Wesleyan Methodists of England ............................................ 1132
feature of church life in
Apostolic Faith Mission ______________ ....... _ ........ ______ ....... __________________________ 649
Churches of Christ m Christian Union of Ohio .............................................. 472
Life and Advent Union .................................. __ ................................. 41
National Spiritualist Association ..................... ______ ............................ _____ 1602
Primitive Methodist Church ............................................................... 1132
Reformed Methodist Church ........................ _ ............................... _______ 1171
United Christian Church.. ..... ____ ..... __________ ............ ._ ...... _____________________ 1643
Canons of Synod of Dort, accepted by
Christian Reformed Church .................................................................... 1516
Mennonite bodies ......................................................... _ .................... 1003
Presbyterian bodies ............................................................................. 1382
Reformed Church in America ............................................................... 1504, 1506
Carfora, Carmel Henry, archbishop of North American Old Roman Catholic Church ___________ 1298,1308
Carroll, John, prefect apostolic of Catholic Church in Thirteen Original States ...................... 1543
Carter, William H,, reorganized Church of the Full Gospel, Inc _____ ................................ 1243
Catechism, Heidelberg, in
Bohemian and Moravian Brethren Churches ................................................. _. 1290
Evangelical and Reformed Church ____ . ......................................................... 616
Presbyterian bodies ................................. _ ..... . ......... _____ ........ . ........ _____ 1382
Reformed bodies _________ ...................... _ .......... .... ....... . .......................... 1496
- Luther's, in
Evangelical and Reformed Church ........................ . ..................................... 616
Lutheran bodies .......................... _ ..................................................... 852
Westminster, in
Bohemian and Moravian Brethren Churches.. _ ............... ____________ ....... - .......... ... 1290
Reformed bodies. .. ................... __________ ...... . ......................................... 1496
Catholic Apostolic Church .......................................................................... 347
Catholic congregation, establishment of first, in the United States .................................. 1542 •
"Gatholicos," head of Church of Armenia ........................................................... 381
780 IffttESX
Page
Catholics, number of, among signers of historical documents - _ 1543
See also Roman Catholic Church.
Central Conference of Mennomtes _.. 1071
Chalcedon, General Council, rejection of decrees of, by Armenian Church 381
Channing, William E.,
famous sermon in exposition of principles ._ - ._. .-- 522,1622
Unitarian leader _ - — 1622
Cheshier, Isaac, early preacher, United Holy Church of America, Inc 1649
Chlumsky", A., work m Evangelical Unity of Bohemian and Moravian Brethren in North America.. _ 1287
Christadelphians i - 351
Christian and Missionary Alliance, The ... - - 358
Christian Church, development of, from "Republican Methodists" - 524, 3098
Christian Church (General Convention of the Christian Church), see Congregational and Christian
Churches - - 512,524
Christian Congregation _._ -— 650
Christian Endeavor Society, see Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor.
Christian Nation Church _ - - 1240
Christian Reformed Church 1509
Christian Science, see Church of Christ, Scientist ,. 397
Christian Union - - 366
Christian Unity Baptist Association - 251
Christian, William, founder of Churches of the Living God 486, 491 , 497
Christ's Sanctified Holy Church Colored - - 373
Church of Armenia in America _ - - - 377
Church of Christ (Holiness) U S A 385
Church of Christ, Scientist - - 390
Church of Christ (Temple Lot) - 824
Church of Daniel's Band - - _ 651
Church of England,
effect of political changes on religious life in Colonies 1487
interest in America „ 148(5
Methodist movement in « 1082
organization under American episcopate 1488-1490
Separatist movement in 519
Church of Eternal Life 1266
Church of God - 400
Church of God (Adventist) _ _ 32
Church of God (Apostolic) _ 653
Church of God (Headquarters, Anderson, Ind.) - 408
Church of God (New Bunkers) 289
Church of God (Oregon, 111) _ 42
Church of God (Salem, W. Va.) 421
Church of God and Saints of Christ 433
Church of God as Organized by Christ _ 657
Church of God in Christ 441
Church of God in Christ (Mennonite) 1029
Church of God in Christ (Pentecostal). 1361
Church of Illumination, The „ _ 1268
Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonites) _ 828
Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerites) - 834
Church of Jesus Christ (Strangites) 836
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints _ 804
Church of Revelation, The _ „ 1245
Church of the Brethren (Conservative Bunkers) _ 267
Church of the Full Gospel, Inc 1243
Church of the Gospel 1267
Church of the Living God, Christian Workers for Fellowship 487
Church of the Living God, "The Pillar and Ground of Truth" _ 493
Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America „ 959
Church of the Nazarene 449
Church of the United Brethren in Christ 1625
Church of the United Brethren in Christ (Old Constitution) 1635
Church Transcendent, see Independent Churches (footnote) 728
Churches of Christ 462
Churches of Christ in Christian Union of Ohio 471
INDEX 781
Page
Churches of God, Holiness _ 473
Churches of God m Christ Jesus, see Church of God (Oregon, III ) _ 42
C hurches of the Living God 486
Churches of the New Jerusalem^ . 498
Clark, Francis E , founder of Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor 528
Clarke, John, pastor of First Baptist Church of Newport, R. I 83
Classis of Amsterdam (Synod of Holland), relation of, to the Reformed Church m America 1504
Coke, Thomas, first Methodist superintendent 1083,1097
College of Cardinals, composition of, in Roman Catholic Church , _ 1546
Colley, William, Negro Baptist leader 154
Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church ,„_. 1420
Colored denominations:
African Methodist Episcopal Church _ _,_ 1175
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. _ 1187
African Orthodox Church _ _ _ 49
African Union Methodist Protestant Church _._ 1206
Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God 60
Christ's Sanctified Holy Church Colored _ 373
Church of Christ (Holiness) U. S. A , 385
Church of God and Saints of Christ 433
Church of God in Christ 441
Church of the Living God, Christian Workers for Fellowship _ 487
Church of the Living God, "The Pillar and Ground of Truth". 493
Churches of God, Holiness _ _ 473
Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church 1420
Colored Methodist Episcopal Church.... 1210
Colored Methodist Protestant Church 1198
Colored Primitive Baptists 226
Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas 693
Free Christian Zion Church of Christ 1247
House of God, the Holy Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth, House
of Prayer for All People, The _ „ 1250
House of the Lord 1252
Independent African Methodist Episcopal Church 1231
Independent Negro Churches _ 735
Kodesh Church of Immanuel 1254
Latter House of the Lord, Apostolic Faith, The 1272
National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Saving Assembly of the United States of America.,. 263
National David Spiritual Temple of Christ Church Union 1257
Negro Baptists 143
Negro Mission of the Synodical Conference 943
Reformed Methodist Union Episcopal Church „ 1227
Reformed Zion Union Apostolic Church 1223
Triumph the Church and Kingdom of God in Christ 1274
Union American Methodist Episcopal Church 1200
United American Free Will Baptist Church (Colored) _ 176
United Holy Church of America, Inc _ _.. 1645
Colored Methodist Episcopal Church _ 1210
Colored Methodist Protestant Church 1198
Colored Primitive Baptists , 226
Comenius, John Amos,
last bishop of the United Church 1282
members of the Unity led into exile by _ _ _ 1287
Community churches, indefiniteness of term 690
See also Independent Churches 734
Community of True Inspiration, see Amana Church Society 1238
Community ownership, as part of doctrine:
Amana Church Society , 1238
Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerites) 835
House of David, The _ 1271
Hutterian Brethren, Mennonites - 1019
Metropolitan Church Association _ 667
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 822
Seventh Day Baptists (German, 1728) 261
United Society of Believers (Shakers) 1263
782 INDEX
Page
Conference of the Defenseless Mennomtes of North America --- - 1075
Conferences, system of, in Methodist churches -- 1082, 1100
Confession, auricular, use of by
American Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Eastern Church 558
Assyrian Jacohite Apostolic Church 75
Brethren in Christ. 335
Church of Armenia in America - 383
Liberal Catholic Church (optional) ... 845
Roman Catholic Church - _._ 1546
United Society of Believers (Shakers) 1263
Confession of Faith, Augsburg, in
Evangelical and Reformed Church - 616
Evangelical Unity of Bohemian and Moravian Brethren in North America. _ - - 1288
Lutheran bodies - --- 852
Belgic, in
Christian Reformed Church - - 1516
Reformed Church in America - 1504, 1506
Helvetic, in
Bohemian and Moravian Brethren Churches 1290
Evangelical Unity of Bohemian and Moravian Brethren in North America 1288
Free Magyar Reformed Church m America - 1521
- Westminster, in
Bohemian and Moravian Brethren Churches _ 1290
Presbyterian bodies- 1382
Congregational and Christian Churches _ 512
Congregational Churches, merged with Christian Church (General Convention of the Christian
Church) under name of Congregational and Christian Churches __. 512, 519
Congregational Churches,
additions to, by members of Congregational Methodist Church 1152
New Congregational Methodist Church __ _._ 1165
adoption of Unitarian principles by 522, 1622
dominance of, in New England - _ 520
joint action with Presbyterians _ 521, 1399
Congregational Holiness Church _ _ 529
Congregational Methodist Church... _ 1147
Congregations of the Roman Catholic Church., _ _ _ _ _ 1547
Conservative Amish Mennomte Church _ 1020
Constantinople, Patriarchate of,
Mother Church of all orthodox churches „ _ 549
supervision of churches in Greek Archdiocese of North and South America 573
Cordingley, G. V., founder of Progressive Spiritual Church 1605
Councils, system of, in Roman Catholic Church.. 1549
Covenanter movement, political and religious significance of _ 1456, 1462
Cox, Thomas J., organized Church of God (Apostolic) 056
Cramer, Malmda E., leader in Divine Science Church.. 547
Cranmer, Gilbert, leader of Church of God (Adventist) _„_ 36
Creeds and confessions, adherence to not required
American Ethical Union- 55
Baha'is 81
Brethren in Christ 335
Calvary Pentecostal Church _ 1359
Christianand Missionary Alliance, The 365
Christian Union. _ 371
Church of God ___ 407
Church of God (Adventist) „___ 36
Church of God (Headquarters, Anderson, Ind ) 415
Church of God (New Dunkers) 290
Church of God (Oregon, 111.) _ 40
Church of God (Salem, W. Va.)-- 424
Church of God as Organized by Christ 660
Church of Illumination, The 1268
Church of the Brethren (Conservative Dunkers) 275
Churches of Christ „ _ 470
Congregational and Christian Churches 523,525
Disciples of Christ _ _ _ 542
Evangelical Free Church of America, The _ 1581
General Assembly of Spiritualists _,_ 1615
General Eldership of the Churches of God in North America 485
INDEX 783
Page
Creeds and confessions, adherence to not required — Continued.
Hcphzibah Faith Missionary Association. 664
Jewish Congregations. 763
Metropolitan Church Association- _ 667
National David Spiritual Temple of Christ Church Union- 1259
(Original) Church of God, The 420
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World _ _.. 1348
Pentecostal Church of God of America, Inc 1353
Plymouth Brethren- _ _ 292
Salvation Army _ 1562
Scandinavian Evangelical bodies _ 1566-1586
Sen wenkf elders.. ._ 1589
Separate Baptists.- 192
Seventh-day Adventist Denomination _ 28
Society of Friends (Hicksite). _._ _ _ 715
Society of Friends (Orthodox) _ _. 707
(Tomlinson) Church of God _ _ ___ 432
Unitarians 1622
Universal Emancipation Church _ ._ 1275
Vedanta Society _ _ 1663
Crowdy, William S , founder of Church of God and Saints of Christ 438
Crusader movement, youth movement in the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel 746
Cumberland Presbyterian Church ._ 1409
Cumberland, Presbytery of, separation from Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, 1399, 1416
Cummings, Jonathan, leader of Advent Christian Association, now Advent Christian Church 5, 15
Cummins, George D , withdrawal from Protestant Episcopal Church and organization of Kcformed
Episcopal Church _ _ __. 1490,1526
Cutler, Alpheus, organizer of Church of Jesus Christ (Outloritos) _ 835
Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church Association, union with United Danish Church __ 907
Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church in America _ _ 988
Darby, John Nelson, leader of Plymouth Brethren 291,298
Day, Edward, organizer of Christian Nation Church _ 1241
Deaconesses, order and work of, in
Church of Armenia in America _ _ 383
Methodist Episcopal Church _ 1102,1105
Protestant Episcopal Church 1495
United Lutheran Church in America „„ .__ _ 958
Defenseless Mennomtes, see Conference of the Defenseless Mennonites of North America 1075
Dharma, law of Buddhists _ 345
Diocesan or "Secular" clergy, in Roman Catholic Church _ 1549
Disciples of Christ _ _ 533
Divine healing, belief in, by
Apostolic Faith Mission 649
Apostolic Methodist Church _ 1173
Assemblies of God, General Council _ _ 71
Calvary Pentecostal Church ._ 1359
Christian Nation Church _ _ 1241
Church of Christ (Holiness) U. S A 389
Church of Christ, Scientist - 397
Church of Christ (Temple Lot) 827
Church of Eternal Life - -~ - 1266
Church of God (Salem, W. Va ) 425
Church of God m Christ - - 448
Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonites) 831
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - „. 802
Church of tho Nazarene 461
Churches of Christ m Christian Union of Ohio.— - 472
Churches of God, Holiness - 477
Congregational Holiness Church 532
Divine Science Church , 547
Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas 696
Free Will Baptists - - - 175
German Baptist Brethren (Dunkers) 266-290
Holiness Church 726
International Church of the Foursquare Gospel 745
International Pentecostal Assemblies 1342
784 INDEX
Page
Divine healing, belief in, by—Continued,
Kodesh Church of Immanuel - - 1256
Liberal Catholic Church - 845
Mennonite Brethren in Christ _ — - 1058
Missionary Church Association ._ 672
National David Spiritual Temple of Christ Church Union., 1259
(Original) Church of God, The _ - - 420
Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ - - - 1328
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World _....• 1348
Pentecostal Church, Inc., The - - - - 1335
Pentecostal Church of God of America, Inc - 1353
Pentecostal Holiness Church 1321
Pilgrim Holiness Church _ 3370
Pillar of Fire _ — 681
Reformed Methodist Church 1171
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 822
Seventh Day Baptists (German, 1728) 262
United Holy Church of America, Inc _ 1649
Unorganized Italian Christian Churches of North America, The,, 755
Divine Science Church 545
Dort, Canons of Synod of, see Canons of Synod of Dort.
Dow, Lorenzo, advocate of camp meetings in Primitive Methodist Church 1132
Duck River and Kindred Associations of Baptists (Baptist Church of Christ) 207
Dunkards, see German Baptist Brethren (Dunkers).. _ _ _ 266
"Dutch Reformed," see Reformed Church in America _._ 1504,1505
Eastern Orthodox Churches _ 549
Ecclesia, term for church among Christadelphians _ 356
Ecumenical Councils and Creeds:
African Orthodox Church.. 52
Eastern Orthodox Churches _ 550
Norwegian Lutheran Church of America— 890
Norwegian Synod of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church 942
Old Catholic Churches in America _ 1298
Polish National Catholic Church of America 1378
Roman Catholic Church 1549
United Lutheran Church in America _ _ 955
Eddy, Mary Baker, founder of Christian Science _ 397,398
Edwards, Jonathan, Jr., influence on Presbyterian Church ___ 521
Edwards, Jonathan, Sr., "The Great Awakening" movement initiated by 520
Eielsen, Elling,
name given to the first Norwegian Synod in America _ 967
Norwegian Lutheran lay preacher 889,967
Eielsen Synod „ _ 964
Embury, Philip, first Methodist preacher in America _._ _ _ 1096
Emerson, Harold Davis, lineal descendant of the High Priest, Mayan Temple 1273
Engle, John and Jacob, leaders of River Brethren 329
Ephrata, Community of German Baptist Brethren (Dunkers), founding of 164, 261, 270
Epworth League,
official young people's society of Methodist Episcopal Church _ ilQO
in other Methodist bodies _ 1146, 1222
Erieside Church _ 1269
Ethical Culture, societies for, see American Ethical Union. „ 53
Ethiopian Overcoming Holy Church of God, see Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God 60
Eucharistic Congress, international meeting of Catholics, in Chicago 1545
Evangelical Adventists,
first organized as American Millennial Association.. _ _ 5
organization disbanded 5
Evangelical and Reformed Church _ 605
Evangelical Association, merged with United Evangelical Church under name of Evangelical Church. 627
Evangelical Church „ 619
Evangelical Congregational Church 630
Evangelical Free Church of America, The _ 1576
Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod of North America _ 874
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (Eielsen Synod) _ 964
Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio and Other States, see American Lutheran Church 866
INDEX 785
Page
Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Wisconsin and Other States _. _ , 926
Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America 901
Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Iowa and Other States, see American Lutheran Church,-- 8G6
Evangelical Lutheran Sj nod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States __ 917
E vangelical Mennonite Brethren Conference 1049
Evangelical Mission Covenant Church of America-- _ . ._ 1567
Evangelical Protestant Church of North America, union with Congregational Churches. 523
Evangelical Synod of North America, merged with Reformed Church in the United States 605
Evangelical Unity of Bohemian and Moravian Brethren in North America. 1286
Evangelistic associations - _ 636
Eyman, Peter, leader of Church of God (New Dunkers) 290
Faith Tabernacle __ 1270
Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America, organization of _ - 522
Federated Churches _ _ 683
Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church of America _. 968
Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, or Suomi Synod 973
Finnish Evangelical Lutheran National Church of America 979
Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas 693
Fisher, Mary, pioneer Quaker in the United States 706
Footwashing, practice of-
Amana Church Society.- __ , 1238
Christian Union _ _ 371
Christian Unity Baptist Association. _ _ 253
Church of Christ (Holiness) U. S. A _ 389
Church of God 407,
Church of God (Apostolic) — _ 656
Church of God (Headquarters, Anderson, Ind.)~- - - 415
Church of God (Salem, W. Va) 425
Church of God and Saints of Christ 439
Church of God as Organized by Christ _ _.. 660
Church of God in Christ 448
Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonites) _ 832
Church of the Full Gospel, Inc _ _ 1243
Church of the Living God, Christian Workers for Fellowship 491
Churches of God, Holiness _ 477
Colored Primitive Baptists 233
Congregational Holiness Church _ _ 532
Duck River and Kindred Associations of Baptists (Baptist Church of Christ) 211
Faith Tabernacle _ - - 1270
Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas _ 696
Free Will Baptists 175
General Baptists _ _ 186
General Eldership of the Churches of God in North America 485
German Baptist Brethren (Dunkers) 266-290
House of God, the Holy Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth, House of
Prayer for All People, The 1251
International Pentecostal Assemblies - 1342
Mennonite bodies 1002-1081
New Congregational Methodist Church .__ 1165
Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ _ 1328
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World 1348
Pentecostal Church, Inc., The 1336
Pentecostal Fire-Baptized Holiness Church 1356
Primitive Baptists 225
Regular Baptists ._ 199
River Brethren _ 329-340
Separate Baptists _ 192
Seventh Day Baptists (German, 1728) 262
Two-Secd-in-the-Spirft Predestinarian Baptists 237
United Baptists 206
United Christian Church 1644
United Holy Church of America, Inc 1649
Fox, George, founder of Society of Friends 705,706
Francescon, Louis, founder of The Unorganized Italian Christian Churches of North America 755
Francis (Brothers), W. H , consecrated as archbishop of the Old Catholic Church in America.,. 1297, 1311
786 INDEX
Page
Franckc, August Herman,
early Pietist __ __ 275
influence on German Baptist Brethren.. ._ - 275
Free Baptists, union with Baptists (Northern Convention) 85, 110
Free Christian Zion Church of Christ.. 1247
Free Magyar Reformed Church m America - 1518
Free Methodist Church of North America - - 1153
Free Will Baptists - 167
Free Will Baptists, practical identity with Free Baptists 175
Friends _ - - 697
Friends (Primitive) - 723
Friends,
attitude toward slavery - 706
divisions on doctrinal points - - 707
origin of name -.. -- - - 705
prejudice against, m Colonies _ 706
protest against taxation for support of Congregational Churches.- 520
"Friends of Augsburg," organization of, as Lutheran Free Church 898
Froehlich, Samuel Hemnch, Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarcan) founded on teachings of 644
Fuller, W. E , leader m Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas 695
General Assembly of Spiritualists 1612
General Association of Repular Baptist Churches in the United States of America 254
General Baptists 181
General Church of the New Jerusalem 507
General Conference of the Mennomte Church of North America - _ 1040
General Convention of the New Jerusalem m the United States of America 499
General Council of Chalcedon, see Chalcedon, General Council of
General Council of the Italian Pentecostal Assemblies of God__ _ _ — 748
General Eldership of the Churches of God m North America 478
General Six Principle Baptists - 156
General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, The 1451
German Baptist Brethren (Bunkers) _ 266
"Great Awakening, The," effect of, in New England,
on Baptists 87
on Congregational Churches ._ _. 520
on Evangelical Church _. _ 626
on Presbyterian Churches _ _ 1398
on Separate Baptists 192
"Great Revival" in Tennessee, account oL_ _ 524, 1416
Greek Orthodox Church (Hellenic) _ 566
Gruber, Eberhard Ludwig, one of founders of Amana Church Society 1238
Hampton Institute, first day school for freedmen, establishment of 527
"Hard Shell" Baptists, origin of name _ 84,224
Hauge, Hans Nielsen,
name given to the Haugo Synod, apart of the first Norwegian Synod 967
Norwegian Lutheran lay preacher. 889,967
Hebrah, Jewish adult study circles 769
Heidelberg Catechism, see Catechism.
Heinemann, Barbara, work of, for Amana Church Society _ 1238
Helvetic Confession, see Confession of Faith.
Hephzibah Faith Missionary Association 661
Herr, Francis and John, leaders in organization of Reformed Menuonites 1039
Hicks, Elias, central figure among liberal Friends 715,723
Hinayana, Buddhist school of thought _ 344
Hodur, Francis,
founder of Polish National Catholic Church of America. _ 1376,1377
part m organization of Lithuanian National Catholic Church of America 848
Holdeman, John, founder of Church of God in Christ (Mennomte) 1032
Holiness Church - __ 724
Holiness Methodist Church 1166
Holland, migration of Pilgrims to 519
Holliman, Ezekiel, baptized by Roger Williams 83
"Holy Club," Methodist, at Oxford University, organization or 1082
Holy Orthodox Church in America ., ,,..., 574
INDEX 787
Page
House of David, The _ 1271
House of God, the Holy Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth, House of
Prayer for All People, The 1250
House of the Lord 1252
Hungarian Reformed Church in America,
majority of churches absorbed in Reformed Church in the United States _ _. 1496
minority group organized as Free Magyar Reformed Church in America 1521
Hunt, Robert, first celebration of Eucharist at Jamestown by 1487
Hus, John, Bohemian reformer _ 1281
Huter, Jacob,
Anabaptist minister and advocate of communistic system 1019
martyrdom of 1019
name given to Russian Mennonite group __ 1019
Hutterian Brethren, Mennonites _ 1017
Icelandic Evangelical Lutheran Synod in North America 984
Immersion as distinguishing feature of Baptists,
origin of_. _ _ 83
practice of, by other bodies 84
See also Baptism.
Independent African Methodist Episcopal Church,- _ 1231
Independent Baptist Church of America 239
Independent Churches 727
Independent Lutheran Congregations 998
Independent Negro Churches _ 735
Interdenominational churches, see Independent Churches _ 734
International Apostolic Holiness Church, see Pilgrim Holiness Church___ 1362
International Church of the Foursquare Gospel _ _ _ 739
International Pentecostal Assemblies 1338
Intoxicants, use of, forbidden:
Christian Nation Church 1241
Christ's Sanctified Holy Church Colored 376
Church of Christ (Temple Lot) _ 827
Church of God (Salem, W. Va.) _ _ 425
Church of God and Saints of Christ- _ 439
Church of the Brethren (Conservative Bunkers)— _ 276
Church of the Nazarene 461
Church of the United Brethren in Christ 1633
Church of the United Brethren in Christ (Old Constitution) 1641
Evangelical Congregational Church 635
Holiness Church 726
House of the Lord __ _ ___ _ _ __ 1253
International Church of the Foursquare Gospel 745
Kodesh Church of Immanuel 1255
Latter House of the Lord, Apostolic Faith, The 1272
Methodist Episcopal Church _ _ _ 1106
Old German Baptist Brethren (Old Order Bunkers) 281
Reformed Methodist Church 1171
Salvation Army 1563
Seventh-day Adventist Benomination 28
United American Free Will Baptist Church (Colored) 180
United Society of Believers (Shakers) 1263
Wesleyan Methodist Connection (or Church) of America 1126
Italianbodies 747
Jacobite Church (Assyrian) , see Assyrian Jacobite Apostolic Church _ 73
Jewish Agricultural Society _ — 770
Jewish Congregations 756
Jewish feast days, observed by Church of God and Saints of Christ 439
Jews In the United States,
burial and kosher rituals 768
fundamental dogmas - 763-766
number of 763
synagogal customs _ _ _ ,- 766-768
Jews, Orthodox _ 766
Jews, Reform 766
275318 — 41 51
788 INDEX
Page
Johnson, B. A. B., organized The House of God, the Holy Church of the Living God, the Pillar and
Ground of the Truth, House of Prayer for All People 1251
Johnson, W. H., founder of House of the Lord 1253
Jones, Abner, pioneer in "Christian" movement in New England 524
Judson, Adoniram, influence on missions 88
Juren, Bev. H., leader in Evangelical Unity of the Brethren _. 1287
Killingsworth, Frank Bussell, founder of Kodesh Church of Immanuel 1255
King's Chapel,
adoption of Unitarianism _ - - - 1622
first Episcopal Church in New England _ 1487
Knapp, Martin W., founder of Pilgrim Holiness Church 1360
Knox, John,
influence of, on Presbyterianism 1381
organizer of Presbyterian Church of Scotland - 1462
Kodesh Church of Immanuel - — 1254
Koorie , Hanna, ordination as priest in Assyrian Jacobite Apostolic Church 75
Korteniemi, Salomon, founder of Finnish Apostolic Lutheran .Church 972
Kraussert, Michael, work of, in Amana Church Society 1238
ICrimmer Mennonite Brueder-Gemeinde 1066
Kun, Francis, leader of independent Bohemian and Moravian Churches, _ 1288, 1289
"Lambeth Articles," in Protestant Episcopal Church 1490,1492
Latter House of the Lord, Apostolic Faith, The.. _ 1272
Latter-day Saints _ _ - _ 801
Lee, Ann ("Mother Ann")»
belief in spiritualism - 1263
pioneer in woman's rights movement- _ 1263
pioneer leader of United Society of Believers (Shakers) 1262
Lewis, Janet Stine, founder of The Church of Bevelation 1245
Liberal Catholic Church - 840
Life and Advent Union , - 38
Lithuanian National Catholic Church of America 846
Livingston, John Henry,
organizer of Dutch Beformed Churches 1505
professor in first theological seminary in America 1506
Lott-Carey Missionary Baptists, inclusion of statistics under new term, "Negro Baptists" 85,88, 153
Love feasts, characteristic service m
Church of the Brethren (Conservative Dunkers) 276
Methodist Episcopal Church 1101
Beformed Methodist Union Episcopal Church 1230
United Zion's Children 340
Lumber Biver Mission, see Holiness Methodist Church 1167
Luther, Martin,
Protestant doctrines set forth m catechisms of 616
relations maintained with Moravians and assent given to their Confession of Faith 1282
Lutheran Free Church _ 893
Lutheran Synod of Buffalo, see American Lutheran Church „ 866
Lutherans _ 849
Lutherans,
migration to America 849-852
native bent among, for unity in faith 849,851,954
McGready, James, leader of revival in Tennessee, culminating in Cumberland separation 1416,1417
McGuire, George Alexander, organizer and first bishop, African Orthodox Church 51
McKibban, Bev. J. H., leader in Churches of Christ in Christian Union of Ohio 472
McPherson, Aimee Semple, evangelist and founder of International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, 744
Maek, Alexander,
early Pietist preacher _„ 275
first to receive and confer baptism by trine immersion 275
organizer of German Baptists or Church of the Brethren 275,287
Mahayana, Buddhist school of thought 344
Makemie, Francis, apostle of American Presbyterianism 1398
Mason, C . H., founder and general overseer, Church of God in Christ 448
INDEX 789
Page
Mayan Temple, The _ 1273
Melanchthon,
influence of, on Heidelberg Catechism 616
origin of Reformed bodies traced to _. _ 1496
Melchizedek, higher priesthood in Mormon church _ , 802,813,834
Mennonite bodies _ 1002
Mennonite Brethren Church of North America 1059
Mennonite Brethren in Christ _ _ _ _ 1052
Mennonite Church 1008
Mennonite Kleine Qemeinde _ 1070
Mennonites,
Amish separation _ 1006,1007,1015,1023,1028,1078
application of name to early Anabaptists _ 1002
derivation of name from Menno Simons 1002
persecutions of _ _ 1002,1003
pioneers in Pennsylvania , 1003
Russian 1019,1032,1051,1063,1069,1070
Menno Simons,
leader of Mennonites 1002,1006,1032
part in establishing Baptist principles 83
Metaphysical and magnetic healing, practice of, by
Church of Revelation, The 3246
Progressive Spiritual Church _ 1606
Methodist bodies.. 1082
Methodist Episcopal Church ., 1086
Methodist Episcopal Church, withdrawal of Negro members from 1098
See also Colored denominations.
Methodist Episcopal Church, South 1134
Methodist form of government, growth of, in England and America 1083
Methodist movement,
effect of Moravians upon 1082
influence in development of various church bodies , 1083
origin of _ 1082
Methodist Protestant Church _ i 1108
Metropolitan Church Association 665
Metz, Christian, leader of "Inspirationists" (Amana Church Society) 1238
Michaelius, Jonas, first minister of Dutch churches in New Amsterdam , 1504
Mickiewicz, S. B., organizer of Lithuanian congregations 848
Millennium, see Advent, Second.
Miller, William, leader in Advent movement 3,27
Ministerium of Pennsylvania, first Lutheran synod in the United States, organization of 849
Mirz& * Ali Muhammad, forerunner and disciple of Baha'u'llah .• 79
Mirz& Husayn 'AM, founder of Baha'i cause, „ 79
See also Bab.
Missionary Bands of the World 673
Missionary Church Association ., 668
Moore, Thomas E., in charge of Salvation Army of America (American Rescue Workers) 58
Moravian bodies - 1276
Moravian Church in America r 1277
Moravians,
influence on Methodist movement - 1082,1282
union with Bohemians - - 1281
Mormon, Book of, see Book of Mormon.
Mormons, see Latter-day Saints 801
"Mother Church, The," of Christian Science, organization of 398
Muhlenberg, Henry Melchior, patriarch of Lutheranism in America 849
Muhlenberg, W. A., founder of church schools and hospitals, in Protestant Episcopal Church 1490
Mttller, George, leader among Plymouth Brethren 291
Mumford, Stephen, pioneer Seventh Day Baptist 164,423
Murray, John, organizer of Universalist societies in the United States 1657
National Baptist Convention,
• inclusion of statistics under new term, "Negro Baptists" 85,88
organization and growth of — 152
790 INDEX
Page
National Baptist Evangelical Life and Soul Saving Assembly of the United States of America ....... 263
National Catholic War Council,
organization of ________________ ....... ________ ............... ._ .................................. 1545
permanent organization to succeed ................................................. s ............ 1545
National David Spiritual Temple of Christ Church "Union .......................................... 1257
National Spiritual Alliance of the "United States of America ......................................... 1607
National Spiritualist Association- ...... _________ ........ — ...... - ...... ______ ..... ______ ..... _____ 1594
Negro Baptists ................... - ........ - ......................................................... 143
Negro Mission of the Synodical Conference ......................... _ ............................... 943
New Apostolic Church ........... _ ............................. - .................................... 1291
New Church, see Churches of the New Jerusalem .................................................... 504
New Congregational Methodist Church ---------------- ...... _ .................... ------------------ 1162
Newmark, George Augustus, bishop, organizer of American Old Catholic Church (Incorporated) _._ 1302
New York State Spiritualists Association, see General Assembly of Spiritualists ..................... 1615
Nirvana, the higher form of life, attained by noble eightfold path.,,, ........................... „ — 345
Nishijima, Rev. K., Buddhist leader, assisted in establishment of first Young Men's Buddhist Asso-
ciation.__ ...... ______ ..... . ..................................................................... 344
Nltschmann, David, first Moravian bishop in America and founder of cooperative union in Bethle-
hem, Pa ............. _ ........ _ ....................................... - .......................... 1282
Nonpapal Catholic churches:
African Orthodox Church. ___ ..... _____________ ................... . ............................. 49
Assyrian Jacobite Apostolic Church ............................................................. 73
Catholic Apostolic Church ...................................................................... 347
Church of Armenia in America ................... - ........ - ....................... - ............. 377
Eastern Orthodox Churches..- ...... _____________ ........ ------ ........ ------ ..... — ...... — . 549-604
Liberal Catholic Church ............ . ...................................... - .................... 840
Lithuanian National Catholic Church of America ............................................... 846
New Apostolic Church .......................................................................... 1291
Old Catholic Churches in America .......................................................... 1297-1312
Polish National Catholic Church of America ...................................... - ............. 1372
Nonsectarian Churches of Bible Faith, see Independent Churches (footnote) ............ , ........... 728
North American Old Roman Catholic Church ............ _ ............... „ ......................... 1304
Northern Baptist Convention .................................................................. ----- 91
Northern Presbyterian, see Presbyterian Church in the United States of America... ......... _______ 1385
Norwegian and Danish Evangelical Free Church Association of North America .................... , 1582
Norwegian Lutheran Church of America — . ................................... - ....... - ........... 883
Norwegian Lutheran Churches, union of constituent bodies ................................ _ ........ 890
Norwegian Synod of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church ..... _______________ ...... _ ........ 938
JNTo salaried ministry:
Amana Church Society ......................................................................... 1239
Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean). ................ _ ....................................... 642
Apostolic Faitti* Mission ..................... ._ ....... — ............. . ....... „ ..... _ ............ 649
Baha'is ......................................................................................... 82
Brethren in Christ ................................................. . ............ _ ............... 336
Christadelphians ______ ............. ___ ......................................................... 357
Church of Christ (Temple Lot) ....................... . ........... ._ ............... . ............ 827
Church of Illumination, The _____________________________ ......... ______________________ ........ 1268
Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonites) .......................................................... 831
Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerites) ............................................................. 835
Church of Jesus Christ (Strangites) ______ ....................................................... 838
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints... ....... ___ ...... _____ ...... _ ...................... 813
Church of Revelation, The ..................................................................... 1245
Hephzibah Faith Missionary Association ....................................................... 664
Holiness Church ____ ............................................................................ 726
Kodesh Church of Immanuel ....... _ ........................................................... 1256
Liberal Catholic Church ................................................................ _ ....... 845
Mennonite bodies ................... _ ...... . .................................................... 1004
Metropolitan Church Association ............................................................... 667
Missionary Bands of the World. ................................................................ 676
Old German Baptist Brethren (Old Order Dunkers) ...... __________________ ...... . ............. 281
Orthodox Conservative Friends (Wilburite) .................................................... 722
Plymouth Brethren ....................................... _ ..................................... 292
Society of Friends (Hicksite) _____ ............................................................... 716
Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists ................................................. 237
United Zion's Children. ................. _ ......................... ________ ..................... 339
Vedanta Society ................................................................................ 1663
INDEX 791
Page
Oberholzer, John, leader in union movement among Mennonites in America ', , 1046
O'Kelley, James,
opposition to episcopacy in Methodist churches 524, 1097
organizer of Republican Methodists, later incorporated into the Christian Church 524,1098
Old Catholic Church in America ,._ 1309
Old Catholic Churches in America 1297
Old German Baptist Brethren (Old Order Dunkers) 278
Old Order Amish Mennonite Church 3025
Old Order Mennonite Church (Wisler) _ 1033
Old Order or Yorker Brethren 337
Orders, religious,
in Eastern Orthodox Churches <. 550
in Roman Catholic Church 1548
(Original) Church of God, The 416
Orthodox Conservative Friends (Wilburite) 718
Orthodox Jews, see Jews, Orthodox.
Orthodox Presbyterian Church, The 1471
Otterbein, Philip William, organizer of United Brethren in Christ _ 1632
Parker, Elder Daniel, great leader of Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists 237
Patriarch of Constantinople, see Constantinople, Patriarch of.
Patriarchs, office of,
in Assyrian Jacobite Apostolic Church _ 74
in Church of Armenia in America _ 381,384
in Eastern Orthodox Churches 550,555,559,564,573,575,587,596,601,604
Patton, George, leader of Church of God (New Dunkers) 276,290
Penn, William,
encouragement to Friends to settle in Pennsylvania 706
offer of home to Mennonites 1003,1007
Pentecost Bands of the World, see Missionary Bands of the World 675
Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ— _ •„ 1323
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World _ 1343
Pentecostal Church, Inc., The 1330
Pentecostal Church of God of America, Inc 1349
Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene, see Church of the Nazarene 449
Pentecostal Churches of America, Association of, see Church of the Nazarene 449
Pentecostal Fire-Baptized Holiness Church 1354
Pentecostal Holiness Church... _ _ 1313
Pilgrim Holiness Church „ _ 1362
Pillar of Fire 677
Plan of Union,
abrogation of _ 522,1399
adoption of, by Gongregationalists and Presbyterians _ _ 521, 1399
Plymouth Brethren 291
Plymouth Brethren 1 294
Plymouth Brethren II 299
Plymouth Brethren III _ _ 307
Plymouth Brethren IV 311
Plymouth Brethren V 316
Plymouth Brethren VI 321
Plymouth Brethren VII 324
Plymouth Brethren VIII.. 326
Polish National Catholic Church of America - 1372
Polity, see organization, under each denomination.
Polygamy, doctrine of,
advocated in Mormon church 812
manifest in abrogation of 812
never practiced by Reorganized Church 822
no longer practiced by Church of Jesus Christ (Strangites) - 838
opposed by Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonites) 831, 832
Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerites) 835
practice contrary to doctrine of Church of Christ (Temple Lot) 827
Pope,
origin of title 1642
supreme authority in Roman Catholic Church 1546
792 INDEX
Page
"Poughkeepsie Seer," see Spiritualism.
Preparatory or probationary members:
African Methodist Episcopal Church ,. „ , 1175
Afriran Methodist Episcopal Zi'on Church 3187
Amana Church Society 1239
Baha'is 76
Church of Christ, Scientist _ 398
Congregational Methodist Church 1H7
Free Methodist Church of North America 1153
Holiness Methodist Church 3167
Lutherans — « 853
Methodist Episcopal Church 1099
Methodist Protestant Church 1108
Moravian Church in America - 3283
Pillar of Tire 681
Protestant Episcopal Church , 1492
Union American Methodist Episcopal Church « 3200
United Society of Believers (Shakers) , ... 1263
Presbyterian bodies - - 1381
Presbyterian Church in the United States 1436
Presbyterian Church in the United States of America 1385
Presbyterians, joint action with Congregationalists,
in missionary work-,,. 521
in "Plan of Union" 521
Primitive Advent Christian Church. 48
Primitive Baptists , 212
Primitive Methodist Church in the United States of America - 1127
Princeton University, established by "New Side" Presbyterians, as College of New Jersey 1398
Probationers, see Preparatory or probationary members.
Progressive Spiritual Church 1603
Protestant Conference (Lutheran), The * 995
Protestant Episcopal Church 1477
Puritans,
attitude toward established Church of England 519
emigration to America 519,520
proscription of Anglicans in New England by 1487
union with Pilgrims 520
Quakers, see Friends.
Questions of Faith and Order, World Conference on, representation by
Assyrian Jacobite Apostolic Church 75
Congregational and Christian Churches _ 522
Disciples of Christ , 543
Methodist Episcopal Church _ 1098
Methodist Episcopal Church, South. 1145
Northern Baptist Convention „ 309
Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.. f 1400
Protestant Episcopal Church.- „ 1492
"Rational treatment of disease," feature of church work, Seventh-day Adventist Denomination. 30
Beform Jews, see Jews, Reform.
Reformed bodies , taw 3496
Reformed Church in America 1498
Reformed Church in the United States, merged with Evangelical Synod of North America under
name Evangelical and Reformed Church _ 605
Reformed Episcopal Church 1522
Reformed Mennomte Church _, 1037
Reformed Methodist Church J168
Reformed Methodist Union Episcopal Church , 1227
Reformed New Congregational Methodist Church , 1174
Reformed Presbyterian Church in North America, General Synod 1465
Reformed Zion Union Apostolic Church „ 1223
Regular Baptists , 194
Regular clergy, in Roman Catholic Church 1549
Reincarnation, doctrine of, in The Mayan Temple „ 1273
INDEX 793
Page
Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. _ _ 815
Kiver Brethren 329
Roberts, B. T., author of reform movement culminating in organization of Free Methodist Church _. 1161
Robinson, John, leader of Pilgrim Separatists „ _ 519
Rock, Johann Frederick, one of founders of Amana Church Society -<P 1238
Roman Catholic Church 1528
Roman Catholic Church,
attitude of, in Revolution 1543
first congregation in the United States _ _ 1542
missionaries to America __ _ 1542
Roumanian Orthodox Church _ _ 576
Rural churches, movement toward federation in 690,691
Russian Orthodox Church _ 581
Russian Revolution, effect on Eastern Orthodox Churches _ _ _ _. 549,588,590
Salvation Army 1555
Salvation Army of America, see American Rescue Workers 58
Sander, J. A., one of the organizers of Reformed New Congregational Methodist Church , 1174
Santamaria, John and Rocco, organizers of General Council of the Italian Pentecostal Assemblies of
God _ ..„_ 750
Sarajian, Hovsep, first bishop of Armenian Church in America 382
Scandinavian Evangelical bodies 1666
Scandinavian Independent Baptist Denomination of America, see Independent Baptist Church of
America „ 242
Schlatter, Michael, missionary evangelist to German Reformed Churches 614, 1632
Schmucker, S. S., early Lutheran leader _ _._ _ 849
Schwenkfelders 1587
Seabury, Samuel, bishop of Protestant Episcopal Church _ 1488,1489
Separate Baptists 188
Separatists, English,
among Baptists-- 83,191
predecessors of Congregationalists 519
Roger Williams, first American minister of _ 83,520
Serbian Orthodox Church 592
Seventh-day Adventist Denomination 18
Seventh Day Baptists 159
Seventh Day Baptists (German, 1728) 259
Seventh day, Sabbath observance of, by
Church of God (Adventist) 36
Church of God (Salem, W. Va.) 425
Church of God and Saints of Christ , 439
Seventh-day Adventist Denomination 27
Seventh Day Baptists 164
Seventh Day Baptists (German, 1728) 262
Shakers, see United Society of Believers (Shakers) 1262
Shoghi Effendi, "Guardian of the Cause," present leader of Baha'is „ 80
Short, D avid William, founder of National David Spiritual Temple of Christ Church Union 1259
Simpson, A. B., founder of The Christian and Missionary Alliance 364
Slavery, attitude toward, of
Baptists 88
Church of the United Brethren in Christ 1633
Church of the United Brethren in Christ (Old Constitution) 1640
Congregational and Christian Churches _ 525
Cumberland Presbyterian Church 1417
Methodist Episcopal Church ,. 1098
Methodist Episcopal Church, South _ , 1144
Presbyterian Church in the United States 1443
Presbyterian Church in the United States of America 1400
Reformed Methodist Church - ~ 1171
Society of Friends (Orthodox) „ 706
Southern Baptist Convention _ 140
Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America 1463
Wesleyan Methodist Connection (or Church) of America - — 1124-1126
Slovak Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the United States of America — 933
Smith, E. B. and Rose, founders of Church of Eternal Life 1266
Smith, E. D., founder of Triumph the Church and Kingdom of God in Christ 1274
794 INDEX
Page
Smith, Elias, pioneer in "Christian" movement in New England.— 524
Smith, Joseph,
founder of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 801,812
killed by mob 801,812,825,830,835,837
son and grandson of, presiding officers of Eeorganized Church. — , , — 822
Social Brethren _ - — _— 1591
Societies for Ethical Culture, see American Ethical Union 53
Society of Friends (Hicksite) - 711
Society of Friends (Orthodox) 698
Sonoda, S., first bishop of Shin Sect of Buddhism in America 344
Southern Baptist Convention 114
Southern Presbyterian, see Presbyterian Church in the United States 1436
Spener, Philip Jacob, early Pietist, influence on German Baptist Brethren 275
Spiritualism,
as practiced by Church of Eternal Life 1266
belief in, by Shakers 1263
origin of, in writings of Andrew Jackson Davis _ 1599
Spiritualists _ 1593
Spring, Dr. Gardiner, author of resolution of loyalty to Federal Government, the occasion for organ-
ization of "Presbyterian Church in the Confederate States of America" 1400, 1443
Spurling, B., organizer of The (Original) Church of God 419
Stauffer, Jacob, leader of, name given to &tauffer Mennonite Church _ 1079
Stauffer Menaonite Church 1079
Stone, Barton W.f
cooperation with Alexander Campbell 524,541
leader of the Christian Church (General Convention) 524,543
Strang, James J., succession to Joseph Smith claimed by 837
Sturgill, F. Carl and F. L., leaders in Christian Unity Baptist Association 253
Suomi Synod - 973
S wedenborg, Emanuel, founder of the Churches of the New Jerusalem 504, 510
Swedish Evangelical Free Church of the United States of America, see The Evangelical Free Church
of America - - 1570
Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant of America, see Evangelical Mission Covenant Church of
America 1567
Swedish Independent Baptist Church, see Independent Baptist Church of America — _ 239
Synod of the Associate Presbyterian Church of North America, The _ 1 446
Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America 1457
Syrian Antiochian Orthodox Church 597
Talmud Torah, Jewish congregational schools for religious education 769
Tennent, Gilbert and William, leaders of Presbyterian "New Side" movement 192, 1398
"The Great Sobor of 1917," influence of, on Russian Orthodox Church 588
Thomas, John, founder of Christadelphians 356
Thorlaksson, Paul, Icelandic Lutheran congregations organized by 987
Tikhon, Patriarch, history of 588
Tithes, payment of, in
Apostolic Methodist Church , 1173
Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God 62
Catholic Apostolic Church , 350
Christian Nation Church 1241
Church of God (Salem, W. Va.) _ , 425
Church of God and Saints of Christ 439
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints r 813
House of God, the Holy Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth, House
of Prayer for All People, The 1251
International Pentecostal Assemblies „ 1342
Kodesh Church of Immanuel „ 1256
New Apostolic Church 1295
(Original) Church of God, The 420
Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ 1328
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World 1348
Pentecostal Church, Inc., The 1336
Beorgauized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 822
Seventh-day Adventist Denomination _ 28
INDEX 795
Page
Tomlinson, A. J., general overseer of (Tomlinson) Church of God 432
(Tomlinson) Church of God _ 426
Torah, foundation of Jewish law _ _ 764
Triumph the Church and Kingdom, of God in Christ. _ _„_ 1274
"Trusteeism," old system of, in Roman Catholic Church 1543
Two-Seed-iu-the-Spirit Predestinarian Baptists _ 234
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America _ 602
Unaffiliated Mennonite Congregations _ _ 1080
Union American Methodist Episcopal Church 1200
Union churches, see Independent Churches _ 733
Unitarianism,
development of,
in America 1622
in England— _ _ 1622
origin of _.._ _ 1622
Unitarians _ _ _ 1616
Unitarians,
conceptions of; adopted by Universalists _ 1658
set forth by William EUery Channing 522,1622
separation from Trinitarians 522,1622
United American Free Will Baptist Church (Colored) _ 176
United Baptists 200
United Brethren bodies _ 1624
United Christian Church _ _ _ 1642
United Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 901
United Evangelical Church,
minority group not merged, name changed to Evangelical Congregational Church _ 634
part merged with Evangelical Association, as Evangelical Church 627, 634
United Holy Church of America, Inc _„ 1645
United Lutheran Church in America 946
United Presbyterian Church of North America 1426
United Society of Believers (Shakers) 1261
United Zion's Children. 339
Universal Emancipation Church 1275
Universalism,
definition of. _ 1656
theology of , ._ 1658
Universalist Church 1650
Unorganized Italian Christian Churches of North America, The , 752
Van der Werp, organizer of Holland [Reformed Churches in Michigan 1515
Varlck, James, first bishop of African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church 1195
Vedanta Society 1661
Veniaminoff, John (Bishop Innocent), Eussian missionary in Alaska 589
Vilatte, Joseph R6n6, original founder and archbishop of Old Catholic Churches in America..l298, 1301, 1308
Virgin Birth, belief in, denied by Church of Jesus Christ (Strangles) 838
Volunteers of America, The _ 1664
Von Ossig, Caspar Schwenkfeld,
emigration of followers to Pennsylvania 1589
work for Lutheran Reformation 1588
Voree, garden of peace, located near Burlington, Wis _ 837
Walther, O. P. W., leader in Missouri Synod..- _ _ 924
Warfare, participation in, opposed by
Advent Christian Church 16
Amana Church Society _ 1238
Apostolic Christian Church _ 641
Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean) _ _ - 645
Assemblies of God, General Council 71
Brethren Church (Progressive Bunkers), The _ _ 288
Brethren in Christ 335
Christadelphians__ - - 356
Church of God (Salem, W. Va.) _.._ 425
Church of God as Organized by Christ - 660
Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonites)— .-- 832
Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerites) — 835
796 INDEX
Warfare, participation, in, opposed by—Continued. Page
Church of the Brethren (Conservative Bunkers) , 276
Church of the "United Brethren in Christ (Old Constitution) _ 1641
Churches of Christ _ 470
Divine Science Church 648
Friends (Primitive) 723
House of the Lord 1253
Independent Baptist Church of America 242
International Pentecostal Assemblies , 1342
Latter House of the Lord, Apostolic Faith, The , 1272
Mennonite bodies 1003
Missionary Church Association 672
Old German Baptist Brethren (Old Order Dunkers) 281
Old Order or Yorker Brethren 338
Orthodox Conservative Friends (Wilburite) 722
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World 1348
Pentecostal Church, Inc., The 1336
Pentecostal Church of God of America, Inc 1353
Beformed Methodist Church 1171
Beformed New Congregational Methodist Church ., „ 1174
Seventh Day Baptists (German, 1728) 262
Society of Friends (Hicksite) _ 716
Society of Friends (Orthodox) 707
Spiritualist bodies 1693,1600
United Society of Believers (Shakers) - , _ _ 1263
United Zion's Children _ _ _ 340
Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Church, absorption by Presbyterian Church in the United States of
America 1381,1382,1400
Wesley, John and Charles,
contact with Moravians _ 3082,3096
emphasis on Arminianism _ 1082
founders of Methodism 1082,3096
invitation by Governor Oglethorpe to come as spiritual advisers to his colony 1096
ordination of bishops for American churches.- 1083
Wesleyan Methodist Connection, English body of Methodists 1083
Wesleyan Methodist Connection (or Church) of America 1117
Westminster Assembly,
emphasis on Calvinism _ 1381
influence of, on Presbyterian bodies _ 1381
occasion for calling 1381
Westminster Confession, me. Confession of Faith.
Weyeneth, Benedict, origin of Apostolic Christian Church traced to 641
White, Alma, founder of Pillar of Fire , _„ 680
White, Mrs. Ellen G.,
divine inspiration denied _ _ 36,424
leader in Seventh-day Adventist movement 27
White, William, author of plan to unite Episcopal churches after the Revolution 1488
Whitefleld, George,
Calvinistic leanings _ „ 1082
influence of, on
Baptists r 87,88
Congregationalists „ 520
Methodists r 1082
Presbyterians 1398
preacher in "The Great Awakening" 192,520,1082
visit to New England „ , „ 84,87
Wnittier, John Greenleaf, Quaker poet 707
vVilbur, John, leader of Orthodox Conservative Friends fWilburite) „ „.„„ 722
Wilcoxen, Earl, organizer of Reformed New Congregational Methodist Church , „. 1174
vVilliams, L. W., founder of The Latter House of the Lord, Apostolic Faith 1272
Williams, Roger,
"Apostle of religious liberty". _ ^ g3
expulsion from Massachusetts 83, 520
Winebrenner, John, founder of General Eldership of the Churches of God in North America.. _rn 484
Wisler, Jacob, separate Mennonite conference formed by T „ „._-„...! 1035
Witherspoon, John, leader in Presbyterian churches _ „ „„..„„ 1398, 1406
I:NT>EX 797
Women eligible to ministry, in Page
Advent Christian Church. _ 16
Brethren Church (Progressive Dunkers), The_ _ 288
Calvary Pentecostal Church _ 1359
Christian Union 372
Christ's Sanctified Holy Church Colored... 376
Church of the Full Gospel, Inc 1244
Church of the Living God, Christian Workers for Fellowship 491
Church of the United Brethren in Christ 1633
Church of the United Brethren in Christ (Old Constitution) 1641
Congregational Holiness Church _ 532
House of God, the Holy Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth, House of
Prayer for All People, The 1251
Latter House of the Lord, Apostohc Faith, The 1272
Methodist Episcopal Church ._ ___ _._ „. 1099
Orthodox Conservative Friends (Wilburite) 722
Pilgrim Holiness Church _ 1371
Pillar of Fire 681
Primitive Methodist Church in the United States of America 1133
Progressive Spiritual Church _ _ 1606
Society of Friends (Hicksite) 716
Society of Friends (Orthodox). _ _ _ _ .__ 708
United Society of Believers (Shakers) _ _ 1263
Woolman, John, antislavery work in Society of Friends 706
World Conference on Questions of Faith and Order, see Questions of Faith and Order, World Confer-
ence on.
Yorker Brethren 337
Young, Bngham,
leader of church to Utah _ 812,822,830
president of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 802,812
Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, organization of 528
Zinzendorf, Nicholas Louis, Count of,
asylum furnished by, to Bohemian and Moravians.., , 1282
contacts with John and Charles Wesley 1082,1096
Unitas Fratrum, or Church of the Brethren, established by... __ ___ 1282
Zionist movement,
among Jews 771
international significance of 771
Zuk, Dr. Joseph, first bishop, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America 604
Zwingli, Ulrich,
leader in cause of representative government 1496
Mennonites withdraw from leadership of 1002
130409
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